Manitou Receives Additional Patent Protection on V-Toon Technology Hulls

Lansing, MI - On May 29, 2012, Triton Industries was issued a United States patent (U.S. Pat. No. 8,186,291) giving additional protection to their revolutionary V-toon® style pontoon boat. This expanded patent protection was issued nearly a year to the day after the original patent. The original patent covered pontoon hulls having a center tube that was lower than 2 inches compared to the outside tubes. The new patent covers pontoon hulls with any difference in depth between the center tube and the outside tubes.

This newly broadened patent covers the company's high performance pontoon boats with handling characteristics that replicate those of an exceptional V-hull. One of the features encompassed in the patent is the differential depth between the inner and outer pontoon tubes creating a sufficient amount of deadrise to allow for traditional V-hull handling. Another key component of the invention is the inclusion of hull features to enhance the planing, performance and efficiency of the craft. Manitou has been at the cutting edge of performance pontoon boats since the introduction of this product.

Pontoon boats have been historically viewed as stodgy underperforming style hulls. The original style of pontoon boat utilizes two tubes making it essentially a displacement hull. Though offering generous floor space and comfort, these pontoon boats do not respond efficiently to added horsepower or normally to increased speeds. Even standard triple pontoon tube models that have no deadrise come up short in the handling and ride category.

What is most exciting about the patented hull is that it provides solutions to these two deficiencies (hull inefficiency and poor handling characteristics) of traditional pontoon boat hulls. These patented hulls efficiently profit from increases in horsepower and offer a family friendly craft that, besides providing all the normal advantages of a pontoon boat, also exceed expectations in watersport activities. These boats also heel (bank) normally, safely and predictably in a turn.

Within the Manitou lineup, all SHP models and all VP models are covered under this patent. The SHP models are the higher performing hulls and can achieve speeds over 50 mph. The VP models are limited to 150 hp and can achieve speeds over 40 mph.