Collapsible watercraft
A collapsible kayak may include a single-piece hull including a plurality of crease lines along which the hull is foldable. A removable floorboard lines a midship portion of the hull between a bow portion and a stern portion, the floorboard including a seat assembly and configured to be releasably retained by a pair of outboard walls permanently fixed at port and starboard sides of the cockpit. The stern portion of the hull is permanently folded in a V-shaped (AKA swallowtail) configuration to form a closed transom of the kayak. The bow, stern, and midship portions are configured as a tri-fold, such that the bow portion and the stern portion of the kayak are foldable toward each other to overlap the midship portion of the hull when collapsed.
1 . A collapsible kayak, comprising:
a continuous sheet forming a hull having a bow portion, a midship portion, and a stern portion, the hull including a plurality of living hinges along which the hull is foldable, at least one of the living hinges of the hull having a fore-and-aft orientation in the midship portion; and
a removable floorboard disposed in the midship portion of the hull, the floorboard being configured to fold only at one or more creases oriented in respective athwartships directions.
2 . The collapsible kayak of claim 1 , wherein when the kayak is assembled the removable floorboard is held in place by a friction fit with the hull.
3 . The collapsible kayak of claim 1 , wherein the removable floorboard is held in place by a multi-use fastener.
4 . The collapsible kayak of claim 1 , further comprising a pair of side walls disposed in the midship portion, each of the side walls extending downward from a respective gunwale of the hull, wherein an upper end of each of the side walls is fixed to the respective gunwale.
5 . The collapsible kayak of claim 4 , wherein a lower end of each of the side walls extends to a selected height above a floor of the hull, forming a gap between the side wall and the hull; wherein outboard edges of the floorboard are configured to fit into the respective gaps between the side walls and the floor of the hull.
6 . The collapsible kayak of claim 1 , wherein an aft edge of the removable floorboard is configured to be folded upward when the floorboard is installed.
7 . The collapsible kayak of claim 1 , wherein the removable floorboard extends across an entire width of a floor of the hull, such that the removable floorboard is configured to oppose inward collapsing of the midship portion.
8 . The collapsible kayak of claim 1 , wherein the bow, stern, and midship portions are configured as a tri-fold, such that the bow portion and the stern portion of the kayak are foldable toward each other and overlap each other at the midship portion when collapsed.
9 . The collapsible kayak of claim 1 , wherein the hull comprises a closed transom having a V-shaped profile, such that a centerline of the transom is disposed farther forward than outboard edges of the transom.
10 . The collapsible kayak of claim 1 , wherein the hull further comprises a first pair of flaps configured to overlap and be strapped together to form an aft deck surface over the stern portion of the hull.
11 . A collapsible kayak, comprising:
a continuous sheet forming a single-piece hull having a bow portion, a midship portion, and a stern portion, the hull including a plurality of crease lines along which the hull is foldable, at least one of the crease lines of the hull having a longitudinal orientation; and a foldable floorboard disposed in the midship portion of the hull, the floorboard being configured to fold only at one or more creases oriented in respective athwartships directions;
wherein the foldable floorboard extends across an entire width of a floor of the hull, such that the foldable floorboard is configured to oppose inward collapsing of the midship portion.
12 . The collapsible kayak of claim 11 , wherein when the kayak is assembled the foldable floorboard is held in place by a multi-use fastener.
13 . The collapsible kayak of claim 11 , further comprising a pair of side walls disposed in the midship portion, each of the side walls extending downward from a respective gunwale of the hull.
14 . The collapsible kayak of claim 13 , wherein an upper end of each of the side walls is fixed to the respective gunwale, and a lower end of each of the side walls extends to a selected height above a floor of the hull, forming a gap between the side wall and the hull.
15 . The collapsible kayak of claim 14 , wherein outboard edges of the floorboard are configured to fit into the respective gaps between the side walls and the floor of the hull.
16 . The collapsible kayak of claim 11 , wherein an aft edge of the foldable floorboard is configured to be folded upward when the floorboard is installed.
17 . The collapsible kayak of claim 11 , further comprising a padded seat affixed to an upper surface of the foldable floorboard.
18 . The collapsible kayak of claim 11 , wherein the bow, stern, and midship portions are configured as a tri-fold, such that the bow portion and the stern portion of the kayak are foldable toward each other and overlap each other at the midship portion when collapsed.
19 . The collapsible kayak of claim 11 , wherein the hull comprises a closed transom having a V-shaped profile, such that a centerline of the transom is disposed farther forward than outboard edges of the transom.
20 . The collapsible kayak of claim 11 , wherein the hull further comprises a first pair of flaps configured to overlap and be strapped together to form an aft deck surface over the stern portion of the hull.