Boat expanding and contracting apparatus
An expandable and contractible boat comprises a first outer hull and a second outer hull symmetrically shaped and arranged with respect to one another. The first and second outer hulls are movable relative to one another, and each of the first and second outer hulls includes an outboard side portion, an inboard side portion, a bottom portion between the outboard side portion and the inboard side portion, and a concave chine portion connecting the outboard side portion and the bottom portion. A cross-section of each of the first and second outer hulls is recessed at the concave chine portion.
1. A boat comprising:
a first outer hull and a second outer hull symmetrically shaped and arranged with respect to one another and being movable relative to one another, each of the first and second outer hulls including:
an outboard side portion;
an inboard side portion;
a bottom portion between the outboard side portion and the inboard side portion; and
a concave chine portion connecting the outboard side portion and the bottom portion,
wherein a cross-section of each of the first and second outer hulls is recessed at the concave chine portion,
wherein the concave chine portion includes an upper chine panel and a lower chine panel,
wherein the upper chine panel is oriented in a substantially horizontal direction and the lower chine panel is oriented in a substantially vertical direction, and
wherein an angle formed by the upper chine panel and the lower chine panel ranges from 85 to 95°.
2. The boat of claim 1 , wherein the bottom portion includes a bottom panel that is sloped to decline toward the inboard side portion.
3. An assembly comprising a boat and a trailer, the boat comprising:
a first outer hull and a second outer hull symmetrically shaped and arranged with respect to one another and being movable relative to one another, each of the first and second outer hulls including:
an outboard side portion;
an inboard side portion;
a bottom portion between the outboard side portion and the inboard side portion; and
a concave chine portion connecting the outboard side portion and the bottom portion, and
the trailer comprising:
a structural member;
at least a pair of wheels rotatably attached to the structural member by a respective axle portion; and
a plurality of bunks provided on the structural member to contact the bottom portion of the first and second outer hulls and to support the boat in a supported position,
wherein, in the supported position, the first and second outer hulls are inserted between the wheels and are lowered so that the bottom portion of the first and second outer hulls is below a top edge of the wheels, and
wherein a vertical wheel clearance between the top edge of each of the wheels and each of the first outer hull and the second outer hull is a predetermined value.
4. The assembly of claim 3 , wherein the concave chine portion includes an upper chine panel and a lower chine panel, and the vertical wheel clearance is measured between the top edge of each of the wheels and the upper chine panel of the outer hulls.
5. The assembly of claim 4 , wherein the upper chine panel is oriented in a substantially horizontal direction and the lower chine panel is oriented in a substantially vertical direction.
6. The assembly of claim 5 , wherein an angle formed by the upper chine panel and the lower chine panel ranges from 85° to 95°.
7. The assembly of claim 3 , wherein a height of the assembly is a sum of a height of the outboard side portion, the vertical clearance and a wheel height.
8. An assembly comprising a boat and a trailer, the boat comprising:
a first outer hull and a second outer hull symmetrically shaped and arranged with respect to one another and being movable relative to one another, each of the first and second outer hulls including:
an outboard side portion;
an inboard side portion;
a bottom portion between the outboard side portion and the inboard side portion; and
a concave chine portion connecting the outboard side portion and the bottom portion, and
the trailer comprising:
a structural member;
at least a pair of wheels rotatably attached to the structural member by a respective axle portion; and
a plurality of bunks provided on the structural member to contact the bottom portion of the first and second outer hulls and to support the boat in a supported position,
wherein, in the supported position, the first and second outer hulls are inserted between the wheels and are lowered so that the bottom portion of the first and second outer hulls is below a top edge of the wheels, and
wherein a chine-to-chine width is less than a width between an inner edge of the wheels.
9. The assembly of claim 3 , wherein a cross-section of each of the first and second outer hulls is recessed at the concave chine portion, and the trailer includes fenders that partially enclose the wheels, each of the fenders abutting the concave chine portion.
10. The assembly of claim 3 , wherein the bottom portion includes a bottom panel that is sloped to decline toward the inboard side portion.
11. The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the structural member includes a central portion and symmetrical lateral portions that slope to decline toward the central portion.
12. The assembly of claim 11 , wherein the bunks are formed on the lateral portions and are sloped to accommodate the sloped bottom panel.
13. The boat of claim 1 wherein the outboard side portion is sloped to decline toward the inboard side portion.