Granted Patent B2

US 12,403,991 · App. 18/333,011 · Granted Sep 2, 2025

Inventors: Darren S. Sheedy (Greenback, TN); Matthew J. Huyge (Wyoming, MI); Michael D. Myers (Knoxville, TN); Zane E. Schwenk (Winter Haven, FL)

Assignee: MasterCraft Boat Company, LLC

B63B39/061B63B1/20B63B1/22B63B34/75B63B34/70

Abstract

Claims (29)

1. A recreational sport boat comprising:

a hull including starboard and port sides and a transom; and

a pair of wake-modifying devices positioned aft of the transom, one of the wake-modifying devices being positioned on a port side of the boat's centerline and another of the wake-modifying devices being positioned on a starboard side of the boat's centerline, each wake-modifying device being pivotable between a non-deployed position and a deployed position about a pivot axis that is horizontal or inclined no more than about 35° from horizontal, each wake-modifying device including a plate-like member and at least one fin attached to a lower surface of the plate-like member and extending from a central portion of a lower surface of the plate-like member, the fin being angled obliquely relative to the pivot axis, wherein in the deployed position, a trailing portion of the plate-like member is lower than it is in the non-deployed position so as to be able to modify the boat's wake.

2. The recreational sport boat of claim 1 , wherein the fin of each wake-modifying device extends in an aft and outboard direction.

3. The recreational sport boat of claim 1 , wherein the fin of each wake-modifying device is angled between about 15° and about 75° relative to the pivot axis.

4. The recreational sport boat of claim 1 , wherein the fin of each wake-modifying device is one of a plurality of fins attached to the lower surface of the plate-like member.

5. The recreational sport boat of claim 4 , wherein at least two fins of the plurality of fins are parallel to each other.

6. The recreational sport boat of claim 1 , wherein an angle between the fin and the lower surface of a central portion of the plate-like member is about 90°.

7. The recreational sport boat of claim 1 , wherein an edge of the trailing portion of the plate-like member of each wake-modifying device is downturned.

8. A wake-modifying device configured to generate a surf wake behind a boat, the wake-modifying device comprising:

a plate-like member adapted to be pivotally mounted aft of a transom of the boat on either a port side of the boat's centerline or a starboard side of the boat's centerline; and

a fin attached to a lower surface of a central portion of the plate-like member, the fin being angled obliquely relative to a leading edge of the plate-like member.

9. The wake-modifying device of claim 8 , wherein the fin is angled between about 15° and about 75° relative to the leading edge of the plate-like member.

10. The wake-modifying device of claim 8 , wherein an angle between the fin and the lower surface of a central portion of the plate-like member is about 90°.

11. The wake-modifying device of claim 8 , wherein the fin is one of a plurality of fins attached to the lower surface of the plate-like member.

12. The wake-modifying device of claim 11 , wherein the fins are parallel to each other.

13. The wake-modifying device of claim 8 , wherein an edge of the trailing portion of the plate-like member is downturned.

14. A recreational sport boat comprising:

a hull including starboard and port sides and a transom; and

a pair of wake-modifying devices positioned aft of the transom, one of the wake-modifying devices being positioned on a port side of the boat's centerline and another of the wake-modifying devices being positioned on a starboard side of the boat's centerline, each wake-modifying device being pivotable between a non-deployed position and a deployed position about a pivot axis that is horizontal or inclined no more than about 35° from horizontal, each wake-modifying device including:

a plate-like member having a forward half and an aft half; and

a fin attached to a lower surface of a central portion of the plate-like member, the fin extending from the forward half of the plate-like member to the aft half of the plate-like member,

wherein in the deployed position, a trailing portion of the plate-like member is lower than it is in the non-deployed position so as to be able to modify the boat's wake.

15. The recreational sport boat of claim 14 , wherein the fin of each wake-modifying device is angled obliquely relative to the pivot axis and extends in an aft and outboard direction.

16. The recreational sport boat of claim 15 , wherein the fin of each wake-modifying device is angled between about 15° and about 75° relative to the pivot axis.

17. The recreational sport boat of claim 14 , wherein the fin of each wake-modifying device is one of a plurality of fins attached to the lower surface of the plate-like member.

18. The recreational sport boat of claim 17 , wherein at least two fins of the plurality of fins are parallel to each other.

19. The recreational sport boat of claim 14 , wherein an angle between the fin and the lower surface of a central portion of the plate-like member is about 90°.

20. The recreational sport boat of claim 14 , wherein an edge of the trailing portion of the plate-like member of each wake-modifying device is downturned.

Continuity (10)

References Cited (224)