Pontoon assembly, and watercraft having same

Abstract

A watercraft includes a deck, a pontoon assembly supporting the deck, and a propulsion system supported by at least one of the pontoon assembly and the deck. The pontoon assembly includes a center, port and starboard pontoons, all of which are connected to the deck. The port pontoon is disposed to a left of the center pontoon. The starboard pontoon is disposed to a right of the center pontoon. The propulsion system includes a battery disposed vertically between a lower surface of the deck and an upper surface of the center pontoon. Also, a pontoon assembly, which is for a watercraft, includes a center pontoon, a port pontoon disposed to a left of the center pontoon, and a starboard pontoon disposed to a right of the center pontoon. A highest point of the center pontoon is vertically lower than vertical midpoints of the port and starboard pontoons.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A watercraft comprising:
 a deck;   a pontoon assembly supporting the deck, the pontoon assembly comprising:
 a center pontoon connected to the deck; 
 a port pontoon connected to the deck, the port pontoon being disposed to a left of the center pontoon; and 
 a starboard pontoon connected to the deck, the starboard pontoon being disposed to a right of the center pontoon, and 
   a propulsion system supported by at least one of the pontoon assembly and the deck, the propulsion system comprising a battery being disposed vertically between a lower surface of the deck and an upper surface of the center pontoon.   
     
     
         2 . The watercraft of  claim 1 , wherein a cross-section of the center pontoon taken along a lateral plane has a maximum width and a maximum height, wherein the maximum width is greater than the maximum height. 
     
     
         3 . The watercraft of  claim 2 , wherein the cross-section of the center pontoon has an upper side and a lower side, the upper side being flatter than the lower side. 
     
     
         4 . The watercraft of  claim 3 , wherein the cross-section of the center pontoon defines a gibbous shape. 
     
     
         5 . The watercraft of  claim 1 , wherein the center pontoon is tubular. 
     
     
         6 . The watercraft of  claim 1 , wherein the battery is disposed at least partially over the center pontoon. 
     
     
         7 . The watercraft of  claim 1 , further comprising a vertical spacer assembly connecting the center pontoon to the deck. 
     
     
         8 . The watercraft of  claim 7 , wherein the vertical spacer assembly has a first height, the center pontoon has a second height, and the second height is smaller than the first height. 
     
     
         9 . The watercraft of  claim 7 , wherein the battery is mounted to the vertical spacer assembly. 
     
     
         10 . The watercraft of  claim 7 , wherein the vertical spacer assembly comprises a first vertical spacer and a second vertical spacer. 
     
     
         11 . The watercraft of  claim 10 , wherein the battery is disposed laterally between the first vertical spacer and the second vertical spacer. 
     
     
         12 . The watercraft of  claim 11 , further comprising an inverter electrically connected to the battery, and mounted to at least one of the first vertical spacer and the second vertical spacer, the inverter being disposed longitudinally rearward from the battery. 
     
     
         13 . The watercraft of  claim 1 , wherein the battery is closer to a rear end of the center pontoon than to a front end of the center pontoon. 
     
     
         14 . The watercraft of  claim 1 , wherein the propulsion system further comprises an electric outboard motor electrically connected to and powered by the battery. 
     
     
         15 . A pontoon assembly for a watercraft, the pontoon assembly comprising:
 a center pontoon;   a port pontoon disposed to a left of the center pontoon;   a starboard pontoon disposed to a right of the center pontoon; and   a highest point of the center pontoon is vertically lower than a vertical midpoint of the port pontoon and than a vertical midpoint of the starboard pontoon.   
     
     
         16 . The pontoon assembly of  claim 15 , wherein a cross-section of the center pontoon taken along a lateral plane has a maximum width and a maximum height, wherein the maximum width is greater than the maximum height. 
     
     
         17 . The pontoon assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the cross-section of the center pontoon has an upper side and a lower side, the upper side being flatter than the lower side. 
     
     
         18 . The pontoon assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the center pontoon is tubular. 
     
     
         19 . The pontoon assembly of  claim 15 , wherein a lowest vertical point of the center pontoon is vertically lower than a lowest vertical point of the port pontoon and than a lowest vertical point of the starboard pontoon. 
     
     
         20 . The pontoon assembly of  claim 15 , further comprising a vertical spacer assembly configured to connect the center pontoon to a deck of the watercraft.