Outboard jet drive boat

Abstract

An outboard jet drive boat apparatus has a boat hull ( 11 ) having a transom ( 12 ) and having a removably attached outboard jet drive ( 10 ) attached to the transom ( 12 ). The outboard jet drive ( 10 ) includes a housing ( 13 ) sealed against the intrusion of water and has an engine mounting platform ( 14 ) therein having an engine ( 16 ) mounted thereon on flexible engine mounts ( 15 ). The housing ( 13 ) has a sealable entrance through the top thereof and is removably attached to the transom of the hull ( 11 ). A jet drive unit ( 17 ) is attached in the housing ( 13 ) below the engine supporting platform ( 14 ) and extending generally parallel to the engine ( 16 ) and extending from the front of the housing ( 13 ) out the rear of the housing. The jet drive unit ( 17 ) is operatively attached to the overhead engine ( 16 ) through a clutch mechanism. A main fuel tank ( 33 ) is positioned inside the hull ( 11 ) and is connected to a fuel line ( 35 ) to an auxiliary fuel tank ( 38 ) inside the housing ( 13 ) and the auxiliary fuel tank ( 38 ) is connected to the engine ( 16 ) for feeding fuel to the engine ( 16 ). The fuel pump ( 41 ) is mounted in the housing ( 13 ) to pump fuel to the engine ( 16 ) from the auxiliary fuel tank ( 38 ) and from the main fuel tank ( 33 ) to the auxiliary fuel tank ( 38 ). Electrical controls are located in the hull couple through the housing ( 13 ) to the engine controls and controls the engine ( 16 ) and jet drive unit ( 17 ).

1. An outboard jet drive boat comprising:
 a huly ( 11 ) having a transom ( 12 );  
 a housing ( 13 ) sealed against the intrusion of water, said housing ( 13 ) having front and rear sides, and a top and bottom and having a sealable entrance through the top thereof, and said housing ( 13 ) being removably attached to the transom ( 12 ) of said hull ( 11 );  
 an engine mounting platform ( 14 ) attached in said housing ( 13 ) and having a plurality of engine mounts ( 15 ) attached thereto;  
 an engine ( 16 ) mounted in said housing ( 13 ) and supported generally horizontally on said platform ( 14 );  
 a jet drive unit ( 17 ) attached in said housing ( 13 ) below said platform ( 14 ) and extending generally parallel to said engine ( 16 ), said jet drive unit ( 17 ) extending from the rear of said housing ( 13 ) and being operatively attached to said engine ( 16 ) in said housing ( 13 ) above said platform ( 14 ); and  
 a main fuel tank ( 33 ) positioned inside said hull ( 11 ) and having a fuel line ( 35 ) connecting said main fuel tank ( 33 ) to said engine ( 16 ) for the feeding of fuel from said fuel tank ( 33 ) to said engine ( 16 ), whereby an outboard jet drive ( 17 ) and engine ( 16 ) are removably attached to a boat hull ( 11 ) transom ( 12 ) and isolated in a separate housing ( 13 ).  
 
     
     
       2. An outboard jet drive boat in accordance with  claim 1  in which a secondary fuel tank ( 38 ) is mounted in said housing ( 13 ) and coupled between said main fuel tank ( 33 ) and said engine ( 16 ). 
     
     
       3. An outboard jet drive boat in accordance with  claim 2  in which said housing ( 13 ) has a transom ( 12 ) hanging bracket ( 32 ) attached thereto and positioned for attaching said housing ( 13 ) to said transom ( 12 ) of said boat hull ( 11 ). 
     
     
       4. An outboard jet drive boat in accordance with  claim 3  in which said engine ( 16 ) is a diesel engine. 
     
     
       5. An outboard jet drive boat in accordance with  claim 3  including a fuel pump ( 41 ) mounted in said housing ( 13 ) and coupled to said secondary fuel tank ( 38 ). 
     
     
       6. An outboard jet drive boat in accordance with  claim 5  having engine controls mounted in said boat hull ( 11 ) coupled to said engine ( 16 ) and said jet drive unit ( 17 ) for controlling said engine from said hull ( 11 ). 
     
     
       7. An outboard jet drive boat in accordance with  claim 6  in which a  said jet drive unit ( 17 ) is mounted through said housing ( 13 ) rear side and attached to said front and rear sides. 
     
