Watercraft and related systems and methods

Abstract

Embodiments of a watercraft are disclosed herein. One embodiment of a watercraft includes a board and a propulsion system secured to the board. The propulsion system has a water outlet portion and a water intake portion. The water intake portion includes a rim having a cross-sectional area that tapers along a length of the rim in a direction moving toward the water outlet portion. The propulsion system further includes a first blade having a first end connected to the rim and a second end opposite the first end. The second end of the first blade is a free floating end. The propulsion system also includes a first motor located between the water outlet portion and the water intake portion. The first motor has a first rotor component and a first stator component. The first rotor component is configured to rotatably drive the rim.

1 . A watercraft comprising:
 a board having a first side and a second side opposite the first side; and   a propulsion system secured to the board, the propulsion system comprising:
 a water outlet portion; 
 a water intake portion, the water intake portion comprising a rim having a cross-sectional area that tapers along a length of the rim in a direction moving toward the water outlet portion; 
 a first blade having a first end connected to the rim and a second end opposite the first end, the second end being a free floating end; and 
 a first motor located between the water outlet portion and the water intake portion, the first motor having a first rotor component and a first stator component, the first rotor component being configured to rotatably drive the rim. 
   
     
     
         2 . The watercraft of  claim 1 , wherein the first blade extends along the length of the rim, and wherein a pitch of the first blade increases along the length of the rim as the cross-sectional area of the rim tapers. 
     
     
         3 . The watercraft of  claim 1 , wherein the propulsion system further comprises:
 a second blade having a first end connected to the rim and a second end opposite the first end, the second end being a free floating end, wherein the second blade extends along the length of the rim, and wherein a pitch of the second blade increases along the length of the rim as the cross-sectional area of the rim tapers, the pitch of the second blade being equal to the pitch of the first blade.   
     
     
         4 . The watercraft of  claim 1 , wherein the propulsion system further comprises:
 an annular tube extending between the water outlet portion and the water intake portion, the annular tube extending within the first rotor component and coupled to the rim, wherein the first rotor component is configured to rotatably drive the annular tube to thereby rotatably drive the rim.   
     
     
         5 . The watercraft of  claim 1 , wherein the propulsion system defines a fluid flow path extending through the water intake portion, the annular tube, and the water outlet portion. 
     
     
         6 . The watercraft of  claim 5 , wherein the fluid flow path extends through the first rotor component and the first stator component. 
     
     
         7 . The watercraft of  claim 1 , wherein the rotor component is a magnetic rotor assembly. 
     
     
         8 . The watercraft of  claim 1 , further comprising a second motor located between the water outlet portion and the water intake portion adjacent the first motor, the second motor having a second rotor component and a second stator component, the second rotor component being configured to rotatably drive the rim. 
     
     
         9 . The watercraft of  claim 8 , further comprising a third motor located between the water outlet portion and the water intake portion adjacent the first and second motors, the third motor having a third rotor component and a third stator component, the third rotor component being configured to rotatably drive the rim. 
     
     
         10 . The watercraft of  claim 1 , wherein the first side of the board includes a first foot attachment adapted to secure a first foot of a rider to the board and a second foot attachment adapted to secure a second foot of the rider to the board. 
     
     
         11 . A watercraft comprising:
 a board having a first side and a second side opposite the first side;   a first foot attachment on the first side of the board and adapted to secure a first foot of a rider to the board;   a second foot attachment on the first side of the board and adapted to secure a second foot of the rider to the board, wherein the first foot attachment and the second foot attachment are spaced apart along a central longitudinal axis of the board; and   a block extending out from the first side of the board between the first foot attachment and the second foot attachment, wherein the block extends out a distance from the first side of the board beyond the first foot attachment and the second foot attachment, and wherein the block has a first surface that is adapted to interface with a first leg of the rider and a second surface opposite the first surface that is adapted to interface with a second leg of the rider.   
     
     
         12 . The watercraft of  claim 11 , wherein the first surface of the block is aligned along the central longitudinal axis of the board with the first foot attachment and the second surface of the block is aligned along the central longitudinal axis of the board with the second foot attachment. 
     
     
         13 . The watercraft of  claim 11 , wherein the first surface of the block includes a first recessed region and the second surface of the block includes a second recessed region. 
     
     
         14 . The watercraft of  claim 11 , wherein the first foot attachment is located on a first platform elevated above a deck surface of the first side of the board and the second foot attachment is located on a second platform elevated above the deck surface of the first side of the board. 
     
     
         15 . The watercraft of  claim 11 , wherein a buoyancy of the watercraft is sufficient to float the watercraft itself in water when stationary but the buoyancy of the watercraft is insufficient to float the watercraft in water with external loading applied when stationary. 
     
     
         16 . The watercraft of  claim 15 , wherein the board has a width extending perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis of the board, and wherein the width tapers toward a rear portion of the board. 
     
     
         17 . The watercraft of  claim 16 , wherein the first foot attachment is located at a first portion of the board having a first width and the second foot attachment is located at a second portion of the board having a second width that is less than the first width. 
     
     
         18 . The watercraft of  claim 11 , wherein the second side of the board includes a water intake and a water outlet spaced along the central longitudinal axis of the board from the water intake, and wherein the second foot attachment is positioned along the central longitudinal axis of the board closer to the water outlet than the first foot attachment. 
     
     
         19 . The watercraft of  claim 18 , wherein a motor is positioned between the water intake and the water outlet. 
     
     
         20 . The watercraft of  claim 10 , wherein the block includes a handle extending out from block in a direction opposite the first side of the board, and wherein the second side of the board includes a fin.