A boat may have a deck and a plurality of pontoons or hulls supporting the deck of the boat. The boat may include a starboard side pontoon, a port side pontoon, and possibly a middle pontoon. A positioning assembly may be provided with one or more of the foregoing pontoons. Each of the positioning assemblies may comprise a link assembly coupling the deck to the starboard side pontoon, wherein the link assembly is configured to permit pivoting of the starboard side pontoon relative to the deck from a retracted position, where the starboard side pontoon is proximate to an underside of the deck, to an extended position, where the starboard side pontoon is moved further from the underside, and an actuator provided to position the starboard side pontoon between the retracted position and the extended position. The boat may further include a leveling control system having a controller and a level sensor configured to detect an attitude of the deck, the controller in communication with the actuators and cause actuation of either or both of the actuators to extend or retract the port side pontoon and/or the starboard side pontoon based on data received from the level sensor indicative of the deck attitude.

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 stowable propulsion system for a marine vessel. A base is configured to be coupled to the marine vessel. A shaft has a proximal end and a distal end with a length axis defined therebetween, where the shaft is pivotably coupled to the base and pivotable about a transverse axis between a stowed position and a deployed position, and where the distal end is closer to the marine vessel when in the stowed position than in the deployed position. A gearset is engaged between the shaft and the base, where the gearset rotates the shaft about the length axis when the shaft is pivoted between the stowed position and the deployed position. A propulsion device is coupled to the distal end of the shaft. The propulsion device is configured to propel the marine vessel in water when the shaft is in the deployed position.

Disclosed herein is a buoyant structure for offshore deployment. The buoyant structure comprises a first deck having a first channel through the first deck; a second deck having a second channel through the second deck, wherein the first deck and second deck are coupled to each other and arranged spaced apart from each other; and a plurality of floatable substructures coupled to and around at least one of the first deck and the second deck, the plurality of floatable substructures arranged spaced apart from one another, wherein the first channel and the second channel are aligned to receive at least a portion of a tower of a wind turbine.

A boat has a rear platform including a pivotable hatch. A marine outboard engine has a bumper connected to the engine unit housing. When mounted to the boat, the marine outboard engine is located under the hatch and is pivotable from a trim range to a tilt range. When the hatch is in a closed position and the marine outboard engine is in the tilt range, pivoting the marine outboard engine upwardly to a first engine position causes the bumper to abut a bottom surface of the hatch. Pivoting the marine outboard engine upwardly from the first engine position to a second engine position causes the bumper to push up on the bottom surface of the hatch and to slide against the bottom surface of the hatch, thereby pivoting the hatch from the closed position to an open position.

The present invention provides a hull-conversion device and method for modifying the underside of a watercraft, more specifically a multihull watercraft. The hull-conversion device comprising a water diverting surface, a kinematic assemblage, and a frame. The hull-conversion device may be operable to adjust the watercraft's characteristics in displacement mode and planing mode. The hull-conversion device may function to provide a more stable, controllable, and efficient platform for operating a multihull watercraft, and provide a suitable wake for towable water sports.

A thruster system for a marine vessel includes an electric motor having an output shaft. The thruster system also includes a housing having a first housing opening and a second housing opening, the first housing opening defining a water intake, the second housing opening defining a water discharge. The thruster system further includes a rotatable member operatively coupled to, and driven by, the output shaft of the electric motor, wherein rotation of the rotatable member results in water brought into the housing through the first housing opening and expelled through the second housing opening to generate a thrust force in a direction that is greater than 45 degrees relative to a propeller direction of the marine vessel.

A floating metal platform for supporting an offshore installation includes three elongated elements. Each elongated element includes a first elongated member; a second elongated member parallel to the first elongated member; and at least a first buoyancy element connected to the first elongated member and the second elongated member. Each elongated element has a first end and an opposite second end. One of the first end or the second end of each of the elongated elements is connected to one of the first end or the second end of at least one of the other elongated elements. A floating wind turbine includes the floating metal platform; a tower connected to the platform; and a horizontal axis wind turbine connected to the tower.

An offshore water production facility to be located on a body of water includes a floating object, at least one wind turbine, a power generator that is coupled to the wind turbine and a water production system. The floating object includes a plurality of buoyancy assemblies that support at least one column on which a wind turbine is mounted. On the at least one column further a process equipment deck is mounted below an operating area of the wind turbine and above a water surface level. The water production system is arranged on the process equipment deck, and the water production system is configured for subsea well water-injection and includes an ultra-filtration unit and a membrane de-aeration unit for water to be injected.

A pontoon boat is provided that includes a deck and a plurality of pontoons running longitudinally beneath the deck and providing buoyancy to the pontoon boat. The plurality of pontoons include a multi-chine configuration that increases the stability of the pontoon boat and provides handling characteristics similar to that of a hulled boat. The plurality of pontoons may include two outer pontoons and a third pontoon positioned laterally intermediate the outer pontoons. The third pontoon may include a plurality of chines, and each of the outer pontoons may include at least one chine. At least a portion of each of the at least one chines of the outer pontoons may be positioned vertically below the plurality of chines of the third pontoon. The chines on the third pontoon may extend longitudinally further than each of the at least one chines of the outer pontoons.