PROTECTIVE ENCLOSURE FOR WATERCRAFT HULLS

摘要

Apparatus for protecting a hull of a watercraft floating in a body of water includes a waterproof shroud of flexible sheet material suspended from a collar which is floatable in the body of water. The collar includes a buoyant forward section and a controllably buoyant rearward section pivotally connected to the rearward section for pivotal movement between a horizontal floating position and a sunken position. The rearward section includes an interior chamber and an opening or channel that extends from the chamber to provide a water flow path between the chamber and the surrounding body of water. Controllably, the chamber may be filled either with air from an external source of pressurized air or may be allowed to flood through the channel with water from the surrounding body of water. When the chamber is flooded, the rearward section is non-buoyant and pivots to its sunken position. When the chamber is filled with sufficient air, the rearward section becomes buoyant and pivots to its floating position.