Watercraft

Abstract

A watercraft includes a deck, a pontoon assembly supporting the deck and an electric propulsion system. The pontoon assembly includes first and second pontoons connected to the deck, and an intermediate member. The first pontoon has a first metallic portion. The second pontoon is laterally spaced from the first pontoon. The intermediate member is connected to and extends laterally between the first and second pontoons. The electric propulsion system includes a battery supported by at least one of the pontoon assembly or the deck, an electric motor electrically connected to and powered by the battery and a propulsion unit operatively connected to the electric motor. The intermediate member has a cooling system including a heat exchanger in thermal contact with the first metallic portion, and a cooling path in thermal contact with the heat exchanger, and at least one of the battery or the electric motor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A watercraft comprising:
 a deck;   a pontoon assembly supporting the deck, the pontoon assembly including:
 a first pontoon connected to the deck, the first pontoon having a first metallic portion; 
 a second pontoon connected to the deck, the second pontoon being laterally spaced from the first pontoon; and 
 an intermediate member connected to and extending laterally between the first pontoon and the second pontoon, 
   an electric propulsion system including:
 a battery supported by at least one of the pontoon assembly or the deck; 
 an electric motor electrically connected to and powered by the battery; and 
 a propulsion unit operatively connected to the electric motor, 
   the intermediate member having a cooling system comprising:
 a heat exchanger in thermal contact with the first metallic portion; and 
 a cooling path in thermal contact with:
 the heat exchanger; and 
 at least one of the battery or the electric motor. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The watercraft of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the second pontoon has a second metallic portion; and   the heat exchanger is in thermal contact with the second metallic portion.   
     
     
         3 . The watercraft of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the intermediate member is a first intermediate member, and   the watercraft further includes:
 a third pontoon connected to the deck, the third pontoon being laterally spaced from the first pontoon; and 
 a second intermediate member connected to and extending laterally between the first pontoon and the third pontoon. 
   
     
     
         4 . The watercraft of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the first pontoon is a center pontoon;   the second pontoon is a port pontoon disposed to a left of the center pontoon;   the third pontoon is a starboard pontoon disposed to a right of the center pontoon;   the first intermediate member is a port intermediate member; and   the second intermediate member is a starboard intermediate member.   
     
     
         5 . The watercraft of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the cooling system is a first cooling system,   the heat exchanger is a first heat exchanger;   the cooling path is a first cooling path;   the port pontoon has a second metallic portion; and   the starboard pontoon has a third metallic portion, and   the starboard intermediate member has a second cooling system including:
 a second heat exchanger in thermal contact with at least one of the first metallic portion or the third metallic portion, 
 a second cooling path in thermal contact with:
 the second heat exchanger; and 
 at least one of the battery or the electric motor. 
 
   
     
     
         6 . The watercraft of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the first heat exchanger is in thermal contact with the first metallic portion and the second metallic portion; and   the second heat exchanger is in thermal contact with the first metallic portion and the third metallic portion.   
     
     
         7 . The watercraft of  claim 4 , wherein a vertically highest point of the port intermediate member and a vertically highest point of the starboard intermediate member are disposed vertically lower than a vertical midpoint of the center pontoon. 
     
     
         8 . The watercraft of  claim 4 , wherein a vertically lowest point of the port intermediate member is disposed vertically higher than a vertically lowest point of the port pontoon, and a vertically lowest point of the starboard intermediate member is disposed vertically higher than a vertically lowest point of the starboard pontoon. 
     
     
         9 . The watercraft of  claim 5 , wherein at least one of the first metallic portion, the second metallic portion or the third metallic portion is made of aluminium. 
     
     
         10 . The watercraft of  claim 1 , wherein the first metallic portion is made of aluminium. 
     
     
         11 . The watercraft of  claim 1 , wherein the intermediate member has a metallic portion. 
     
     
         12 . The watercraft of  claim 11 , wherein the metallic portion of the intermediate member is made of aluminum. 
     
     
         13 . A watercraft comprising:
 a deck;   a pontoon assembly supporting the deck, the pontoon assembly including:
 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; 
 a starboard pontoon connected to the deck, the starboard pontoon being disposed to a right of the center pontoon; 
 a port intermediate member connected to and extending laterally between the center pontoon and the port pontoon; and 
 a starboard intermediate member connected to and extending laterally between the center pontoon and the starboard pontoon, 
 at least one of the center pontoon, the port pontoon or the starboard pontoon having a first metallic pontoon portion; and 
   an electric propulsion system including:
 a battery supported by at least one of the pontoon assembly and the deck; 
 an electric motor electrically connected to the battery; and 
 a propulsion unit operatively connected to the electric motor, 
   the at least one of the port intermediate member or the starboard intermediate member having a cooling system comprising:
 a heat exchanger in thermal contact with the first metallic portion; and 
 a cooling path in thermal contact with:
 the heat exchanger; and 
 at least one of the battery or the electric motor. 
 
   
     
     
         14 . The watercraft of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the at least one of the port intermediate member or the starboard intermediate member is the port intermediate member;   the cooling system is a first cooling system;   the heat exchanger is a first heat exchanger;   the cooling path is a first cooling path; and   the at least one of the center pontoon, the port pontoon or the starboard pontoon is at least one of the center pontoon or the port pontoon, and   at least one of the center pontoon and the starboard pontoon has a second metallic portion;   the starboard intermediate member comprises:
 a second heat exchanger in thermal contact with the second metallic portion; and 
 a second cooling path in thermal contact with:
 the second heat exchanger; and 
 at least one of the battery or the electric motor. 
 
   
     
     
         15 . The watercraft of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the at least one of the center pontoon or the port pontoon having the first metallic portion is the center pontoon; and   the at least one of the center pontoon or the starboard pontoon having the second metallic portion is the center pontoon.   
     
     
         16 . The watercraft of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the port pontoon has the first metallic portion;   the starboard pontoon has the second metallic portion;   the center pontoon has a third metallic portion;   the first heat exchanger is in thermal contact with the first metallic portion and the third metallic portion; and   the second heat exchanger is in thermal contact with the second metallic portion and the third metallic portion.   
     
     
         17 . The watercraft of  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the first metallic portion, the second metallic portion or the third metallic portion is made of aluminium. 
     
     
         18 . The watercraft of  claim 13 , wherein a vertically highest point of the port intermediate member and a vertically highest point of the starboard intermediate member are disposed vertically lower than a vertical midpoint of the center pontoon. 
     
     
         19 . The watercraft of  claim 13 , wherein a vertically lowest point of the port intermediate member is disposed vertically higher than a vertically lowest point of the port pontoon, and a vertically lowest point of the starboard intermediate member is disposed vertically higher than a vertically lowest point of the starboard pontoon. 
     
     
         20 . The watercraft of  claim 13 , wherein at least one of the intermediate port member or the intermediate starboard member has a metallic portion.