Snowmobile powered watercraft

Claim 2

In a watercraft having a hull, a snowmobile to power said watercraft, said snowmobile including a chassis normally supported upon an endless track mechanism driven from a sprocket shaft and forward skis carried by steerable mounting means, said snowmobile sans endless track mechanism and skis being mounted on said hull, said hull comprising a pair of transversely spaced pontoons having facing surfaces connected by a rearwardly and downwardly extending lift plate which terminates in spaced relation from the rear of the pontoons, shaft means including power take-off means to replace the sprocket shaft of the snowmobile, a shaft connected to the power take-off means and extending rearwardly and downwardly above the lift plate and mounting a propeller on the rearward end thereof, and rudder means for steering the watercraft and connected to the steerable mounting means of the snowmobile.

Claim 3

The invention as set forth in claim 1 wherein a wake plate connects the facing surfaces of the pontoons and extends rearwardly of the lift plate, said wake plate being disposed above the lift plate and overlapping with a rearward portion of the lift plate to form a tunnel between said plates through which the propeller shaft extends.

Claim 4

The invention as set forth in claim 2 wherein the engine of the snowmobile is provided with an exhaust pipe which extends rearwardly above the lift plate and through the tunnel between the lift and wake plates.

Claim 5

The invention as set forth in claim 1 wherein the transversely spaced pontoons connected by the lift plate from a catamaran type hull providing laterally spaced planing surfaces and said rudder means comprise a pair of rigidly connected rudder members disposed aft of the hull, said rudder members being transversely spaced to place the respective members behind the corresponding planing surfaces.

Claim 6

The invention as set forth in claim 1 wherein the shaft mounting the propeller extends rearwardly beyond the hull to place the propeller aft of the hull, bearing support means for said shaft, said bearing support means with the propeller shaft being movable in a generally vertical plane relative to the hull to adjust the depth of the propeller.

Claim 7

The invention as set forth in claim 5 wherein the rudder means for steering the watercraft is carried by the bearing support means and is vertically adjustable with the propeller.

Claim 8

In a watercraft, a pair of transversely spaced pontoons forming a catamaran type hull having a deck and providing laterally spaced planing surfaces, a rearwardly and downwardly extending lift plate connecting the spaced pontoons and terminating in spaced relation from the rear of the pontoons, a wake plate connecting the pontoons and extending rearwardly of the lift plate, said wake plate being disposed above the lift plate and overlapping the rearward portion of the lift plate to form a tunnel between the plates, a snowmobile to power the watercraft, said snowmobile having a chassis mounting an engine and normally supported upon an endless track mechanism driven from a sprocket shaft and a pair of forward skis attached to laterally spaced steerable mounting means, said snowmobile sans endless track mechanism and skis being mounted on said deck and being universally adjustable relative thereto in a generally horizontal plane, shaft means including power take-off means to replace the sprocket shaft of the snowmobile, a shaft extending longitudinally of the hull and through said tunnel and drivingly connected to the power take-off means, a propeller rotatably mounted on said shaft aft of the hull to drive the watercraft, bearing support means for the shaft and mounted on the hull, and rudder means for steering the watercraft and connected to the steerable mounting means of the snowmobile.

Claim 9

In a watercraft, a pair of transversely spaced pontoons forming a catamaran type hull having a deck and providing laterally spaced planing surfaces, a rearwardly and downwardly extending lift plate connecting the spaced pontoons and terminating in spaced relation from the rear of the pontoons, a wake plate connecting the pontoons and extending rearwardly of the lift plate, said wake plate being disposed above the lift plate and overlapping the rearward portion of the lift plate to form a tunnel between the plates, a snowmobile to power the watercraft, said snowmobile having a chassis mounting an engine and normally supported upon an endless track mechanism driven from a sprocket shaft and a pair of forward skis attached to laterally spaced steerable mounting means, said snowmobile sans endless track mechanism and skis being mounted on said deck and being universally adjustable relative thereto in a generally horizontal plane, shaft means including power take-off means to replace the sprocket shaft of the snowmobile, a shaft extending longitudinally of the hull and through said tunnel and drivingly connected to the power take-off means, a propeller rotatably mounted on said shaft aft of the hull to drive the watercraft, bearing support means for the shaft and mounted on the hull, and rudder means for steering the watercraft and connected to the steerable mounting means of the snowmobile.

Claim 10

The invention as set forth in claim 7 wherein the mounting for the snowmobile includes a series of first beams extending in a given direction and secured to the deck of the hull, and a series of second beams extending generally normal to the first beams and being adjustably secured relative thereto, said snowmobile being carried by the series of second beams and being adjustable relative thereto, said mounting for the snowmobile providing for universal adjustability relative to the hull in a generally horizontal plane.

