Personal watercraft chassis
The various example embodiments disclosed herein pertain to an internal support structure in a watercraft that interfaces the motor to the hull and decreases the weight of the hull, by eliminating various components. The various example embodiments add structural stability to the overall structure of the hull or body, allowing for thinner hull and deck material. This chassis consists of a metal, composite, and or plastic bent or formed tubular structure that outlines the internal dimensions of the hull. The motor is able to mount to this structure so that the body is no longer the direct point of attachment. This furthers the structural stability and reliability of the hull as it disperses forces over a larger area and mounts to a means more suitable than direct hull mounts, which often shear and break loose from the traditional fiberglass hulls. By mounting the engine to this chassis, the hull can be completely removed without disassembling and other components. This allows easier access to the motor and ease of internal maintenance, and allows for replacement hulls and decks when damaged.
1. A personal watercraft comprising:
an internal chassis serving as a component of the personal watercraft, the chassis being formed as a rigid substructure in a shape conforming to an internal area of the personal watercraft defined by a body of the personal watercraft, the body consisting of two pieces, a bottom hull component and a top deck component being coupled together at a set of bond rails around a periphery of the bottom hull component and the top deck component, wherein the rigid substructure is comprised of metal, composite, or plastic members bent or formed into a shape that conforms to the internal dimensions of the personal watercraft, the bottom hull component being a single piece extending the full length of the personal watercraft from bow to stern, the chassis including a mounting structure that couples a motor and a drivetrain directly to the chassis, the body sealing the chassis in a watertight structure, the body being removably attached to the chassis, the body not being directly attached to the motor and the drivetrain, and the bottom hull component not providing structural support for the motor and drivetrain.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the bottom hull component and the top deck component being thermoform fabricated with formed sheets of thermoplastic material.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the bond rails at the bow of the personal watercraft are configured to be integrated into the bottom hull component and the top deck component with a downward curvature.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 enabling a modular design thereby enabling the body to be removed from the chassis without disassembly of the chassis.