Under-deck storage unit for pontoon boat

Abstract

A watercraft that includes a frame; pontoons mounted to the frame; a deck supported on the frame, the deck including a hatch covering an opening through the deck; and a storage unit mounted to the frame beneath the opening in the deck, and the storage unit having a bottom that is above a water line of the watercraft. The storage unit may be formed from a rotational-molded plastic. The bottom of the watercraft may include a trough. The trough may be deeper in one portion of the bottom and may be graduated from a shallowest point towards the front of the storage unit and deepest towards the rear thereof. A drain aperture may be provided at the deepest portion of the trough. The frame may include structural members, and the storage unit may include channels in an upper mounting end thereof, opposite the bottom, configured to receive the structural members. The channels may have a mounting surface and inclined surfaces extending away from the mounting surface. The storage unit may further include mounting flanges having bolt holes for bolting the storage unit to the frame. The storage unit may also include enlarged portions along the upper mounting end with the channels located between the enlarged portions.

1 . A watercraft comprising:
 a frame;   pontoons mounted to said frame;   a deck supported on said frame, said deck including a hatch covering an opening through said deck; and   a storage unit mounted to said frame beneath said opening in said deck, and said storage unit having a bottom that is above a water line of the watercraft.   
     
     
         2 . The watercraft as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said storage unit is formed from a rotational molded plastic. 
     
     
         3 . The watercraft as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the bottom of the storage unit includes a trough. 
     
     
         4 . The watercraft as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein said trough is deeper in one portion of said bottom. 
     
     
         5 . The watercraft as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein the depth of said trough is graduated from a shallowest point towards the front of said storage unit to a deepest portion towards the rear thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The watercraft as set forth in  claim 4 , including a drain aperture at the deepest portion of the trough. 
     
     
         7 . The watercraft as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said frame includes structural members, and said storage unit includes channels in an upper mounting end thereof opposite said bottom configured to receive said structural members. 
     
     
         8 . The watercraft as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein said channels have a mounting surface and inclined surfaces extending away from the mounting surface. 
     
     
         9 . The watercraft as set forth in  claim 8 , further including mounting flanges having bolt holes for bolting for said storage unit to said frame. 
     
     
         10 . The watercraft as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein said storage unit includes enlarged portions along said upper mounting end and said channels are located between said enlarged portions. 
     
     
         11 . A watercraft comprising:
 a frame;   a pair of pontoons mounted to said frame;   a deck supported on said frame, said deck having a covering for an opening through said deck; and   a polymer storage unit mounted beneath said frame, said polymer storage unit having a top access opening coincident with said opening in said deck, and wherein gear may be placed in said polymer storage unit by opening said covering and inserting the gear through said openings.   
     
     
         12 . The watercraft as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein said storage unit has a bottom including a trough. 
     
     
         13 . The watercraft as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein said trough is deeper in one portion of said bottom and a drain aperture is located at the deepest portion. 
     
     
         14 . The watercraft as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein said trough runs longitudinally along said bottom of said storage unit, and the depth is graduated from a shallowest point to the deepest portion. 
     
     
         15 . The watercraft of  claim 11 , wherein said storage unit includes enlarged portions along an upper mounting end thereof and channels located between the enlarged portions. 
     
     
         16 . The watercraft as set forth in  claim 15 , further including a mounting flange extending about an access opening in said upper mounting end of said storage unit and located on the interior of said enlarged portions and having mounting holes extending therethrough. 
     
     
         17 . The watercraft as set forth in  claim 15 , including channels between said enlarged portions for receipt of structural members of said frame. 
     
     
         18 . The watercraft as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein said channels have a mounting surface and inclined surfaces extending into said enlarged portions and away from said mounting surfaces. 
     
     
         19 . The watercraft as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein said storage unit includes a front enlarged portion extending across the front thereof, a rear enlarged portion extending across the rear and a pair of side enlarged portions on each side of said access opening. 
     
     
         20 . The watercraft as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein said storage unit includes a radiused portion extending across the front thereof. 
     
     
         21 . A watercraft comprising:
 a frame;   a pair of pontoons mounted longitudinally along the outer ends of said frame;   a deck supported on said frame, said deck having a hatch covering an opening through said deck; and   a storage unit mounted beneath said frame in an open area extending between said pontoons, said storage unit having a top access opening coincident with said opening in said deck.   
     
     
         22 . The watercraft as set forth in  claim 21 , wherein said storage unit includes a trough having a drain aperture. 
     
     
         23 . The watercraft as set forth in  claim 22 , wherein said trough has a depth that is graduated from a shallowest point towards the front of said storage unit to a deepest portion towards the rear thereof where said drain aperture is located. 
     
     
         24 . The watercraft as set forth in  claim 21 , wherein said storage unit includes an upper mounting end having channels, and said frame includes structural members received in said channels. 
     
     
         25 . The watercraft as set forth in  claim 24 , wherein said channels are wider at the open end than at the bottoms thereof. 
     
     
         26 . The watercraft as set forth in  claim 21 , further including a mounting flange extending around an opening in an upper mounting end of said storage unit, said mounting flange having bolt holes for mounting said storage unit to said frame. 
     
     
         27 . The watercraft as set forth in  claim 24 , wherein said upper mounting end of said storage unit includes enlarged portions and said channels are located between said enlarged portions. 
     
     
         28 . An under-deck storage unit for use on a watercraft, said under-deck storage unit comprising:
 a front section;   a rear section;   a bottom section; and   an upper mounting section having an access opening therein and receiving channels for receipt of structural frame members of the watercraft.   
     
     
         29 . The under-deck storage unit as set forth in  claim 28 , wherein said storage unit is formed from a rotational-molded plastic. 
     
     
         30 . The under-deck storage unit as set forth in  claim 28 , further including a mounting flange extending around said access opening for mounting said storage unit to the watercraft. 
     
     
         31 . The under-deck storage unit as set forth in  claim 28 , wherein said channels have a lower mounting surface and inclined surfaces extending away from said mounting surface. 
     
     
         32 . The under-deck storage unit as set forth in  claim 28 , wherein said channels are defined by enlarged portions around the periphery of said upper mounting surface. 
     
     
         33 . The under-deck storage unit as set forth in  claim 32 , including a front enlarged portion extending across said front section, a rear enlarged portion extending across said rear section, and two pairs of side enlarged portions straddling said access opening. 
     
     
         34 . The under-deck storage unit as set forth in  claim 28 , further including a trough extending along said bottom section. 
     
     
         35 . The under-deck storage unit as set forth in  claim 34 , wherein said trough is deeper in one portion of said bottom section. 
     
     
         36 . The under-deck storage unit as set forth in  claim 35 , wherein said trough extends longitudinally along the center of said bottom section, and the depth of the trough is graduated from a shallowest point towards the front of said storage unit and deepest towards the rear thereof. 
     
     
         37 . The under-deck storage unit as set forth in  claim 28 , including a drain aperture in said bottom section. 
     
     
         38 . The under-deck storage unit as set forth in  claim 37 , wherein said drain aperture is located in a trough.