Described herein are examples of stiffening shafts, which in some cases are adapted to couple to a marine vessel. An exemplary stiffening shaft can be used to extend a motor from the marine vessel or be used as a shallow water stick anchor. The exemplary stiffening shafts can include a plurality of linked vertebrae stacked to form a column and at least one inelastic tension element threaded longitudinally through the plurality of vertebrae. The shaft can have a flexible configuration when the at least one tension element is released and a stiffened linear configuration when the tension element is tensed to react to torque and bending moments. Alternatively, the stiffening shaft can be used as a shallow water stick anchor for a marine vessel by piercing the bottom of a marine environment (e.g., a sea bed, a lake bed, a river bed, etc.).

Described herein are examples of stiffening shafts, which in some cases are adapted to couple to a marine vessel. An exemplary stiffening shaft can be used to extend a motor from the marine vessel or be used as a shallow water stick anchor. The exemplary stiffening shafts can include a plurality of linked vertebrae stacked to form a column and at least one inelastic tension element threaded longitudinally through the plurality of vertebrae. The shaft can have a flexible configuration when the at least one tension element is released and a stiffened linear configuration when the tension element is tensed to react to torque and bending moments. Alternatively, the stiffening shaft can be used as a shallow water stick anchor for a marine vessel by piercing the bottom of a marine environment (e.g., a sea bed, a lake bed, a river bed, etc.).

Various embodiments are directed to interconnectable tiles configured for operation in an aquatic environment or a near-zero/zero gravity environment. The interconnectable tiles are configured to interconnect relative to one another to form interconnected surfaces, and individual interconnectable tiles provide thrust, ballast, and/or buoyancy to the overall interconnected surface so as to move the interconnected surface in a desired configuration.

The present invention provides a ship mooring device using a spring bellows structure, wherein the ship mooring device temporarily or permanently fixes a state in which the ship is spaced at a preset distance from a vessel or a pier, the ship mooring device including: a main body configured of a plurality of frames in which opposite ends of each of the frames are hinge-coupled to facing ends of adjacent frames to form foldable hinge joints, wherein diagonally opposed non-adjacent hinge joints of the frames are fixed to the ship and the pier, respectively; and a plurality of wires which are installed inwards in diagonal lines with respect to the frames of the main body to connect the diagonally opposed non-adjacent hinge joints together, with an elastic member interposed in a center portion of the radially disposed wires to generate predetermined dynamic stability when the ship is moved.

An apparatus and methods according to the present invention provides a human powered catamaran-styled watercraft and methods of configuring and operating the watercraft. The watercraft generally comprises at least one hull in communication with a folding collapsible frame, wherein in the frame comprises a center rack pivotally joining hulls of hull sets to provide for common pivoting of the hulls during articulation of the watercraft, thereby the hulls and frame are in further communication through a at least one pivot pad which provides for slidable pivoting of the hulls during articulation of the watercraft. A method of folding and reversibly extending the watercraft to provide for optimized storage is provided. A method of operation of the watercraft to provide for articulation of the watercraft is provided.

A watercraft includes at least one float, a first frame supported by the at least one float, and a main panel affixed across the first frame. The watercraft further includes a second frame affixed to the first frame rotatably about a first edge and a second panel affixed across the second frame. In an embodiment, the first edge includes a shared frame member belonging to both said the frame and the second frame. In an embodiment, the watercraft includes a third frame affixed to the first frame rotatably about a second edge distinct from the first edge and a third panel affixed across the third frame. In an embodiment, the watercraft includes a shade rotatably affixed to a shade support edge member of the second frame and a shade panel affixed across the shade frame. The shade frame includes a pair of shade frame edge members rotatably affixed to the shade support edge member of the second frame.

The present invention provides a ship mooring device using a spring bellows structure, wherein the ship mooring device temporarily or permanently fixes a state in which the ship is spaced at a preset distance from a vessel or a pier, the ship mooring device including: a main body configured of a plurality of frames in which opposite ends of each of the frames are hinge-coupled to facing ends of adjacent frames to form foldable hinge joints, wherein diagonally opposed non-adjacent hinge joints of the frames are fixed to the ship and the pier, respectively; and a plurality of wires which are installed inwards in diagonal lines with respect to the frames of the main body to connect the diagonally opposed non-adjacent hinge joints together, with an elastic member interposed in a center portion of the radially disposed wires to generate predetermined dynamic stability when the ship is moved.

Disclosed is a vessel with a semi automatic or automatic vessel mooring system and a method of mooring with such a system. The vessel includes a hull, a mooring line winch unit, at least one mooring line extending from said winch unit, and a weight at an end of the at least one mooring line. A mooring line guide boom with at least one mooring line guide on a mooring line guide portion is movable between a retracted position aligned with the hull, and an extended position. In the extended position the mooring line guide boom allows the winch unit to lower the weight at the end of the mooring line extending through the mooring line guide and onto a quay.

A watercraft includes a pair of inflatable pontoons. Releasably affixed atop each of the pontoons and aligned therewith are inner and outer lengthwise frame members. Forward and aft beamwise frame members are affixed to the inner and outer lengthwise frame members. Primary arch members are affixed to the forward and aft beamwise frame members. A main fabric panel is stretched between the pair of primary arch frame members, the forward beamwise frame member, and the aft beamwise frame member. A motor mount is affixed centrally to the aft beamwise frame member, the motor mount being configured to removably support a motor assembly. Aft panel side members are rotatably-lockably affixed to the aft beamwise frame member and joined by an aft panel top member. An aft fabric panel is stretched between the aft panel side members, the aft beamwise frame member, and the aft panel top member.

Described herein are examples of stiffening shafts, which in some cases are adapted to couple to a marine vessel. An exemplary stiffening shaft can be used to extend a motor from the marine vessel or be used as a shallow water stick anchor. The exemplary stiffening shafts can include a plurality of linked vertebrae stacked to form a column and at least one inelastic tension element threaded longitudinally through the plurality of vertebrae. The shaft can have a flexible configuration when the at least one tension element is released and a stiffened linear configuration when the tension element is tensed to react to torque and bending moments. Alternatively, the stiffening shaft can be used as a shallow water stick anchor for a marine vessel by piercing the bottom of a marine environment (e.g., a sea bed, a lake bed, a river bed, etc.).