Claim 11

The invention as set forth in claim 8 wherein the series of first beams secured to the deck extend longitudinally relative to the hull and the series of second beams carrying the snowmobile extend laterally relative to the hull.

Claim 12

The invention as set forth in claim 7 wherein the exhaust pipe for the engine extends rearwardly above the lift plate and through the tunnel formed between the lift and wake plates for discharge under water beneath the wake plate.

Claim 13

The invention as set forth in claim 7 wherein the rudder means comprise a pair of rigidly connected rudder members, said rudder members being transversely spaced to place the respective members behind the corresponding planing surfaces.

Claim 14

The invention as set forth in claim 7 wherein the steerable mounting means of the snowmobile are actuated by handle bars, and crossed over cables connect the respective steerable mounting means to the rudder means to provide for turning of the rudder means in a direction opposite from the handle bars and thus provide for steering action of the watercraft underway corresponding with handle bar manipulations.

Claim 15

The invention as set forth in claim 7 wherein the pontoons are generally air-tight sheet metal weldments the form of which is maintained by air under pressure.

Claim 16

The invention as set forth in claim 7 wherein the bearing support means along with the propeller shaft are movable in a generally vertical plane relative to the hull to provide for propeller depth adjustment.

Claim 17

The invention as set forth in claim 14 wherein the rudder means for steering the watercraft is carried by the bearing support means and is vertically adjustable with the propeller.

Claim 18

In a watercraft, a pair of transversely spaced pontoons forming a catamaran type hull and providing transversely spaced planing surfaces, a rearwardly and downwardly extending lift plate disposed between and connected to the spaced pontoons and terminating in spaced relation from the rear of the pontoons, a wake plate disposed between and connecting the pontoons and extending rearwardly of the lift plate, said wake plate being disposed above and overlapping a rearward portion of the lift plate to form a tunnel between the plates, a snowmobile to power the watercraft, said snowmobile having a chassis mounting an engine and normally being supported upon an endless track mechanism driven from a sprocket shaft drivingly connected to the engine and a pair of skis attached to laterally spaced steerable mounting means, means on said hull for mounting said snowmobile sans endless track mechanism and skis, said snowmobile mounting means providing for universal adjustment of the snowmobile relative to the hull in a horizontal plane, an exhaust tube connected to the engine and extending rearwardly above the lift plate and through said tunnel to provide for engine exhaust discharge beneath the wake plate, shaft means including power take-off means to replace the sprocket shaft of the snowmobile, a shaft connected at one end thereof to the power take-off means and extending rearwardly and downwardly above the lift plate and through said tunnel and mounting a propeller on the other end thereof aft of the pontoons, bearing support means for the propeller shaft and mounted on the hull, a pair of transversely spaced and connected rudder members carried by the hull aft of the corresponding planing surfaces, said rudder members being actuatable by cables connected to the steerable mounting means of the snowmobile to provide for steering control of the watercraft.

Claim 19

In a watercraft, a pair of transversely spaced pontoons forming a catamaran type hull and providing transversely spaced planing surfaces, a rearwardly and downwardly extending lift plate disposed between and connected to the spaced pontoons and terminating in spaced relation from the rear of the pontoons, a wake plate disposed between and connecting the pontoons and extending rearwardly of the lift plate, said wake plate being disposed above and overlapping a rearward portion of the lift plate to form a tunnel between the plates, a snowmobile to power the watercraft, said snowmobile having a chassis mounting an engine and normally being supported upon an endless track mechanism driven from a sprocket shaft drivingly connected to the engine and a pair of skis attached to laterally spaced steerable mounting means, means on said hull for mounting said snowmobile sans endless track mechanism and skis, said snowmobile mounting means providing for universal adjustment of the snowmobile relative to the hull in a horizontal plane, an exhaust tube connected to the engine and extending rearwardly above the lift plate and through said tunnel to provide for engine exhaust discharge beneath the wake plate, shaft means including power take-off means to replace the sprocket shaft of the snowmobile, a shaft connected at one end thereof to the power take-off means and extending rearwardly and downwardly above the lift plate and through said tunnel and mounting a propeller on the other end thereof aft of the pontoons, bearing support means for the propeller shaft and mounted on the hull, a pair of transversely spaced and connected rudder members carried by the hull aft of the corresponding planing surfaces, said rudder members being actuatable by cables connected to the steerable mounting means of the snowmobile to provide for steering control of the watercraft.

Claim 20

The invention as set forth in claim 16 wherein the rudder members are carried by the propeller shaft bearing support means, and said bearing support means is vertically adjustable relative to the hull to provide for simultaneous propeller and rudder depth adjustment.