Pontoon Assembly, and Watercraft Having Same

The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/640,831, filed Apr. 30, 2024 entitled “Pontoon Assembly and Watercraft Having Same”, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

The present technology relates to pontoon assemblies, and watercraft having pontoon assemblies.

Watercraft with electric propulsion systems are becoming increasingly popular. These electric propulsion systems have motors and batteries. The batteries can add significant weight to their watercraft.

Some conventional watercraft support these batteries on their deck. Other conventional watercraft support the batteries within their hull members. In some instances, this can lead to undesirable vessel behaviour, such as excessive rolling and/or excessive rocking of the watercraft in the water. In other instances, it can become difficult to maneuver the watercraft.

Thus, there is a desire for a technology that can accommodate for the heavy weight of the batteries, while limiting effects on ride quality and maneuverability.

It is an object of the present technology to ameliorate at least some of the inconveniences present in the prior art.

According to one aspect of the present technology, there is provided a watercraft including a deck, a pontoon assembly supporting the deck, and a propulsion system supported by at least one of the pontoon assembly and the deck. The pontoon assembly includes a center pontoon, a port pontoon and a starboard pontoon. The center, port and starboard pontoons are connected to the deck. The port pontoon is disposed to a left of the center pontoon. The starboard pontoon is disposed to a right of the center pontoon. The propulsion system is includes a battery being disposed vertically between a lower surface of the deck and an upper surface of the center pontoon.

In some embodiments, a cross-section of the center pontoon taken along a lateral plane has a maximum width and a maximum height. The maximum width is greater than the maximum height.

In some embodiments, the cross-section of the center pontoon has an upper side and a lower side, the upper side being flatter than the lower side.

In some embodiments, the cross-section of the center pontoon defines a gibbous shape.

In some embodiments, the center pontoon is tubular.

In some embodiments, a highest point of the center pontoon is positioned vertically lower than a highest point of the port pontoon and a highest point of the starboard pontoon.

In some embodiments, the highest point of the center pontoon is positioned vertically lower than a vertical midpoint of the port pontoon and than a vertical midpoint of the starboard pontoon.

In some embodiments, an upper surface of the battery is generally aligned with the highest point of the port pontoon and the highest point of the starboard pontoon.

In some embodiments, a lowest vertical point of the center pontoon is vertically lower than a lowest vertical point of the port pontoon and than a lowest vertical point of the starboard pontoon.

In some embodiments, the battery is disposed at least partially over the center pontoon.

In some embodiments, the watercraft further includes a vertical spacer assembly connecting the center pontoon to the deck.

In some embodiments, the vertical spacer assembly has a first height, the center pontoon has a second height, and the second height is smaller than the first height.

In some embodiments, the battery is mounted to the vertical spacer assembly.

In some embodiments, the vertical spacer assembly comprises a first vertical spacer and a second vertical spacer.

In some embodiments, the battery is disposed laterally between the first vertical spacer and the second vertical spacer.

In some embodiments, the watercraft further includes at least one wall connected to and extending laterally between the first vertical spacer and the second vertical spacer.

In some embodiments, the watercraft further includes an inverter electrically connected to the battery, and mounted to at least one of the first vertical spacer and the second vertical spacer, the inverter being disposed longitudinally rearward from the battery.

In some embodiments, the battery is closer to a rear end of the center pontoon than to a front end of the center pontoon.

In some embodiments, the propulsion system further includes an electric outboard motor electrically connected to and powered by the battery.

In some embodiments, the watercraft further includes a plurality of seats disposed on an upper surface of the deck, and a command console disposed on the upper surface of the deck.

According to another aspect of the present technology, there is provided a pontoon assembly for a watercraft. The pontoon assembly includes a center pontoon, a port pontoon disposed to a left of the center pontoon, and a starboard pontoon disposed to a right of the center pontoon. A highest point of the center pontoon is vertically lower than a vertical midpoint of the port pontoon and than a vertical midpoint of the starboard pontoon.

In some embodiments, a cross-section of the center pontoon taken along a lateral plane has a maximum width and a maximum height, In some embodiments, the maximum width is greater than the maximum height.

In some embodiments, the cross-section of the center pontoon has an upper side and a lower side, the upper side being flatter than the lower side.

In some embodiments, the cross-section of the center pontoon defines a gibbous shape.

In some embodiments, the center pontoon is tubular.

In some embodiments, a lowest vertical point of the center pontoon is vertically lower than a lowest vertical point of the port pontoon and than a lowest vertical point of the starboard pontoon.

In some embodiments, the pontoon assembly further includes a vertical spacer assembly configured to connect the center pontoon to a deck of the watercraft.

