POWER OPERATED SURFBOARD

摘要

A power operated surfboard which has a raised rear hollow portion (13) at the rear in which is disposed an impeller housing (34) having an impeller (66) therein and a water discharge passage (69) extending rearwardly from the housing. An internal combustion engine (32) is supported above the impeller housing and has a short vertical axis connected to the impeller which rotates about a vertical axis. Surrounding the impeller housing is an exhaust gas housing (33) which communicates with the exhaust gas passage (62) of the engine and with a discharge chamber (75) beneath the floor of the surfboard. The exhaust gas housing is gastight and provides a gas cushion which retards the entrance of water through the discharge chamber into the exhaust passage of the engine, when the surfboard is not being operated. This is aided by a flexible valve (95) disposed at the discharge outlet of the discharge chamber to retard the entrance of water into the discharge chamber. Associated with the exhaust gas discharge and forming a part of a two part chamber is a water inlet chamber (92) which communicates with the intake of the impeller through the floor of the boat and extends over the opening (87) to the impeller to prevent accidental contact with the rotating impeller either by an occupant or by some foreign object. A belly pan (37) has a bottom all (43) disposed between the engine and the impeller housing and surrounds the engine to form an engine compartment. Disposed at the bottom of the engine compartment is a one way valve (105) which permits draining of water or fuel from the belly pan but hinders the access of water into the interior of the belly pan.