Amphibious yacht

• US 8,986,056 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2012
• Issued: 03/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kevin R. Neprud
• Original Assignee: Kevin R. Neprud
• Inventors: Neprud, Kevin R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Olson, Lars A
• Application Number:
  US13/725,287
• Publication Number:
  US 20140004761A1
• Time in Patent Office: 823 Days
• Field of Search: 440/12.5, 440/12.51, 440/12.52, 440/12.54, 440/12.56, 440/12.63, 440/12.66, 114/288, 180/24.11
• US Class Current: 440/12.54
• CPC Class Codes: B60F 3/00 Amphibious vehicles, i.e. vehicles capable of travelling both on land and on water; Land vehicles capable of travelling under water buoyant wheels B60B ; equipment forming part of, or attachable to vessels, facilitating transport over land B63C13/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60F 3/0007 Arrangement of propulsion or steering means on amphibious vehicles marine propulsion or steering B63H
• CPC Class Codes: B60F 3/0061 Amphibious vehicles specially adapted for particular purposes or of a particular type armoured amphibious vehicles F41H7/00; equipment for working under water B63C11/00; flating bridges designed as or mounted on vehicles E01D15/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60F 3/0069 Recreational amphibious vehicles toy vehicles A63H17/00 - A63H31/00
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 1/042 the underpart of which being partly provided with channels or the like, e.g. catamaran shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 27/14 of ramps, gangways or outboard ladders ; Pilot lifts

Abstract

A streamlined amphibious, catamaran yacht is provided that may serve military or civilian purposes as a passenger or cargo carrying truck, limousine, bus, motor home or recreational vehicle on land, and extend those same functions on water, while matching the functionality and performance of similar length boats. The amphibious yacht includes a continuous reveal on the hull bottom from bow to transom that separates two asymmetric catamaran hulls. This reveal, or hull tunnel, may enhance sea stability and maneuverability, and create lift that helps the hull achieve plane and attain higher water speeds.

Claims

1. An amphibious yacht having a forward most deck including a leading edge on said forward most deck, said yacht for use in a first configuration on water and in a second configuration on land, the yacht having a bow and stern comprising two asymmetric monohedron hulls separated by a continuous hull tunnel including a tunnel bow curve, said curve starting at the leading edge of the forward most deck which curve increases in radius as it proceeds into the hull tunnel wherein each of said monohedron hulls have a constant deadrise from an apex of the monohedron hull bow curve to rear wheel wells, wherein said tunnel has a height and is defined by vertical walls and said height is equal to or greater than 5 inches, wherein one or more continuous orthogonal hard chine offsets run longitudinally down the vertical walls of the tunnel.

2. The amphibious yacht of claim 1 wherein said constant deadrise angle is 12 to 20 degrees.

3. The amphibious yacht of claim 2 wherein the constant deadrise angle is 15½

degrees.

4. The amphibious yacht of claim 1 wherein said tunnel has a height and is defined by walls and said height is 6 inches to 42 inches.

5. The amphibious yacht of claim 1 wherein said offsets project between 1.5 to 6.0 inches from the walls of the hull tunnel.

6. The amphibious yacht of claim 1 wherein the height of the yacht is no greater than 13 feet 6 inches, the length is no greater than 45 feet and the width is no greater than 12 feet 6 inches.

7. The amphibious yacht of claim 1 including a bridging deck including a second level.

8. The amphibious yacht of claim 1 including a pair of rigid-hulled inflatable sponsons that extend and retract from said sides.

9. The amphibious yacht of claim 1 wherein the yacht is configured to plane on water.

10. The amphibious yacht of claim 1 having two sides and one or more suspension systems, wherein in the second configuration, the one or more suspension systems each include a front wheel and a pair of rear wheels on each side of the yacht, the rear wheels located one in front of the other.

11. The amphibious yacht of claim 10 wherein said rear wheels include retractable independent suspension systems.

12. The amphibious yacht of claim 1 further including a flybridge helm including a convertible top and retracting windshield.

13. The amphibious yacht of claim 10 wherein said one or more suspension systems are independent from one side of the yacht to the other.

14. The amphibious yacht of claim 1 further including an extendable retractable swim platform.

15. An amphibious yacht having a forward most deck including a leading edge on said forward most deck, said yacht for use in a first configuration on water and in a second configuration on land, the yacht having a bow and stern comprising two asymmetric monohedron hulls separated by a continuous hull tunnel including a tunnel bow curve, said curve starting at the leading edge of the forward most deck which curve increases in radius as it proceeds into the hull tunnel wherein each of said monohedron hulls have a constant deadrise from an apex of the monohedron hull bow curve to rear wheel wells, wherein said yacht has a longitudinal center of gravity, further including a single engine, wherein said engine is connected to a left hand or right hand driveline and powers a water jet propulsion system in said first configuration and one or more drive wheels in said second configuration.

16. The amphibious yacht of claim 15 wherein said constant deadrise angle is 12 to 20 degrees.

17. The amphibious yacht of claim 15 wherein the constant deadrise angle is 15½

degrees.

18. The amphibious yacht of claim 15 wherein said tunnel has a height and is defined by walls and said height is between 12 inches to 42 inches.

19. The amphibious yacht of claim 15 wherein said tunnel has a height and is defined by vertical walls and one or more continuous orthogonal hard chine offsets run longitudinally down the vertical walls of the tunnel, said offsets project between 1.5 to 6.0 inches from the walls of the hull tunnel.

20. The amphibious yacht of claim 15 wherein the height of the yacht is no greater than 13 feet 6 inches, the length is no greater than 45 feet and the width is no greater than 12 feet 6 inches.

21. The amphibious yacht of claim 15 including a bridging deck including a second level.

22. The amphibious yacht of claim 15 wherein the yacht is configured to plane on water.

23. The amphibious yacht of claim 15 having two sides and one or more suspension systems, wherein in the second configuration, the one or more suspension systems each include a front wheel and a pair of rear wheels on each side of the yacht, the rear wheels located one in front of the other.

24. The amphibious yacht of claim 23 wherein said rear wheels include retractable independent suspension systems.

25. The amphibious yacht of claim 23 wherein said one or more suspension systems are independent from one side of the yacht to the other.

26. The amphibious yacht of claim 15 further including a flybridge helm including a convertible top and retracting windshield.

27. The amphibious yacht of claim 15 further including an extendable retractable swim platform.

28. The amphibious yacht of claim 15 wherein said water jet propulsion systems include a pair of joy-stick controlled water jets.

29. The amphibious yacht of claim 15 wherein said engine is a series electric hybrid driveline that drives in-wheel electric motors.

30. The amphibious yacht of claim 15 wherein said engine is a series-parallel hybrid wherein said engine functions is a series hybrid mode to power an alternator configured to generate electricity to drive said drive wheels and said engine functions in parallel hybrid mode to power said water jet propulsion system.