Modular personal watercraft

摘要

Personal watercraft and watercraft power systems that include a power pod for supporting a power plant and a propulsion unit. An engine or an electric motor and a pump assembly are enclosed in the power pod. One or more sponsons removably cooperate with the power pod via a mechanical interface, such as dovetail joints and/or interlocking channels, formed between the power pod and the respective sponsons. A plurality of tool-lessly operable mechanical interfaces, locking mechanism(s), and fluid or electrical signal connectors allow the sponson(s) to be selectively secured to the power pod such that the resultant watercraft is modular and transportable by a single person when necessary.

主权项

1. A modular personal watercraft comprising:
a power pod encapsulating a power plant and a steering mechanism of the personal watercraft, the power pod including at least one interface that is defined by at least one projection and at least one recess; a cover that removably cooperates with the power pod to allow access to an engine compartment defined by the power pod, the cover being configured to cooperate with the power pod so that the power pod is generally enclosed; at least one sponson that removably cooperates with a forward facing end of the power pod, the at least one sponson being buoyant and including an engagement structure that is defined by at least one projection and at least one recess such that the engagement structure of the at least one sponson and the at least one interface of the power pod are translatable relative to one another in a longitudinal direction to index a position of the at least one sponson relative to the power pod and generate a physical interference between the at least one sponson and the power pod; and at least one supplemental system component necessary for operation of the power plant disposed in the at least one sponson and severably connectable to the power plant when the power pod and the at least one sponson are connected to one another.