Standing surface door for stand-up personal watercraft

Abstract

A personal watercraft comprising a power source, a steering system, a hull and a deck supported by the hull and defining a cavity with the hull. The deck has an opening to allow access to the cavity. A door is secured to the deck so as to cover the opening. The door is removable to allow access to the cavity. The door and a portion of the deck together form a standing surface for supporting a user person standing or kneeling on the personal watercraft when riding the personal watercraft.

1 . (Cancelled)  
   
   
       2 . The personal watercraft according to  claim 17 , wherein the deck has a shoulder bounding the opening, the door being seated on the shoulder such that the door is sealingly supported by the deck to form the standing surface.  
   
   
       3 . The personal watercraft according to  claim 2 , further comprising a gasket between the deck and the door, the gasket being separated from contact surfaces between the shoulder and the door.  
   
   
       4 . The personal watercraft according to  claim 3 , wherein the gasket is secured to the door.  
   
   
       5 . The personal watercraft according to  claim 17 , wherein an exposed surface of the door has a non-slip surface.  
   
   
       6 . The personal watercraft according to  claim 17 , wherein an exposed surface of the door is generally coplanar with an adjacent portion of the deck, such that the standing surface is generally flat.  
   
   
       7 . The personal watercraft according to  claim 17 , further comprising a storage compartment in the cavity, the storage compartment being accessible from the opening in the deck.  
   
   
       8 . The personal watercraft according to  claim 7 , wherein the storage compartment is a tray panel removably supported at the opening in the deck.  
   
   
       9 . The personal watercraft according to  claim 17 , wherein the door has at least one connector portion for connecting accessories onto the standing surface.  
   
   
       10 . The personal watercraft according to  claim 9 , wherein the at least one connector portion is a notch in an unexposed portion of the door.  
   
   
       11 . A door for a personal watercraft of the type having a hull and a deck supported by the hull, the deck and the hull together forming a cavity, the deck having an opening to allow access to the cavity, the door comprising a panel having a periphery conforming with the opening so as to cover the opening to be secured to the deck, the door being removable to allow access to the cavity.  
   
   
       12 . The door according to  claim 11 , further comprising a gasket on an unexposed portion of the panel, the gasket being positioned between the door and the deck.  
   
   
       13 . The door according to  claim 11 , wherein an exposed surface of the door has a non-slip surface.  
   
   
       14 . The door according to  claim 11 , wherein an exposed surface of the door is generally coplanar with an adjacent portion of the deck, such that the standing surface is generally flat.  
   
   
       15 . The door according to  claim 11 , wherein the panel has at least one connector portion for connecting accessories onto the exposed surface of the door.  
   
   
       16 . The personal watercraft according to  claim 15 , wherein the at least one connector portion is a notch in an unexposed portion of the door.  
   
   
       17 . A personal watercraft comprising: 
 a hull;    a deck supported by the hull and defining a cavity with the hull, the deck having an opening to allow access to the cavity;    a door disposed on the deck, the door being movable between a first position in which the door covers the opening and a second position in which the door allows access to the opening, the door, when in the first position, and a portion of the deck together forming a standing surface for supporting an operator of the watercraft in a non-seated position;    a steering assembly pivotably mounted on the deck at a first end of the steering assembly, forward of the standing surface;    a steering handle disposed on a second end of the steering assembly;    a jet propulsion unit supported by the hull, including an inlet for taking in water, an impeller assembly for generating a pressurized stream of water, an outlet for discharging the pressurized stream of water, and a movable element positioned at the outlet for selectively directing the pressurized stream of water, wherein the movable element is operatively connected to the steering handle and directs the pressurized stream of water based on signals from the steering handle; and    a fastener releasably securing the door in the first position and capable of retaining the door in the first position when the watercraft is overturned during normal operation.