Method and apparatus for wake enlargement system

• US 8,739,723 B1
• Filed: 12/24/2011
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michael Murphy
• Original Assignee: Michael Murphy
• Inventors: Murphy, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): AVILA, STEPHEN P
• Application Number:
  US13/337,118
• Time in Patent Office: 892 Days
• Field of Search: 114/125
• US Class Current: 114/125
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 1/34 by reducing surface friction
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2207/02 Variable ballast or buoyancy
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 32/70 Accessories not specially adapted for a particular type of board, e.g. paddings or buoyancy elements
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 34/70 Arrangements on vessels specially adapted for generating waves for surfing, wakeboarding or the like, e.g. ballast tanks
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 71/00 Designing vessels; Predicting their performance

Abstract

A Method and Apparatus for Wake Enlargement System have been disclosed. By using water pick ups that are mounted or deployable on a boat controlled filling of ballast tanks is possible without the use of pumps.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a boat having a hull, said hull having a bow, and a stern, said boat having a port side, and a starboard side;

a bow ballast tank mounted in the bow of said hull;

a port rear ballast tank mounted on the port side of said boat;

a starboard rear ballast tank mounted on the starboard side of said boat;

a bow ater pick up mounted on said hull;

wherein said bow water pick up is mounted on said hull aft of said bow ballast tank and forward of said port rear ballast tank and forward of said starboard rear ballast tank;

a port electrically activated valve mounted on the port side of said boat;

a starboard electrically activated valve mounted on the starboard side of said boat; and

wherein said port electrically activated valve is connected to said port rear ballast tank and to a port side water drain hose, and wherein said starboard electrically activated valve is connected to said starboard rear ballast tank and to a starboard side water drain hose.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said port electrically activated valve and said starboard electrically activated valve are each independently activated.

3. A method comprising:

mounting a bow water pick-up on a hull of a boat;

mounting a port deployable water pick up on a transom of said boat;

mounting a starboard deployable water pick up on a starboard of said boat; and

when said boat is in motion filling a bow ballast tank from said bow water pickup, and filling a rear port ballast tank from said port deployable water pick up, and filling a rear starboard ballast tank from said starboard deployable water pick up;

wherein said mounting said bow water pick-up on said hull of said boat is mounting said bow water pick-up flush with said hull of said boat and mounting said bow water pick-up between said bow ballast tank and a most forward of said rear port ballast tank and said rear starboard ballast tank;

installing a valve between said bow water pick-up and said bow ballast tank;

connecting a port water drain hose between said rear port ballast tank and an opening on a port side of said hull; and

connecting a starboard water drain hose between said rear starboard ballast tank and an opening on a starboard side of said hull.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

installing a valve inline with said port water drain hose;

installing a valve inline with said port starboard drain hose; and

controlling said valve inline with said port water drain hose and said valve inline with said port starboard drain hose and said port deployable water pick up and said starboard deployable water pick up and said valve between said bow water pick-up and said bow ballast tank such that when said boat is accelerating through water it is substantially level.