A pontoon boat is provided that includes at least two pontoons running longitudinally beneath the boat and providing buoyancy thereto; a deck framework mounted above and connected to the pontoons; a deck mounted on the deck framework; a recessed deck portion extending downwardly through the deck and the deck framework, the recessed deck portion forming a cavity into the deck including a bottom and side walls forming a basin extending into and beneath the deck; and at least one seat adjacent the recessed deck portion and mounted to the deck.

A cockpit extension extends aft between port and starboard outboard engines mounted on a tri-pontoon boat transom for increasing the usable afterdeck area of the boat. The cockpit extension includes a topside deck that can be accessed from the afterdeck of the boat and an under-face beneath the topside deck that can be above or below the water-line of the boat. A lower surface of the under-face can be configured to improve the backing down characteristics of the boat.

A pontoon boat includes port and starboard pontoons and cross members connecting the pontoons. A shock absorber may be installed at each point of connection of the pontoons to the cross members. A cross member may be embodied as a double-webbed beam having first and second parallel flanges and first and second webs disposed between and connected to the flanges. Each pontoon may include a two-stage lifting strake having a first surface and a second surface inclined from the first surface.

A novel rotatable hull that generally includes a hull that is capable of rotating around an attachment point where it is connected to a vessel. In preferred embodiments, an outdoor motor mounted to the rotatable hull will turn to vector thrust and apply a moment to rotate the hull around a nominally vertical axis where the hull connects to the vessel. The invention also is directed to a vessel, which employs a plurality of rotatable hulls. A plurality of rotatable hulls can be arranged into a tripod, square or other stable geometric configuration and connected by a structure to form a vessel that can move in any direction along the plane of the surface of the water with or without changing the yaw axis orientation of the connecting structure. This may be useful in applications such as catching objects that are descending from the sky.

The invention relates to a floating vessel comprising a hull, at least one seat, and two outriggers arranged laterally to the hull and connected directly or indirectly to the hull, wherein a drive unit, separately controllable in its drive output, and comprising a respective at least one propeller driven by a motor, in particular an electric motor, is assigned to each outrigger. A helm of the floating vessel is thereby connected to a proportional transducer, and a control signal from the proportional transducer is supplied to a control unit which directly or indirectly controls the motors in accordance with the control signal from the proportional transducer. Thus, a precisely controllable and yet easily disassemblable floating vessel is provided.

The invention relates to a ducted wind turbine having a turbine rotor assembly which extracts kinetic energy from air flowing there past. The rotor assembly includes a plurality of rotor blades having rotor tips at their outermost ends which define a rotor tip sweep circumference. A duct assembly at least partially surrounds said rotor tip sweep circumference and a base platform supports the ducted wind turbine. The duct assembly is mounted on the base platform by way of a weathervane bearing arrangement such that the duct assembly may weathervane around the turbine rotor assembly in response to changes in wind direction. A semi-submersible support platform, wave energy capture apparatus, torsional bearing mechanism and a latticework wind turbine tower associated with the ducted wind turbine are also provided.

An easily assembled highly portable watercraft comprising a modular boat system that seats one or more operators and is comprised of four or more pontoons connected to downward-sloping diagonally-placed outrigger beams with attached stiffeners connecting to a bridge-deck. The portable watercraft can be rowed, poled, propelled by fins or propellers, and sailed, for example, by an operator situated on the bridge-deck. The pontoons, outriggers, bridge-deck, and other aspects are easily interchangeable to conform to numerous configurations making a custom watercraft that is tailorable to varying water conditions.

A pontoon boat having enhanced handling characteristics includes a deck, a central pontoon mounted to said deck, two outer pontoons mounted to said deck on respective opposite sides of said central pontoon, and a motor, wherein the central pontoon extends below the outer pontoons to create a V-shaped hull, and the motor is capable of causing said center and outer pontoons to plane during normal operation.

This invention provides a floating platform with canted columns, and a new method of mooring line makeup and installation method that can be used for the canted columns. In one embodiment, the platform includes 3 columns having upper ends projecting above water surface. The columns are canted or inclined inward from the corner of hull toward the top of column. The 3 columns converge at the top of column such that each column will lean against the other 2 columns. Each column connects to the other 2 columns. Horizontally disposed pontoons interconnect adjacent columns at the lower ends. The columns and pontoons form a closed structure hull to support a foundation structure directly above the top of column.

A pontoon boat is provided that includes at least two pontoons running longitudinally beneath the boat and providing buoyancy thereto; a deck framework mounted above and connected to the pontoons; a deck mounted on the deck framework; a recessed deck portion extending downwardly through the deck and the deck framework, the recessed deck portion forming a cavity into the deck including a bottom and side walls forming a basin extending into and beneath the deck; and at least one seat adjacent the recessed deck portion and mounted to the deck.