Multifunctional hydrofoil surfboard

Abstract

The invention relates to water sports and methods for manufacturing the devices and has applicability to surfboard like devices having two or more turning, lifting and planning hydrofoils that optionally can combine or separate the functions of riding a wave that includes but is not limited to, 1. a fully lifted or hull out of the water foiling state, 2. with a partially lifted hull and foils lifting and planning state and or, 3. an enhanced maneuvering state with the foils and hull in a low to non lifting or lifted state. The performance and control features inherent in this invention achieve one or combinations of one or more of the desired riding states while enhancing the speed and maneuverability for turning, lifting and planing the surfboard and rider. The watercraft of this invention has internally located structural elements for the physics of the foil fins and the rider.

1 . A personal watercraft board, said watercraft comprising at least two laterally located off center hydrofoil fin members, said hydrofoil fins extending downwardly and outwardly depending from hull, said hydrofoil fins for turning, lifting and planing of the watercraft, said hydrofoil fins capable of two or more of the following states, 1. maneuvering of the hull in the above water foiling state, 2. maneuvering of the hull in the partially lifted hull and planning state, 3. maneuvering of the hull in a low to mid lifted and planning state.  
   
   
       2 . A personal watercraft according to  claim 1 , wherein said watercraft contains a subassembly, said subassembly further comprises covering a portion of at least one of said upper and lower surfaces with an outer layer of thermosetting resin-impregnated fibers.  
   
   
       3 . A personal watercraft board according to  claim 1 , said watercraft comprising: at least one inner structural flex member; comprising a tube like structure; said tube like structure comprising: at least an upper and lower resin impregnated fibrous layer in the upper and lower areas: the watercraft further comprising a least two side mounted combination hydrofoil turning fin structure members.  
   
   
       4 . A personal watercraft according to  claim 1 , wherein: said structural member comprises an upper, lower and sides comprising resin fibrous impregnated structural materials.  
   
   
       5 . A personal watercraft according to  claim 1 , wherein: said inner structural flex member comprises multiple resin-impregnated fiber layers.  
   
   
       6 . A personal watercraft according to  claim 1 , further comprising: a longitudinally extending structural member within said watercraft for further control of the flex and structural properties of said watercraft.  
   
   
       7 . A personal watercraft according to  claim 1 , wherein: said longitudinally structural member extending is in a central position in or on the top surface of the watercraft.  
   
   
       8 . A personal watercraft according to  claim 1 , wherein: said watercraft structure at least some thermoformed extruded polystyrene foam.  
   
   
       9 . A personal watercraft according to  claim 1 , wherein: said watercraft structure contains at least some thermoformed molded and/or extruded polystyrene foam.  
   
   
       10 . A personal watercraft according to  claim 1 , wherein: said watercraft contains at least some thermoformed polystyrene foam.  
   
   
       9 . A personal watercraft according to  claim 1 , wherein: said watercraft contains at least some thermoformed molded polyurethane foam.  
   
   
       10 . A personal watercraft according to  claim 1 , further comprising: one or more structural members comprising honeycombed flexible reinforcement structures.  
   
   
       11 . A watercraft board according to  claim 1 , further comprising: one or more fin and or box receiving assemblies connected to one another with a subassembly.  
   
   
       12 . A watercraft board according to  claim 1 , further comprising: one or more fin box receiving assemblies structurally connected with subassemblies to one another and to the main structural member.  
   
   
       13 . A subassembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising: a plurality of longitudinally structural flex members extending within said personal watercraft.  
   
   
       14 . A watercraft board according to  claim 1 , wherein said inner structural flex member includes a wall having a thickness of 0.1 to 4.0 millimeters.  
   
   
       15 . A personal watercraft board according to  claim 1 , said watercraft comprising at least two laterally off center located combination hydrofoil turning fin members connected to one another with at least one subassembly, said personal watercraft hydrofoil fins extending downwardly and outwardly depending from hull, said hydrofoil fins for turning, lifting and planing of the watercraft, said hydrofoil fins capable of two or more of the following states, 1. maneuvering of the hull in the above water foiling state, 2. maneuvering of the hull in the partially lifted hull and planning state, 3. maneuvering of the hull in a low to mid lifted and planning state.  
   
   
       16 . A hydrofin foil for personal watercraft according to  claim 1 , said hydrofin foil having a hydrodynamically efficient shape designed to facilitate lifting, planing, and turning of the watercraft hull, said foil comprising a smoothly curved surface defined by the locus of chord lines comprising the foil, said surface is smoothly rotationally warped outwardly about at least one of the angular axes of cant, toe-in, and pitch, said warping along the span of the foil having at least a minimum angular variation around at least one of these rotational axes, said hydrofin foil being affixed so as to be vertically downward outwardly depending and positioned laterally to the main longitudinal axis of the hull near the peripheral edge of the watercraft.  
   
