Personal watercraft and systems and apparatuses for use therewith

Abstract

There is disclosed herein systems and apparatuses for use with personal watercraft having a top side, a bottom side, a long axis, fore and aft sections and at least one passenger opening defined in the top side between the fore and aft sections, the systems and apparatuses including at least two legs each having a first end and second end, and each attachable at its first end to the watercraft and each having disposed at its second end a wheel; an inflatable bladder attachable to the watercraft; a compressor in fluid communication with the bladder; and a control unit for activating the compressor to inflate the bladder from a stowed configuration to a deployed configuration.

1 . An apparatus for use with personal watercraft having a top side, a bottom side, a long axis, fore and aft sections and at least one passenger opening defined in the top side between the fore and aft sections, the apparatus comprising:
 at least two legs each having a first end and second end, and each attachable at its first end to the watercraft and each having disposed at its second end a wheel;   wherein the legs are adapted for movement between and retention at each of a retracted position, wherein the wheels are operationally positioned above the bottom side, and a lowered position wherein the wheels are operationally positioned below the bottom side to support rolled movement of the watercraft.   
     
     
         2 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the legs comprises a plurality of segments. 
     
     
         3 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the legs comprise a unitary structure. 
     
     
         4 . An apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the structure comprises at least three segments. 
     
     
         5 . An apparatus according to  claim 3 , further comprising a base unit attachable to the watercraft at a base position aft of the opening and interposed between the first end of each of the legs and the watercraft. 
     
     
         6 . An apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the legs attach to and are adapted to complete the movement about the base unit. 
     
     
         7 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the legs is substantially linear. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein each of the segments is angled from the others. 
     
     
         9 . An apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the legs are adapted for simultaneous rotation about an axis to complete the movement. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the base station further comprises retention members for engagement and retention of the legs in the lowered position and the retracted position. 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein, in operation, the axis is substantially normal to the long axis of the watercraft. 
     
     
         12 . An apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the retention members further comprise one or more of grooves or reversed channels defined therein for receiving the legs in each of the lower and retracted positions. 
     
     
         13 . An apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein in the retracted position a long axis of at least one of the legs is substantially parallel to the long axis of the watercraft. 
     
     
         14 . An apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein in the lowered position the wheels are disposed to extend beneath a bottom of the watercraft when attached thereto. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the retention members are operationally affixed to one or more of the base unit, the watercraft and the legs. 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the legs as positioned in the retracted and lowered positions define a notional angle theta therebetween, and wherein theta has a magnitude in the range of about 45 to 110 degrees. 
     
     
         17 . An apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein theta has a magnitude in the range of about sixty degrees. 
     
     
         18 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the legs are formed integrally with the top side of the watercraft. 
     
     
         19 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a bushing for retaining a segment of the legs during rotation thereof is formed integrally with the top side of the watercraft. 
     
     
         20 . An apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein one or more retention members are formed integrally with the top side for retaining the legs in the lowered and retracted positions. 
     
     
         21 . A personal watercraft comprising having a hull comprising fore and aft sections and having at least one passenger opening defined in a top side thereof between the fore and aft sections, the watercraft further comprising:
 at least two legs each having a first end and second end, and each attached at its first end to the hull and each having disposed at its second end a wheel;   wherein the legs are joined by a cross-member housed in a bushing and wherein the legs are adapted for rotational movement about an axis colinear with the bushing, and between and retention at each of   i) a retracted position wherein the wheels are operationally positioned above the bottom side, and   ii) a lowered position wherein the wheels are operationally positioned below the bottom side to support rolled movement of the watercraft.   
     
     
         22 . A capsize recovery system for attachment to a personal watercraft, the system comprising:
 an inflatable bladder;   a compressor in fluid communication with the bladder; and,   a control unit for activating the compressor adapted to inflate the bladder from a stowed configuration to a deployed configuration.   
     
     
         23 . A system according to  claim 22 , further comprising a base unit, wherein the bladder, compressor and control unit are attached to the base unit. 
     
     
         24 . A system according to  claim 22 , wherein the control unit comprises a manual activation trigger. 
     
     
         25 . A system according to  claim 22 , further comprising one or more sensors for determining the attitude of the base unit and, if determining substantial inversion of the base unit, and triggering the compressor to inflate the bladder. 
     
     
         26 . A system according to  claim 22 , wherein the bladder is substantially cylindrical in shaping when in the deployed configuration. 
     
     
         27 . A system according to  claim 22 , wherein the bladder is substantially rectangular in shaping when in the deployed configuration. 
     
     
         28 . A system according to  claim 22 , wherein the bladder is shaped to have a vertical segment with one or more protrusions extending laterally therefrom wherein the deployed configuration. 
     
     
         29 . A system according to  claim 28 , wherein the protrusions comprises two protrusions extending in opposed directions from each other. 
     
     
         30 . A system according to  claim 29 , wherein the protrusions are positioned at an end of the bladder distal from the base unit when in the deployed configuration. 
     
     
         31 . A system according to  claim 25 , wherein the bladder is shaped substantially in the form of an arrowhead at an end distal from the base unit when in the deployed configuration. 
     
     
         32 . A system according to  claim 28 , wherein the bladder further comprises an interior wall with a valve defined therein and substantially enclosing one of the protrusions and having a valve defined therein. 
     
     
         33 . A system according to  claim 28 , wherein the bladder comprises a plurality of chambers and the control unit is adapted to activate the compressor for selective inflation of one or more of the chambers. 
     
     
         34 . A system according to  claim 22 , further comprising a second compressor in fluid communication with the bladder and responsive to the control unit. 
     
     
         35 . A system according to  claim 22 , further comprising a second control unit for deflating the bladder. 
     
     
         36 . A system according to  claim 35 , wherein the control unit further comprises the second control unit. 
     
     
         37 . A system for use with a personal watercraft having a top side, a bottom side, a long axis, fore and aft sections and at least one passenger opening defined in the top side between the fore and aft sections, the system comprising:
 at least two legs each having a first end and second end, and each attachable at its first end to the watercraft and each having disposed at its second end a wheel;   an inflatable bladder attachable to the watercraft;   a compressor in fluid communication with the bladder;   a control unit for activating the compressor to inflate the bladder from a stowed configuration to a deployed configuration;   a gripping mechanism comprising at least two rubber members configured in a sandwiching arrangement and positioned between a lower edge of a base unit and the top side;   wherein the members are adapted to receive and retain a paddle blade to stabilize the watercraft;   a system for enhancing visibility comprising a mast having a base adapted to mate in treaded engagement with a port defined in a support pillar;   one or more visible indicia for attachment to the mast;   wherein the visible indicia comprise one or more of a pennant and a light.   
     
     
         38 . A system according to  claim 37 , wherein the lighting comprises a strobe light. 
     
     
         39 . A system according to  claim 37 , wherein the indicia is positioned at an end of the mast distal from the base. 
     
     
         40 . A system according to  claim 37 , further comprising a radar reflector affixed to the mast. 
     
     
         41 . personal watercraft comprising:
 a hull having a top side, a bottom side, a long axis, fore and aft sections, and at least one passenger opening defined in the top side between the fore and aft sections,   at least two legs each having a first end and second end, and each attachable at its first end to the hull and each having disposed at its second end a wheel;   an inflatable bladder attached to the hull;   a compressor in fluid communication with the bladder; and   a control unit for activating the compressor to inflate the bladder from a stowed configuration to a deployed configuration; wherein in the deployed configuration the bag exerts force on the hull to promote rotation of the watercraft from a capsized position;