Watercraft

Abstract

A watercraft is provided having at least one floating body which is designed to be elastically flexible, at least in part, and to carry at least one person above a waterline, and is, in particular, inflatable and/or made from a foam material at least in part. The watercraft includes a drive device which comprises at least one first drive unit designed to generate a first water flow below the waterline. The first drive unit is designed in such a way that the alignment of the first water flow relative to the floating body can be changed. The drive device comprises at least one second drive unit designed to generate a second water flow below the waterline, and is designed, in particular, in such a way that the alignment of the second water flow relative to the floating body can be changed.

1 . A watercraft comprising:
 at least one floating body which is elastically flexible, at least in part, said at least one floating body being adapted to carry at least one person above a waterline,   a drive device for moving the watercraft, wherein said drive device comprises at least one first drive unit which generates a first water flow below the waterline, wherein the first drive unit allows alignment the first water flow to be changed relative to the floating body,   wherein the drive device further includes at least one second drive unit which generates a second water flow below the waterline.   
     
     
         2 . The watercraft as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the drive units each have at least one drive rotor which is an impeller or propeller, and/or each form a flow channel. 
     
     
         3 . The watercraft as claimed in  claim 1 , further including at least one actuating unit which changes the alignment of at least the first drive unit relative to the floating body. 
     
     
         4 . The watercraft as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the at least one actuating unit allows the alignment of at least the first drive unit to be changed via a rotation or a pivoting movement about an at least substantially vertical first yaw axis. 
     
     
         5 . The watercraft as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the at least one actuating unit allows the alignment of at least the first drive unit to be changed via a rotation or a pivoting movement about a first pitch axis, which is angled with respect to the vertical axis. 
     
     
         6 . The watercraft as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the at least one actuating unit allows at least the first drive unit to be displaceable relative to the floating body. 
     
     
         7 . The watercraft as claimed in  claim 1 , further including at least three drive units. 
     
     
         8 . The watercraft as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein at least the first drive unit is arranged on the floating body such that, as seen in plan view, the first yaw axis is arranged further away from a geometrical center point of the floating body than from an edge of the floating body. 
     
     
         9 . The watercraft as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least the first drive unit has at least one electric motor connected to an battery. 
     
     
         10 . The watercraft as claimed in  claim 1 , further including a control device connected via a cable or wirelessly to a plurality of drive units, said control device controlling at least one operating parameter of the drive units. 
     
     
         11 . The watercraft as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the drive units or the alignments and/or flow rates of the water flows can be controlled individually by the control device. 
     
     
         12 . The watercraft as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the control device controls the drive units in such a way that the floating body pivots out of a normal position about a horizontal floating-body pitch axis or pivots or rotates out of a normal position about a vertical floating-body yaw axis. 
     
     
         13 . The watercraft as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the control device is connected to at least one inclination sensor and is controls the drive units according to inclination data output by the inclination sensor. 
     
     
         14 . The watercraft as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein the control device controls a movement speed of the watercraft according to inclination data and/or to transfer the floating body to the normal position according to the inclination data. 
     
     
         15 . The watercraft as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the control device is coupled to a user interface or comprises a user interface. 
     
     
         16 . The watercraft as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the control device controls the drive units automatically according to a control program which can be selected or defined by the user interface. 
     
     
         17 . The watercraft as claimed in  claim 1 , further including a carrying element for carrying the person, which is arranged on, or comprised by, the floating body and is movable relative to the floating body by at least one supporting element. 
     
     
         18 . The watercraft as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the control device has a switch device that, upon actuation, causes the operation of at least the first drive unit to stop and/or the at least the first drive unit is switched to a pre-defined inactive position. 
     
     
         19 . The watercraft as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the switch device comprises a flexible line element with a maximum length of 1.5 m, one end of which can be arranged on a switch mount to enable its operation. 
     
     
         20 . The watercraft as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one floating body is inflatable and/or made from a foam material, at least in part. 
     
     
         21 . The watercraft as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one second drive unit allows alignment the second water flow to be changed relative to the floating body. 
     
     
         22 . The watercraft as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the yaw axes are each arranged at a spacing from a vertical longitudinal center plane intersecting the floating body, and/or mirror-symmetrically with respect to said longitudinal center plane. 
     
     
         23 . The watercraft as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein said control device is arranged within a recess of the floating body or above a base of the floating body. 
     
     
         24 . The watercraft as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the control device is comprises at least one steering device and a speed preset device to manually navigate the watercraft and/or a display device.