Water walking pontoons

Claim 2

A pair of water walking pontoons each of said pontoons comprising: a. an elongated body of rigid buoyant construction; b. a tunnel formed longitudinally of said body adjacent the bottom thereof, said tunnel laterally off-set toward one side of said body and forming a water admitting opening proximate the bow of said body and a water expelling opening proximate the stern thereof; c. flipper means mounted within said tunnel for permitting water flow therethrough from the bow to the stern of said body and to prevent water flow in the reverse direction; and d. a boot formed in said body and positioned substantially intermediate the bow and stern thereof, said boot laterally offset toward the side of said body which is opposite from the side toward which said tunnel is laterally offset, said boot extending from the bottom of said body upwardly therethrough to the deck thereof.

Claim 3

A pair of water walking pontoons as claimed in claim 1 wherein said flipper means comprises a plurality of individual flippers each hingedly mounted within said tunnel for movement from a closed depending position to an open substantially horizontal position, said flippers positioned so that when closed they will partially overlap each other to seal said tunnel.

Claim 4

A pair of water walking pontoons as claimed in claim 1 wherein a ballast tank extends upwardly through said body from said tunnel and is separated from said tunnel by the roof thereof, said ballast tank having valve means therein by which water may be selectively admitted from said tunnel to said ballast tank.

Claim 5

A Pair of water walking pontoons as claimed in claim 1 wherein said body includes pitch dampening means formed on the bow and the stern for preventing the bow and the stern from dipping below the surface of the water.

Claim 6

A pair of water walking pontoons as claimed in claim 1 further including: a. a fin hingedly mounted on each of the opposite sides of said body for movement between an extended position away from said body and a retracted position flush therewith; and b. means mounted on said body and connected to each of said fins for manually moving said fins between the extended position and the retracted position.

Claim 7

A pair of water walking pontoons as claimed in claim 1 and further comprising: a. at least one flipper assembly mounted on at least one of the surfaces of said body, said flipper assembly pivotably movable between an extended position substantially normal to said body and a retracted position substantially flush therewith; and b. means mounted on said body and connected to said flipper assembly for pivotably moving said flipper assembly between the extended and the retracted positions thereof.

Claim 8

A pair of water walking pontoons as claimed in claim 6 wherein said flipper assembly comprises: a. a frame having an opening therethrough which is defined by at least a pair of opposed vertical side members; and b. at least one flipper pivotably mounted between the opposed side members of said frame for pivotable movement about a substantially horizontal axis, said flipper freely pivotable from an open position which allows water to pass through the opening in said frame in one direction and a closed position which prevents the passage of water through the opening of said frame in the opposite direction.

Claim 9

A pair of water walking pontoons as claimed in claim 1 further comprising: a. a plurality of flipper assemblies mounted on the one side surface of said body toward which said tunnel is laterally offset, said plurality of flipper assemblies pivotably movable between an extended position substantially normal to said body and a retracted position substantially flush therewith; b. means interconnecting said plurality of flipper assemblies so that the pivotable movement thereof is in unison; and c. means mounted on said body and connected to said means for interconnecting said plurality of flipper assemblies by which a user may move said plurality of flipper assemblies.

Claim 10

A pair of water walking pontoons as claimed in claim 1 further comprising: a. a plurality of flipper assemblies mounted on the bottom of said body and pivotably movable between a depending extended position and a retracted position substantially flush therewith; b. means interconnecting said plurality of flipper assemblies so that the pivotable movement thereof is in unison; and c. means mounted on said body and connected to said means for interconnecting said plurality of flipper assemblies by which a user may move said plurality of flipper assemblies.

Claim 11

A water walking apparatus comprising: a. a pair of elongated pontoons juxtapositionally operable with respect to each other, each of said pontoons having a body of rigid buoyant construction; b. a tunnel formed in each of said pontoons and extending longitudinally thereof, said tunnels positioned adjacent the bottoms of their respective ones of said pontoons and laterally offset toward the outwardly disposed side surfaces thereof, each of said tunnels having a water admitting opening formed therein proximate the bow of their respective ones of said pontoons and having a water exiting opening formed proximate the sterns thereof; c. flipper means mounted within each of said tunnels for permitting water to flow therethrough in the direction from the bow to the stern and preventing water from flowing in the reverse direction; and d. a boot member formed in each of said pontoons and positioned substantially intermediate the bow and the stern of their respectIve ones of said pontoons, each of said boots laterally offset toward the inwardly disposed side surface of its respective one of said pontoons and extending from the bottom upwardly through the body to the deck thereof.

Claim 12

A water walking apparatus comprising: a. a pair of elongated pontoons juxtapositionally operable with respect to each other, each of said pontoons having a body of rigid buoyant construction; b. a tunnel formed in each of said pontoons and extending longitudinally thereof, said tunnels positioned adjacent the bottoms of their respective ones of said pontoons and laterally offset toward the outwardly disposed side surfaces thereof, each of said tunnels having a water admitting opening formed therein proximate the bow of their respective ones of said pontoons and having a water exiting opening formed proximate the sterns thereof; c. flipper means mounted within each of said tunnels for permitting water to flow therethrough in the direction from the bow to the stern and preventing water from flowing in the reverse direction; and d. a boot member formed in each of said pontoons and positioned substantially intermediate the bow and the stern of their respectIve ones of said pontoons, each of said boots laterally offset toward the inwardly disposed side surface of its respective one of said pontoons and extending from the bottom upwardly through the body to the deck thereof.

Claim 13

A water walking apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein each of said pontoons is formed with pitch dampening means on the bow and stern thereof, said pitch dampening means including a cantilever deck having the bottom surface positioned immediately above the intended water line of said pontoons.

Claim 14

A water walking apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said pair of pontoons are interconnected with inertia reducing means for biasingly urging said pontoons into a side-by-side relationship.

Claim 15

A water walking apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said pair of pontoons are interconnected at their respective bows and sterns with elastic cords for aiding the user to overcome inertia when using said pontoons.

Claim 16

A water walking apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said pair of pontoons are interconnected at their respective bows, sterns and midship portions with elastic cords for aiding the user in overcoming inertia.