In some embodiments, the vertical spacer assembly has a first height, the center pontoon has a second height, the second height is smaller than the first height.

In some embodiments, the vertical spacer assembly comprises a first vertical spacer and a second vertical spacer.

In some embodiments, the pontoon assembly further includes at least one wall extending laterally between the first vertical spacer and the second vertical spacer.

Embodiments of the present technology each have at least one of the above-mentioned object and/or aspects, but do not necessarily have all of them. It should be understood that some aspects of the present technology that have resulted from attempting to attain the above-mentioned object may not satisfy this object and/or may satisfy other objects not specifically recited herein.

Additional and/or alternative features, aspects, and advantages of embodiments of the present technology will become apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.

Unless indicated otherwise, the Figures are not drawn to scale.

A watercraftin accordance with one embodiment of the present technology is shown in. The following description relates to one example of a watercraft, notably a pontoon boat. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that there are other known types of watercraft incorporating different designs and that some aspects of the present technology would encompass these other watercraft.

For purposes of the description of the watercraft, terms related to spatial orientation when referring thereto and components in relation to the watercraft, such as “vertical”, “horizontal”, “forwardly”, “rearwardly”, “left”, “right”, “above” and “below”, are, unless indicated otherwise, as they would be understood by a driver of the watercraftsitting thereon in an upright driving position, with the watercraftbeing at rest on a body of water and generally level.

Referring to, the watercraft, henceforth referred to as boat, includes a deck, a pontoon assemblyand a propulsion system. The deckis disposed on, and supported by, the pontoon assembly. The propulsion systemis also supported by the pontoon assembly. It is contemplated that in some embodiments, the propulsion systemmay be supported by the deckor by both the deckand the pontoon assembly.

The deckhas an upper surfacefor supporting occupants, as well as accessories and accommodations of the boat, and a lower surfacefor connecting with the pontoon assembly.

The boatincludes left and right front furniture units, left and right intermediate seats, and left and right rear furniture units, all of which are connected to the upper surfaceof the deck. The left and right front furniture unitseach include two seats. The left and right intermediate seatsare swivel seats. The left and right rear furniture unitseach include three seats. It is understood that the layout and/or configuration of the left and right front furniture units, the left and right intermediate seats, and the left and right rear furniture unitsmay vary. The boatfurther includes a command consolethat is disposed between the front right furniture unitand the right intermediate seat. It is contemplated that the deckcould include multiple levels and/or other seating or other accessories integrated therein.

The boatfurther includes a side structuresurrounding at least part of the deckand extending upwardly therefrom. In the present embodiment, the side structureis a barrier structure. It is contemplated that that in some embodiments, the side structurecould be gunnels of the boator another type of structure. The barrier structureis located along a periphery of the boat(as defined by the deck). As best seen in, the barrier structuregenerally covers the front, left and right sides of the deck. It is contemplated that, in other embodiments, the barrier structurecould surround the deckcompletely.

The boathas, at a rear thereof, beyond the barrier structure, a rear platform. The rear platformprovides additional space at the rear of the boatwhich can facilitate access to the water.

Referring to, the pontoon assembly, which can sometimes be referred to as a hull, includes a center pontoon, a port pontoonthat is disposed on a left side of the center pontoon(i.e., on a port side of the boat) and a starboard pontoonthat is disposed on a right side of the center pontoon(i.e., on a starboard side of the boat). The pontoon assemblyalso includes a port lift memberthat is connected to the center and port pontoons,and a starboard lift memberthat is connected to the center and starboard pontoons,. The pontoon assemblywill be described in greater detail below.

Referring to, the propulsion systemincludes a batteryand an electric motor. The electric motoris electrically connected to, and powered by, the battery. The electric motoris received in a housing, and forms part of an outboard motor. The boatis propelled by a propeller systemwhich is operatively connected to the electric motor. A steering wheel(), which is disposed on the command console, is operatively connected to the outboard motorto steer the outboard motorin order to steer the boat. An acceleration lever(), which is also disposed on the command console, is operatively connected to the electric motorfor controlling operation thereof. It is contemplated that other propulsion assemblies, such as a stern drive or a jet propulsion assemblies may be used to propel the boat. The propulsion systemwill be described in greater detail below. It is contemplated that in some embodiments, the propulsion systemmay include, instead of the batteryand the electric motor, an internal combustion engine and a fuel tank. It also contemplated that the batterycould be another type of energy storage device (e.g., hydrogen storage tank).

Referring to, the pontoon assembly, which includes the center pontoon, the port pontoon, the starboard pontoon, will now be described in greater detail.

The port and starboard pontoons,are similar to one another (symmetrical about a longitudinal center plane of the boat).