   
       17 . A hydrofin foil according to  claim 1 , said hydrofin foil having a hydrodynamically efficient shape designed to facilitate lifting, planing, and turning of the watercraft hull, said foil comprising a smoothly curved surface defined by the locus of chord lines comprising the foil, said surface is smoothly rotationally warped outwardly about at least one of the angular axes of cant, toe-in, and pitch, said warping along the span of the foil having at least a minimum angular variation around at least one of these rotational axes, said hydrofin foil having a wing structure attached to one side, said hydrofin foil being affixed so as to be vertically downward outwardly depending and positioned laterally to the main longitudinal axis of the hull near the peripheral edge of the watercraft.  
   
   
       18 . A hydrofin foil for personal watercraft according to  claim 1 , said hydrofin foil having a hydrodynamically efficient shape designed to facilitate lifting, planing, and turning of the watercraft hull, said foil comprising a smoothly curved surface defined by the locus of chord lines comprising the foil, said surface is smoothly rotationally warped outwardly about at least two of the angular axes of cant, toe-in and pitch, said warping along the span of the foil having at least a minimum angular variation around at least one of these rotational axes, said hydrofin foil being affixed so as to be vertically downward depending and positioned laterally to the main longitudinal axis of the hull near the peripheral edge of the watercraft.  
   
   
       19 . A hydrofin foil for personal watercraft according to  claim 1 , said hydrofin foil having a hydrodynamically efficient shape designed to facilitate lifting, planing, and turning of the watercraft hull, said foil comprising a smoothly curved surface defined by the locus of chord lines comprising the foil, said surface is smoothly rotationally warped outwardly about at least one of the angular axes of cant, toe-in and pitch, said warping along the span of the foil having at least a minimum angular variation around at least one of these rotational axes, said hydrofin foil being affixed so as to be vertically downward outwardly depending and positioned laterally to the main longitudinal axis of the hull near the peripheral edge of the watercraft.  
   
   
       20 . A hydrofin foil for personal watercraft having a hull according to  claim 1 , said hydrofin foil having a hydrodynamically efficient shape designed to facilitate lifting, planing, and turning of the watercraft hull, said foil comprising a smoothly curved and a least one planar surface defined by the locus of chord lines comprising the foil, said surface is smoothly rotationally warped outwardly about at least one of the angular axes of cant, toe-in and pitch, said warping along the span of the foil having at least a minimum angular variation around at least one of these rotational axes, said hydrofin foil being affixed so as to be vertically downward outwardly depending and positioned laterally to the main longitudinal axis of the hull near the peripheral edge of the watercraft.  
   
   
       21 . A hydrofin foil for personal watercraft according to  claim 1 , said hydrofin foil having a hydrodynamically efficient shape designed to facilitate lifting, planing, and turning of the watercraft hull, said watercraft having at least two edge mounted hydrofin foils, said hydrofin foils comprising one least one foil wing attached to each side of a downwardly depending fin, said foil sections defined by the locus of chord lines comprising their foils, said foils may be various planar shapes and/or smoothly rotationally warped outwardly about at least one of the angular axes of cant, toe-in and pitch, said warping along the span of the foil having at least a minimum angular variation around at least one of these rotational axes, said hydrofin foil being affixed so as to be vertically downward outwardly depending and positioned laterally to the main longitudinal axis of the hull near the peripheral edge of the watercraft.  
   
   
       22 . A method for manufacturing said hydrofin foil according to  claim 1 , said hydrofin foil having a hydrodynamically efficient shape designed to facilitate lifting, planing, and turning of the watercraft hull, said foil comprising a smoothly curved surface defined by the locus of chord lines comprising the foil, said surface is smoothly rotationally warped outwardly about at least one of the angular axes of cant, toe-in and pitch, said warping along the span of the foil having at least a minimum angular variation around at least one of these rotational axes, said hydrofin foil having a wing structure attached, said hydrofin foil being affixed so as to be vertically downward depending and positioned laterally to the main axis of the hull near the peripheral edge of the watercraft, said method of manufacturing may include but is not limited to foam cored structures, injection molding, injection molded with carbon rod or tube structures embedded, resin transfer molded, partially hallow or cavity fins, over-molded structures and solid foam or partial cored fin structures.