Pontoon watercraft with electrical propulsion

1 . A watercraft, comprising:

a deck; and

a first pontoon coupled with the deck, the first pontoon including:

a first body;

a first marine propulsion device coupled with the first body; and

a first electric motor operably coupled with the first marine propulsion device and disposed within the first body, the first marine propulsion device being a jet drive that includes an impeller disposed within the first body, a driveshaft operably coupling the impeller with the first electric motor, a nozzle that is configured for being dirigible and for being directionally controlled independent of a rotation of the first electric motor, and a reverse gate coupled with the nozzle.

2 . The watercraft of claim 1 , further comprising a second pontoon and a third pontoon each of which is laterally positioned, the first pontoon being a center pontoon and thus positioned between the second pontoon and the third pontoon.

3 . The watercraft of claim 2 , wherein the deck includes an underside, the first pontoon being removably attached to the underside.

4 . The watercraft of claim 3 , further comprising a first energy storage device electrically coupled with the first electric motor and disposed within the first body.

5 . The watercraft of claim 4 , wherein:

(a) the first pontoon includes a first length, the second pontoon includes a second length, the third pontoon includes a third length, the first length being less than each of the second length and the third length; and

(b) the deck includes a deck length, the first length being less than the deck length, the first pontoon including a rear portion, and the deck including a rear edge, the rear portion of the first pontoon being positioned forward of the rear edge of the deck, the impeller and the nozzle being positioned entirely forward of the rear edge of the deck.

6 . The watercraft of claim 4 , wherein the first pontoon further includes:

a first energy storage device operably coupled with the first electric motor and disposed within the first body;

a gearbox disposed within the first body;

an electric steering device disposed within the first body and operably coupled with the first marine propulsion device;

an inverter disposed within the first body;

an electric motor controller disposed within the first body;

a converter disposed within the first body;

a balance charging device disposed within the first body;

a second energy storage device configured for electrically powering a helm of the watercraft and disposed within the first body,

wherein the first pontoon includes a front portion which includes a crush zone configured for mitigating a damage resulting from a front end collision, the front portion including a storage area that is positioned forward of the first electric motor, the crush zone being baffled and including the storage area.

7 . The watercraft of claim 1 , wherein:

(a) the watercraft further includes:

a second pontoon coupled with the deck, the second pontoon including:

a second body;

a second marine propulsion device; and

a second electric motor operably coupled with the second marine propulsion device and disposed within the second body,

wherein the first pontoon and the second pontoon are each laterally positioned; or

(b) the watercraft further includes:

a second pontoon coupled with the deck, the second pontoon including:

a second body;

a second marine propulsion device; and

a second electric motor operably coupled with the second marine propulsion device and disposed within the second body; and

a third pontoon coupled with the deck, the third pontoon including:

a third body;

a third marine propulsion device; and

a third electric motor operably coupled with the third marine propulsion device and disposed within the third body,

wherein the second pontoon and the third pontoon are each laterally positioned, and the first pontoon is a center pontoon and thus positioned between the second pontoon and the third pontoon.

8 . A pontoon of a watercraft, the watercraft including a deck with which the pontoon is coupled, the pontoon comprising:

a body;

a marine propulsion device coupled with the body; and

an electric motor operably coupled with the marine propulsion device and disposed within the body, the first marine propulsion device being a jet drive that includes an impeller disposed within the first body, a driveshaft operably coupling the impeller with the first electric motor, a nozzle that is configured for being dirigible and for being directionally controlled independent of a rotation of the first electric motor, and a reverse gate coupled with the nozzle.

9 . The pontoon of claim 8 , wherein the pontoon is configured for being removably attached to an underside of the deck, the pontoon further comprising an energy storage device electrically coupled with the electric motor and disposed within the body.

10 . The pontoon of claim 8 , further comprising:

a first energy storage device operably coupled with the first electric motor and disposed within the first body;

a gearbox disposed within the first body;

an electric steering device disposed within the first body and operably coupled with the first marine propulsion device;

an inverter disposed within the first body;

an electric motor controller disposed within the first body;

a converter disposed within the first body;

a balance charging device disposed within the first body;

a second energy storage device configured for electrically powering a helm of the watercraft and disposed within the first body,

wherein the first pontoon includes a front portion which includes a crush zone configured for mitigating a damage resulting from a front end collision, the front portion including a storage area that is positioned forward of the first electric motor, the crush zone being baffled and including the storage area.

11 . A method using a watercraft, the method comprising the steps of:

providing that the watercraft includes a deck and a first pontoon coupled with the deck, the first pontoon including a first body;

coupling a first marine propulsion device with the first body;

coupling operably a first electric motor with the first marine propulsion device; and

disposing the first electric motor within the first body, the first marine propulsion device being a jet drive that includes an impeller disposed within the first body, a driveshaft operably coupling the impeller with the first electric motor, a nozzle that is configured for being dirigible and for being directionally controlled independent of a rotation of the first electric motor, and a reverse gate coupled with the nozzle.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the watercraft further includes a second pontoon and a third pontoon each of which is laterally positioned, the first pontoon being a center pontoon and thus positioned between the second pontoon and the third pontoon.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the deck includes an underside, the first pontoon being removably attached to the underside.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the watercraft further includes a first energy storage device electrically coupled with the first electric motor and disposed within the first body.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein:

(a) the first pontoon includes a first length, the second pontoon includes a second length, the third pontoon includes a third length, the first length being less than each of the second length and the third length; and

(b) the deck includes a deck length, the first length being less than the deck length, the first pontoon including a rear portion, and the deck including a rear edge, the rear portion of the first pontoon being positioned forward of the rear edge of the deck, the impeller and the nozzle being positioned entirely forward of the rear edge of the deck.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the first pontoon further includes: a first energy storage device operably coupled with the first electric motor and disposed within the first body; a gearbox disposed within the first body; an electric steering device disposed within the first body and operably coupled with the first marine propulsion device; an inverter disposed within the first body; an electric motor controller disposed within the first body; a converter disposed within the first body; a balance charging device disposed within the first body; a second energy storage device configured for electrically powering a helm of the watercraft and disposed within the first body, wherein the first pontoon includes a front portion which includes a crush zone configured for mitigating a damage resulting from a front end collision, the front portion including a storage area that is positioned forward of the first electric motor, the crush zone being baffled and including the storage area.

17 . The method of claim 11 , wherein:

(a) the watercraft further includes:

a second pontoon coupled with the deck, the second pontoon including:

a second body;

a second marine propulsion device; and

a second electric motor operably coupled with the second marine propulsion device and disposed within the second body,

wherein the first pontoon and the second pontoon are each laterally positioned; or

(b) the watercraft further includes:

a second pontoon coupled with the deck, the second pontoon including:

a second body;

a second marine propulsion device; and

a second electric motor operably coupled with the second marine propulsion device and disposed within the second body; and

a third pontoon coupled with the deck, the third pontoon including:

a third body;

a third marine propulsion device; and

a third electric motor operably coupled with the third marine propulsion device and disposed within the third body,

wherein the second pontoon and the third pontoon are each laterally positioned, and the first pontoon is a center pontoon and thus positioned between the second pontoon and the third pontoon.