Structure forming a breakwater and capable of ice free, year round operation

Abstract

A structure for use in a body of water has at least one level that includes a boat lift, a narrow dock, or a larger entertainment area, or combinations of these items on multi-level structures (e.g. a boat lift on a first level and an entertainment area on a second level). The structure can be towed to or from a body of water independently of other structures. The structure includes a buoyancy system, e.g. at least one ballast tank or inflatable bladder, for allowing the structure to float in a buoyant state or to sink in a non-buoyant state into engagement with a bottom of the body of water. One or more structures such as these can be assembled to form an artificial breakwater by placing a wall or skirt on the windward side(s) thereof with each wall or skirt extending from below to significantly above the waterline. This forms a calmer area of water on the leeward side(s) thereof. In addition, an opposing wall or skirt can be placed on opposite sides of the structures to form a bounded chamber beneath the structure. A water recirculating device is used to pull up warmer water from near the bottom of the body of water and to discharge this warmer water into the bounded chamber and / or a water heating device is provided in the bounded chamber. This helps keep the structure sufficiently ice free to permit year round use if so desired even in northern climates.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001]This invention relates to a structure or structures capable of being easily transported to a body of water and of then being easily installed in the body of water, such as a lake, for use in water related entertainment activities, such as boating, fishing, swimming, sunbathing, entertaining guests, etc. More particularly, this invention relates to structures of this type forming an artificial breakwater providing a protected, calmer water surface on a leeward side of the breakwater and that are also capable of being left in the body of water year round even in northern climates where the body of water normally becomes ice bound or significantly ice covered during the winter.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002]The Applicant herein is an inventor of various structures designed for use in a body of water, that can be towed to and from the body of water during installation and removal, and that have a buoyancy system of some type to allow the structure to float on th...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009]One aspect of this invention comprises an artificial breakwater that may be placed in a body of water for creating a calmer water surface on a leeward side of the breakwater. The breakwater comprises at least one structure that may be transported to the body of water and installed in the body of water for use in the body of water and that may be removed from the body of water when use of the structure in the body of water is no longer desired. The at least one structure comprises a structure having at least one level that includes at least one component from the group of components comprising a boat lift, a deck having a relatively narrow width in relation to its length to form a dock on which a person can walk or stand, and a deck having a width that is substantially wider in relation to its length than in the case where the deck forms the dock such that the wider deck forms an entertainment area that is able to support a plurality of people and furniture. At least a pair of wheels that can be at least temporarily attached to the structure is provided to allow the structure to be transported by ground to and from the body of water a

Problems solved by technology

One difficulty with the enjoyment of waterfront property is the action of the wind on the water of the body of water.

But, on the opposite or downwind side of the lake, the water will be quite choppy and agitated as the wind reaches that shoreline since the wind has had a chance to move unobstructed across the surface of the lake and build up the wave action to its full extent.

At this opposite downwind of the lake, the water may be so rough as to be unsuitable for many water related activities, such as swimming, fishing, or the like.

There, after passing across the unobstructed width or length of the lake, the wave action can be very intense and rough.

In addition to making it difficult to enjoy certain waterfront activities, this wave action can also lead to dramatic shoreline erosion.

Such erosion is expensive to repair or if left unrepaired will dramatically decrease the value of the adjacent waterfront property.

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