Variable use pontoon boat system and method

Abstract

A pontoon boat assembly includes at least two outer pontoon floats and at least one center pontoon float. A deck is supported above the floats. A propulsion system in the preferred form of a V-drive with a rear-facing propeller is provided for moving the pontoon boat across a body of water and causing wakes to trail behind the pontoon float in the path of the pontoon floats. At least one wake panel is supported off a stern end of at least one of the outer pontoon floats and is slideable to a lowered position for selectively engaging the body of water and altering the trailing wake to shape the wake. At least one hydrofoil is engagable with the body of water for drawing the stern end of the boat downwardly during propulsion of the pontoon boat to increase the size of the shaped wake.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A pontoon boat assembly, comprising:
 a plurality of pontoon floats, including at least two outer pontoon floats and at least one center pontoon float arranged between the alt least two outer pontoon floats;   a deck supported above the plurality of pontoon floats;   a propulsion system for moving the pontoon boat across a body of water and causing wakes to trail behind the pontoon float in the path of the pontoon floats;   at least one wake panel supported off a stern end of at least one of the outer pontoon floats and slideable to a lowered position for selectively engaging the body of water and altering the trailing wake trailing from the at least one outer pontoon float during propulsion of the pontoon boat; and   at least one hydrofoil engagable with the body of water for drawing the stern end of the at least one outer pontoon float downwardly during propulsion of the pontoon boat.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the propulsion system includes a rearwardly-facing propeller. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the rearwardly-facing propeller is disposed on a fixed-angle prop shaft. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the propulsion system comprises an inboard V-drive and wherein the prop shaft of the V-drive extends through a wall of the at least one center pontoon. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 4 , including a rudder disposed rearward of the propeller. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one wake panel includes a first wake panel supported off a first one of the at least two outer pontoon floats and a second wake panel supported off a second one of the at least two outer pontoons. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the wake panels are slidable relative to the outer pontoon floats and independently of one another. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the wake panels are angled forwardly from top to bottom. 
     
     
         9 . The assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one hydrofoil includes at least two hydrofoils disposed rearwardly of the wake panels. 
     
     
         10 . The assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the at least two hydrofoils are moveable downwardly relative to the wake panels and are moveable relative to one another for selective engagement with the body of water to generate a down force behind one or both outer pontoon floats. 
     
     
         11 . The assembly of  claim 10  wherein the movement of the wake panels and hydrofoils are controlled by powered actuators. 
     
     
         12 . The assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the powered actuators are hydraulic cylinders. 
     
     
         13 . The assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one center pontoon includes a well and wherein at least a portion of the V-drive is disposed in the well of the at least one center pontoon. 
     
     
         14 . The assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the prop shaft extends within the well. 
     
     
         15 . A pontoon boat, comprising:
 two outer pontoons and a center pontoon and a platform supported by the pontoons;   at least one wake enhancement device supported for selective downward deployment for deflecting water to alter the size and/or shape of a wake of the pontoon boat when downwardly deployed;   a propulsion system having a rearwardly facing propeller; and   at least one hydrofoil engageable with the body of water to generate a downward force on the pontoon boat.   
     
     
         16 . A pontoon boat, comprising:
 two outer pontoons and a center pontoon and a platform supported by the pontoons;   a V-drive propulsion system disposed at least partially in the center pontoon and including a fixed-angle prop shaft projecting through a wall of the center pontoon; the propulsion system including a rearward-facing propeller and a rudder;   a wake plate supported off a stern end of each of the outer pontoons, the wake plates being selectively and independently slideable to a deployed position for engaging a body of water for modifying at least one trailing wake for water sport activities; and   at least one hydrofoil supported off a stern end of the boat for selectively engaging the body of water and generating a downward force at the stern end of the boat.