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Double-hulled rowboatDouble-hulled rowboat description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070178781, Double-hulled rowboat. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS (IF APPLICABLE) [0001]The present application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/759,409, filed on Jan. 17, 2006. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002]Sculling is a popular sport that allows a rower or several rowers to sit in a streamlined boat, called a shell, and row the shell at a relatively high speed across a smooth water surface, such as a lake or a slow moving river. For a single-person shell, the shell includes oarlocks on either side of the rower. An oar is pivotally connected to each oarlock to allow the rower to operate each oar with a single hand. The seat is mounted on sliding rails, and allows the rower to slide back-and-forth along the rails during each oar stroke, allowing the rower to generate additional power with each stroke. [0003]The streamlined design of a typical shell makes the shell relatively unstable, requiring the rower to maintain balance within the shell in order to avoid losing his/her balance and tipping over. Such a design may intimidate a novice rower for fear that the shell may tip over and the rower may fall into the water. A mono-hull design may also pose a safety threat to a young or inexperienced rower. It would be beneficial to provide a boat that has the operative oar features of a scull, including the sliding seat of the scull, but is more stable than a typical shell, providing an increased stability for a novice user. [0004]Additionally, typical sculling oarlocks allow for four degrees of freedom for an oar: back-and-forth (rotational); up-and-down (rotational); spinning or feathering (rotational) and in-and-out (translational). The in-and-out degree of freedom also allows the oar to be rotated about its longitudinal axis within the oarlock, as with feathering the oar. Such multiple degrees of freedom may be confusing and hard to master for the novice rower. It would be beneficial to provide a rowboat that included oarlocks that restricted the number of degrees of freedom of the oar, such as to two rotational degrees of freedom, in order to enable the user to slowly familiarize himself/herself with the operation of the oar, without introducing too many variables that may make it difficult and frustrating to learn how to use all at once. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0005]Briefly, the present invention provides a rowboat. The rowboat includes a first hull extending in a longitudinal direction and a second hull extending parallel to the first hull. The first hull is fixedly connected to the second hull. A seat is disposed between the first and second hulls. A first oar is pivotally connected to the first hull and a second oar is pivotally connected to the second hull. [0006]Additionally, the present invention provides a rowboat comprising first and second hulls fixedly connected to each other by a rib. A seat is slidably connected to the rib. An oar is operatively connected to each hull. [0007]Further, the present invention also provides a rowboat comprising a first hull extending in a longitudinal direction and a second hull extending parallel to the first hull. The first hull is fixedly connected to the second hull. A first oar is pivotally connected to the first hull and a second oar is pivotally connected to the second hull. Each of the first and second oars each have no more than two degrees of freedom. [0008]Additionally, the present invention provides a method of rowing a boat. The method comprises the steps of sitting between first and second hulls of the boat, wherein an oar operatively extends from each of the first and second hulls; and operating an oar with each hand, wherein operating the oar comprises operating the oar with no more than two degrees of motion. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0009]The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description preferred embodiments of the invention, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings, which are incorporated herein and constitute part of this specification. For the purposes of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawings embodiments that are presently preferred. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown. In the drawings, the same reference numerals are employed for designating the same elements throughout the several figures. In the drawings: [0010]FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a double-hulled rowboat according to the present invention; [0011]FIG. 2 is a rear view of the double-hulled rowboat shown in FIG. 1; [0012]FIG. 3 is a side view of the double-hulled rowboat shown in FIG. 1; and [0013]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the double-hulled rowboat shown in FIGS. 1-3. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [0014]Certain terminology is used herein for convenience only and is not to be taken as a limitation on the present invention. The terminology includes the words specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof and words of similar import. As used herein, the term "forward" is defined to mean a direction in which a rower is facing when seated in the rowboat and "aft" is defined to mean a direction behind the rower when seated in the rowboat. The following describes preferred a embodiment of the invention. However, it should be understood based on this disclosure, that the invention is not limited by the preferred embodiment of the invention. [0015]Referring to the figures in general, the present invention is a rowboat 100 having a plurality of hulls 110, 120. The plurality of hulls 110, 120 provide additional stability to the rowboat 100 and aid in the instruction of a novice rower, reducing the likelihood of the rower losing his balance and tipping over the side of the rowboat. [0016]Referring in particular to FIG. 1, the first hull 110 extends in a longitudinal direction and includes a forward end 112 and an aft end 114. While FIG. 1 shows a blunt forward end 112 and a blunt aft end 114, those skilled in the art will recognize that the forward end 112 and the aft end 114 may be rounded or tapered to reduce drag on the rowboat 100 during operation. [0017]The second hull 120 extends parallel to the first hull 110 and includes a forward end 122 and an aft end 124. Similar to the first hull 110, the forward end 122 and the aft end 124 may be rounded or tapered to reduce drag on the rowboat 100 during operation. [0018]The first and second hulls 110, 120 are connected to each other by a pair of forward and aft ribs 130, 140, respectively, that each extend in a plane transverse to the longitudinal length of the hulls 110, 120. As seen in FIG. 2, the forward rib 130 includes a first riser 132 extending obliquely away from the first hull 110 and a second riser 134 extending obliquely away from the second hull 120. A connector portion 136 connects the first and second risers 132, 134 to each other. The connector portion 136 preferably extends in a horizontal plane. [0019]The aft rib 140 includes a first riser 142 extending obliquely away from the first hull 110 and a second riser 144 extending obliquely away from the second hull 120. A connector portion 146 connects the first and second risers 142, 144 to each other. The connector portion 146 preferably extends in a horizontal plane, co-planar with the connector portion 136 of the forward rib 130. Continue reading about Double-hulled rowboat... Full patent description for Double-hulled rowboat Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Double-hulled rowboat patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Double-hulled rowboat or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Boat Next Patent Application: Lightweight marine buoy and method of handling the same Industry Class: Marine propulsion ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Double-hulled rowboat patent info. 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