Boat hull strake design

Abstract

A system for increasing the buoyancy of a boat operating in the water and to reduce the wetted-surface-friction of the water against the hull of the boat. The system includes a multiple of strakes attached to the bottom side of the boat. The strakes are instrumental in creating a multitude of bubbles on which the hull of the boat will ride which increases the efficiency of the power of the motor or motors powering the boat. The strakes are arranged in series along the hull of the boat and can increase in size from the bow of the boat to the stern. The strakes are also increasing in depth from the bow of the boat to the stern. The strakes may be attached to the boat as a retro-fit or may be added when manufacturing the boat.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]Designers and manufactures of planning boat hulls have for years used a variety of means to attempt to have the least amount of solid water in contact with the hull of a boat when planning on the hull surface. Probably the earliest designs for hulls on boats without the usual framing, utilizing overlapping planking, which is known as “Lapstrake” or “Clinker” style hulls, which were originally created by the Vikings. This construction method of the overlapping planking was applied by some early wooden boat builders to eliminate conventional framing and also reduce the weight for planning hulls, which incidentally created some bubbles for probably the very first time, which reduced some of the ordinary water-to hull friction from solid water under the hull. Others have tried cross-wise steps in their hulls to draw air under the hull and create bubbles to reduce friction. Still others have tried length-wise air tunnels and some bubble creation, again to...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0002]The inventive use of attachable strakes, or designed into the hull, forces the normally outward flowing water back under the hull and this forced redirection of the water back under the hull, a massive bed of foam bubbles is created resulting in reducing the original planning surface friction to a minimum. This inventive concept uses strakes which are designed to put the largest possible amount of air containing bubbles under the largest amount of the otherwise planning surfaces. By using multiple, uniquely surfaced, inwardly canted and tapered strakes with added ridges and steps, a huge amount of bubbles is created and they are kept under the hull as long as possible. The strakes are also directed to those areas under the hull where they are most desired. This enables the hull to ride with very low friction thereby reducing fuel consumption and the related pollution of the environment for maximum efficiency and conservation in today's world.

[0003]These planning area strake features can be used in a variety of shapes and configurations. Other air introduction or bubble creating designs require restricted hull designs to enable their use. This is the first inventive concept that will get boat hulls onto a plane mode sooner, with less power required to do so and have the least amount of surface friction regardless of the planning speed at which the boat is operating. For the first time theses bubble creating strakes can be used on any manufacture's hull for complete freedom of hull design compared to all present designs. They can also be manufactured separately to be added to hulls already in service, as a retro-fit, with huge gains for their owner, for increased speed and performance, economy and reduction in pollution. It is also a well known fact that salt water, when churned, easily creates bubbles which can be seen by watching a boat, when traveling in salt water, the propeller churns up the salt in the water and the boat leaves a long trail of bubbles in its wake. The inventive concept takes advantage of this phenomenon. There are also known semi-displacement hulls which can get up to plane infrequently. Now that higher powered engines are available, and newer hull forms with large planning areas are being used, these boats also need the advantage of the bubble-ride concept.

Problems solved by technology

Some of them extend too close to the bow of small boats and in rough water can catch a wave and cause a nasty, sudden and dangerous abrupt turning of the boat.

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