Rudder assembly for a watercraft having a jet-drive outboard motor

Abstract

A rudder assembly for use with a jet drive motor for a watercraft. The rudder assembly has at least one support member and at least one steering stabilizer member which extend from the at least one support member. The at least one steering stabilizer member has a longitudinal axes which extends in a direction which is essentially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the motor and essentially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the at least one support member. The at least one steering stabilizer member having sufficient surface area to cooperate with water when the watercraft is travelling at slow speeds, wherein the rudder assembly provides an operator of the watercraft with improved steering control and response at low speeds.

1 . A steering stabilizer assembly for use with a jet drive motor of a watercraft, the steering stabilizer assembly comprising:
 a first support member extending from the port side of the motor and a second support member extending from the starboard side of the motor;   a first steering stabilizer member extending from the first support member and a second steering stabilizer member extending from the second support member, the first and second steering stabilizer members having longitudinal axes which extend in a direction which is essentially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the motor and essentially perpendicular to longitudinal axes of the first and second support members, the first and second steering stabilizer members having sufficient surface area to cooperate with water when the watercraft is travelling at slow speeds;   wherein the steering stabilizer assembly provides an operator of the watercraft with improved steering control and response at low speeds.   
     
     
         2 . The steering stabilizer assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the first and second support members are mirror images of each other. 
     
     
         3 . The steering stabilizer assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second support members has a leading end or edge, a trailing edge, an inboard side to be positioned proximate the motor and an outboard side to extend away from the motor, the leading edge is sloped rearward at an angle, whereby the leading edge has a reduced thickness for the purpose of reducing drag when the watercraft is moving through the water. 
     
     
         4 . The steering stabilizer assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein an inboard side of each first and second support member has a generally arcuate configuration which generally conforms to the shape of the portion of the motor. 
     
     
         5 . The steering stabilizer assembly as recited in  claim 4 , wherein at least one indentation is provided on each inboard side, the indentations are dimensioned to engage protrusions on the motor, whereby the engagement of the indentations and the protrusion aids in preventing the first and second support members from rotating or otherwise slipping about the motor during operation. 
     
     
         6 . The steering stabilizer assembly as recited in  claim 4 , wherein each of the support members is provided with openings proximate the inboard side, the openings are positioned to align with existing hardware on the motor, whereby the steering stabilizer assembly can be mounted onto the motor using the existing hardware without the need for additional modifications to the motor. 
     
     
         7 . The steering stabilizer assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the steering stabilizer members extend from the outboard sided of the support members. 
     
     
         8 . The steering stabilizer assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein each of the steering stabilizer members has a leading edge and a trailing edge, each leading edge having a V-shape, in which the point of the V is facing the bow of the watercraft, the shape of the leading edges allows the steering stabilizer members to have reduced drag when the watercraft is moving through the water. 
     
     
         9 . The steering stabilizer assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the steering stabilizer members project above and below the plane defined by the support members, whereby the steering stabilizer assembly can be used in areas of shallow water without causing damage to the steering stabilizer members or the engine. 
     
     
         10 . A jet drive motor for a watercraft, the motor comprising:
 a steering stabilizer assembly extending from the motor proximate the water intake, the steering stabilizer assembly comprising:
 at least one support member and at least one steering stabilizer member extending from the at least one support member, the at least one steering stabilizer member having a longitudinal axes which extend in a direction which is essentially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the motor, the at least one steering stabilizer member having sufficient surface area to cooperate with water when the watercraft is travelling at slow speeds; 
   wherein the steering stabilizer assembly provides an operator of the watercraft with improved steering control and response at low speeds.   
     
     
         11 . The jet drive motor as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the at least one support member comprising first and second support members which are mirror images of each other. 
     
     
         12 . The jet drive motor as recited in  claim 11 , wherein each of the first and second support members has a leading end or edge, a trailing edge, an inboard side to be positioned proximate the water intake and an outboard side to extend away from the water intake, the leading edge is sloped rearward at an angle, whereby the leading edge has a reduced thickness for the purpose of reducing drag when the watercraft is moving through the water. 
     
     
         13 . The jet drive motor as recited in  claim 11 , wherein an inboard side of each first and second support member has a generally arcuate configuration which generally conforms to the shape of the portion of the motor proximate the water intake. 
     
     
         14 . The jet drive motor as recited in  claim 13 , wherein at least one indentation is provided on each inboard side, the indentations are dimensioned to engage protrusions on the motor proximate the water intake, whereby the engagement of the indentations and the protrusion prevents the first and second support members from rotating or otherwise slipping about the motor during operation. 
     
     
         15 . The jet drive motor as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the at least one steering stabilizer member extends from the outboard sided of the at least on support member. 
     
     
         16 . The jet drive motor as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the at least a portion of the at least one steering stabilizer member projects above the plane defined by the at least one support member, whereby the steering stabilizer assembly can be used in areas of shallow water without causing damage to the steering stabilizer assembly. 
     
     
         17 . The jet drive motor as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the motor is an outboard motor. 
     
     
         18 . A rudder assembly for use with a jet drive motor for a watercraft, the rudder assembly comprising:
 at least one support member and at least one steering stabilizer member extending from the at least one support member, the at least one steering stabilizer member having a longitudinal axes which extends in a direction which is essentially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the motor and essentially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the at least one support member, the at least one steering stabilizer member having sufficient surface area to cooperate with water when the watercraft is travelling at slow speeds;   wherein the rudder assembly provides an operator of the watercraft with improved steering control and response at low speeds.   
     
     
         19 . The rudder assembly as recited in  claim 18 , wherein the at least one support member comprising a first support member and a second support member. 
     
     
         20 . The rudder assembly as recited in  claim 18 , wherein the at least one steering stabilizer member comprising a first steering stabilizer member and a second steering stabilizer member, at least a portion of the first and second steering stabilizer members extend above the plane defined by the at least one support member and above a water intake of the motor, whereby the rudder assembly can be used in areas of shallow water without causing damage to the rudder assembly.