Boat having an improved ability to get on plane and improved method of getting a boat on plane

Abstract

A boat includes at least three trim devices positioned aft of the boat's transom. To improve the boat's ability to get on place, each trim device is initially positioned to a deployed position. The speed of the boat is then determined as the boat gains speed. When the speed of the boat exceeds a first predetermined threshold, the first trim device is moved from the deployed position to a non-deployed position. When the speed of the boat exceeds a second predetermined threshold, the second trim device is moved from the deployed position to a non-deployed position. When the speed of the boat exceeds a third predetermined threshold, the third trim device is moved from the deployed position to a non-deployed position. At least one of the first, second, and third predetermined thresholds is different from the other two of the first, second, and third predetermined thresholds.

1 - 40 . (canceled) 
     
     
         41 . A boat comprising:
 a hull;   at least three trim devices connected to the hull, each of the at least three trim devices being movable between a deployed position and a non-deployed position, a first one of the trim devices being a port trim device, a second one of the trim devices being a starboard trim device, and a third one of the trim devices being an intermediate trim device provided between the port and the starboard trim devices, wherein each of the at least three trim devices is positioned and oriented in the deployed position to create an upward force on the hull when the boat moves through the water;   a plurality of drive mechanisms, each drive mechanism configured to move a corresponding trim device between the deployed position and the non-deployed position;   a speed sensing device configured to determine the speed of the boat; and   a controller configured to:
 receive the speed of the boat from the speed sensing device; 
 determine whether the speed of the boat exceeds a first predetermined threshold; 
 actuate the drive mechanism corresponding to the port trim device to move the port trim device from the deployed position to the non-deployed position when it is determined that the speed of the boat exceeds the first predetermined threshold and if the port trim device is in the deployed position; 
 determine whether the speed of the boat exceeds a second predetermined threshold; 
 actuate the drive mechanism corresponding to the starboard trim device to move the starboard trim device from the deployed position to the non-deployed position when it is determined that the speed of the boat exceeds the second predetermined threshold and if the starboard trim device is in the deployed position; 
 determine whether the speed of the boat exceeds a third predetermined threshold; and 
 actuate the drive mechanism corresponding to the intermediate trim device to move the intermediate trim device from the deployed position to the non-deployed position when it is determined that the speed of the boat exceeds the third predetermined threshold and if the intermediate trim device is in the deployed position, 
   wherein at least one of the first, second, and third predetermined thresholds is different from at least one of the others of the first, second, and third predetermined thresholds.   
     
     
         42 . The boat of  claim 41 , wherein the first predetermined threshold and the second predetermined threshold are the same. 
     
     
         43 . The boat of  claim 41 , wherein the third predetermined threshold is greater than the first and second predetermined thresholds. 
     
     
         44 . The boat of  claim 41 , wherein the third predetermined threshold is less than the first and second predetermined thresholds. 
     
     
         45 . The boat of  claim 41 , wherein the port trim device is a port-side trim device provided on a port side of the boat's centerline and the starboard trim device is a starboard-side trim device provided on a starboard side of the boat's centerline. 
     
     
         46 . The boat of  claim 41 , wherein each of the port trim device, the starboard trim device, and the intermediate trim device is attached to a stern of the hull. 
     
     
         47 . The boat of  claim 46 , wherein the hull includes a transom with a bottom edge, each of the port trim device, the starboard trim device, and the intermediate trim device being attached to the transom. 
     
     
         48 . The boat of  claim 47 , wherein each of the port trim device, the starboard trim device, and the intermediate trim device is one of (i) a trim tab that, in the deployed position, extends at a downward angle such that at least a portion of the trim tab extends below a bottom edge of the transom or (ii) an interceptor including a blade that extends a distance below a bottom edge of the transom in the deployed position. 
     
     
         49 . The boat of  claim 48 , wherein each of the port trim device, the starboard trim device, and the intermediate trim device is at trim tab, the downward angle of at least one of the port trim device, the starboard trim device, and the intermediate trim device in the deployed position being different from the downward angle of at least one of the others of the port trim device, the starboard trim device, and the intermediate trim device in the deployed position. 
     
     
         50 . The boat of  claim 41 , wherein at least one of the port trim device, the starboard trim device and the intermediate trim device includes a planar member that, in the deployed position, is positioned to interact with water when the boat moves through the water and is oriented with a downward angle from fore to aft. 
     
     
         51 . The boat of  claim 50 , wherein at least a portion of the planar member is positioned below the hull in the deployed position. 
     
     
         52 . A method of operating a boat having at least three trim devices connected to a hull of the boat, each of the at least three trim devices being movable between a deployed position and a non-deployed position, a first one of the trim devices being a port trim device, a second one of the trim devices being a starboard trim device, and a third one of the trim devices being an intermediate trim device, the method comprising:
 determining the speed of the boat;   moving the port trim device from the deployed position to the non-deployed position when it is determined that the speed of the boat exceeds a first predetermined threshold and if the port trim device is in the deployed position;   moving the starboard trim device from the deployed position to the non-deployed position when it is determined that the speed of the boat exceeds a second predetermined threshold and if the starboard trim device is in the deployed position; and   moving the intermediate trim device from the deployed position to the non-deployed position when it is determined that the speed of the boat exceeds a third predetermined threshold and if the intermediate trim device is in the deployed position,   wherein at least one of the first, second, and third predetermined thresholds is different from at least one of the others of the first, second, and third predetermined thresholds, and   wherein each of the at least three trim devices is positioned and oriented in the deployed position to create an upward force on the hull when the boat moves through the water.   
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein the first predetermined threshold and the second predetermined threshold are the same. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein the third predetermined threshold is greater than the first and second predetermined thresholds. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein the third predetermined threshold is less than the first and second predetermined thresholds. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein the port trim device is a port-side trim device provided on a port side of the boat's centerline and the starboard trim device is a starboard-side trim device provided on a starboard side of the boat's centerline. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein each of the port trim device, the starboard trim device, and the intermediate trim device is attached to a stern of the hull. 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein the hull includes a transom with a bottom edge, each of the port trim device, the starboard trim device, and the intermediate trim device being attached to the transom, and each of the port trim device, the starboard trim device, and the intermediate trim device is one of (i) a trim tab that, in the deployed position, extends at a downward angle such that at least a portion of the trim tab extends below a bottom edge of the transom or (ii) an interceptor including a blade that extends a distance below a bottom edge of the transom in the deployed position. 
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein at least one of the port trim device, the starboard trim device and the intermediate trim device includes a planar member that, in the deployed position, is positioned to interact with water when the boat moves through the water and is oriented with a downward angle from fore to aft. 
     
     
         60 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereon sequences of instruction for executing the method of  claim 52 .