Thruster Bracket for Angled Boat Transoms
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wakeboard and wakesurfing boats face difficulties in mounting thrusters due to space constraints and angled transoms, which limit water flow and require innovative mounting solutions, and lack stern lights for night operations.
Innovation Solution
A thruster bracket with a horizontal neck portion and support plate extending from an upper mounting support, forming a greater-than-right-angle configuration, allowing for thruster mounting and incorporating an underwater lamp, with a threaded conduit and rubber pad for secure attachment, optimizing space usage and water flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a thruster is mounted directly to the transom of a wakeboard boat, then the thruster can be installed in a simple manner, but the angled transom and limited space restrict water flow and eliminate mounting possibilities
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket extends the mounting solution into three-dimensional space by creating an L-shaped structure that projects outward from the transom. This allows the thruster to be positioned in optimal water flow locations while maintaining a compact footprint on the transom surface, effectively utilizing spatial dimensions to resolve the conflict between simple mounting and adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The bracket serves as an intermediary component between the transom and the thruster. It adapts the thruster mounting interface to accommodate the angled transom geometry while providing a standardized mounting surface for the thruster, thus mediating between the conflicting requirements of simple installation and adaptive positioning.
2Ease of manufacture
If the transom is formed at an angle to facilitate hull removal from molds, then hull fabrication is easier, but the angled surface limits space available for mounting thrusters and lights
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket utilizes the vertical dimension by extending upward and outward from the angled transom surface. This creates additional mounting area in three-dimensional space without altering the transom's angled geometry, allowing thrusters and lights to be positioned in locations that would otherwise be unavailable due to the angled surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The bracket is divided into multiple segments including a transom mounting portion, a horizontal neck portion, and a vertical support portion. This segmentation allows each portion to be optimized for its specific function: the mounting portion adapts to the angled transom, while the other portions create space for equipment installation.
3Illumination intensity
If wakeboard boats are equipped with stern lights for night operations, then visibility is improved, but space constraints on the angled transom prevent light installation
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket is designed as a universal mounting solution that can accommodate multiple types of equipment including thrusters, lights, and other accessories. The horizontal neck portion and vertical support portion create a multi-functional platform that addresses both propulsion and illumination needs within the limited transom space.
4Adaptability or versatility
If a bracket extends horizontally from the transom to accommodate thruster mounting, then mounting flexibility is improved, but drag increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket is designed to be dynamic in its interaction with water, allowing water to flow smoothly around its contours. The streamlined shape and strategic positioning minimize disturbance to water flow, reducing drag while maintaining mounting flexibility for the thruster.
Data Source
AI summary
A bracket for mounting a thruster to a boat includes a horizontal neck portion, an upper mounting support portion, a support plate portion that extends downward from the upper mounting support portion, and an enclosure portion. The support plate portion and the rear of the upper mounting support portion form a transom-facing surface in a plane that is generally at a right angle relative to a horizontal plane, within a small range of angles. The transom-facing surface can angled to match the angle of the transom of a boat to which the thruster bracket is mounted. A thruster can be mounted to the thruster bracket at a level where the thruster will be out of the water when the boat is moving fast and up on plane, and will be in the water when the boat is moving very slow.