Energy efficient power driven marine vessel boat

Claim 1

A water jet propelled boat that has a rigid elongate rectangular shape that is defined by a downwardly and rearwardly curving bow of substantially the width of said hull that merges into a flat bottom, a transom, a pair of side walls that extend below said bottom and outwardly from said bow to define a pair of keel members; a pair of outer and inner laterally spaced parallel sponsons that project downwardly from said bottom and originate rearwardly from said bow and terminate adjacent said transom, with each of said otuer and inner sponsons cooperating to define an outer longitudinal channel therebetween and said inner pair of sponsons defining a central longitudinal channel therebetween, with said boat capable of being operated in a first mode in which the wetted area of said hull is in a configuration substantially defined by the shape of said bow, bottom, pair of sidewalls and said pairs of outer and inner sponsons, and said boat capable of being operated in additional modes in which the configuration of the portion of said hull that is wetted is altered by the operator of said boat relative to the wave condition of the body of water on which the boat is traveling as well as the rate of travel to optimize the effeciency of the operation of said boat, said boat being characterized by: a. first inflatable bag means secured to said hull to extend downwardly and rearwardly over said bow in a flat configuration when not inflated as occurs when said boat is operated in said first mode; b. second inflatable bag means secured to said hull and disposed within said pair of outer channels adjacent said transom that are in a flat configuration when not inflated as occurs when said boat is operated at said first mode; c. pressurized air generated means on said boat; d. first, second and third air ducts in communication with said first and second inflatable means and at least one opening in said bottom adjacent said bow that communicates with said central channel, with pressurized air discharged into said central channel flowing rearwardly therein as a cushion of air bubble to lessen the friction of said hull with the body of water in which it is moving; e. vertically adjustable means adjacent said transom and in longitudinal alignment with said central channel for selectively increasing or decreasing the resistance encountered by sad air bubbles in flowing rearwardly from said central channel to vary the draft of said boat; and f. first valve means for varying the rates of flow of pressurized air from said pressurized air generating means to expand said first and second inflatable bag means and alter the contour of the portion of said hull that is wetted by the water on which said boat is traveling, with said altered contour being one that permits said boat to move forwardly through said body of water on which it floats on said bubbles of air with increased fuel effeciency.