     
       8. An outboard jet drive boat in accordance with  claim 7  having a battery mounted in said boat hull ( 11 ) and electrically connected to said engine ( 16 ) for starting said engine ( 16 ). 
     
     
       9. An outboard jet drive boat in accordance with  claim 8  in which said engine ( 16 ) has monitoring sensors and said boat hull ( 11 ) has a plurality of engine instruments mounted therein operatively coupled to said engine sensors to provide sensed engine conditions in said engine instruments in said boat hull ( 11 ). 
     
     
       10. An out board jet drive boat in accordance with  claim 8  having a clutched belt drive ( 27 ) operatively connecting said engine to said jet drive unit ( 17 ). 
     
     
       11. An out board jet drive boat in accordance with  claim 10  in which said housing ( 13 ) is sealed against the intrusion of water and partially extends into the water when said boat hull ( 11 ) is afloat to provide added buoyancy to said boat hull ( 11 ). 
     
     
       12. An outboard jet drive boat in accordance with  claim 11  in which said engine ( 16 ) has a sealed engine coolant system whereby the engine cooling is not dependent upon water from the body of water the boat hull ( 11 ) is floating upon. 
     
     
       13. An outboard jet drive boat in accordance with  claim 8  in which said housing ( 13 ) has an auxiliary battery mounted therein. 
     
     
       14. An outboard jet drive boat in accordance with  claim 5  in which said engine ( 16 ) is mounted to said mounting platform ( 14 ) generally parallel to said jet drive unit ( 17 ). 
     
     
       15. An outboard jet drive boat in accordance with  claim 14  in which said engine ( 16 ) is mounted in a reverse direction to said jet drive unit ( 17 ). 
     
     
       16. An outboard jet drive boat in accordance with  claim 1  in which said housing ( 13 ) is mounted to said transom ( 12 ) above the hull ( 11 ) bottom to thereby reduce the ingress of debris. 
     
     
       17. An outboard jet drive boat in accordance with  claim 1  in which said platform ( 14 ) is sealed to said housing ( 13 ) to prevent the escape of leaking liquids from said engine. 
     
     
       18. An outboard jet drive comprising:
   a housing sealed against the intrusion of water, said housing having front and rear sides, and a top and bottom and having a sealable entrance;        an engine disposed in said housing and supported generally horizontally within said housing; and        a jet drive unit disposed in said housing below said engine and extending generally parallel to said engine, said jet drive unit extending from the rear of said housing and being operatively attached to said engine in said housing.     
     
     
       19. An outboard jet drive in accordance with  claim 18  in which a fuel tank is mounted in said housing and coupled to said engine. 
     
     
       20. An outboard jet drive boat in accordance with  claim 18  in which said engine is a diesel engine. 
     
     
       21. An outboard jet drive in accordance with  claim 18  including a fuel pump disposed in said housing and coupled to said fuel tank. 
     
     
       22. An outboard jet drive in accordance with  claim 18  in which said jet drive unit is mounted through said housing rear side and attached to said front and rear sides. 
     
     
       23. An outboard jet drive boat in accordance with  claim 18  in which said engine has monitoring sensors. 
     
     
       24. An outboard jet drive in accordance with  claim 18  having a clutched belt drive operatively connecting said engine to said jet drive. 
     
     
       25. An outboard jet drive in accordance with  claim 18  in which said housing is sealed against the intrusion of water and partially extends into the water when said housing is afloat to provide buoyancy. 
     
     
       26. An outboard jet drive in accordance with  claim 18  in which said engine has a sealed engine coolant system whereby the engine cooling is not dependent upon water from the body of water upon which the housing is floating. 
     
     
       27. An outboard jet drive in accordance with  claim 18  in which said housing has an auxiliary battery disposed therein. 
     
     
       28. An outboard jet drive in accordance with  claim 22  in which said engine is disposed in a reverse direction to said jet drive unit. 
     
     
       29. An outboard jet drive in accordance with  claim 18  in which said housing is adapted to be removably attached to an exterior portion of a boat hull. 
     
     
       30. An outboard jet drive in accordance with  claim 18 , in which said jet drive unit defines a substantially linear water travel path.