Watercraft immobilizing apparatus and system

Abstract

A watercraft immobilizing apparatus and system for a marine vessel to passively defend against an attacking engine-powered watercraft includes a towed array of entanglement lines. The entanglement lines can be provided on and administered from removable/replaceable storage cartridges mountable on and/or deployed via davits, outriggers, paravanes, and/or weighted submersible rollers to foul and immobilize propellers and engine cooling water intakes of encroaching watercraft.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A watercraft immobilizing apparatus deployable from a marine vessel, said apparatus comprising a plurality of spaced apart lines extending from and towed by said vessel in water surrounding said vessel, said towed lines being arranged to stream at least one of at and below the surface of said water about at least one assailable face of said vessel so as to become entangled in and to foul a propulsion system of an approaching watercraft, said lines being constructed to break free of said vessel upon becoming entangled in said propulsion system.