FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention belongs to the technical field of watercrafts, particularly to small watercrafts, featuring a small size, such as launches, barks, dinghies or boats, or the like, being propelled by means of paddles, sails or engines.

The invention particularly refers to a modular boat, formed by a plurality of different sized modules which can be coupled to and decoupled from each other by means of coupling means. These coupling means allow the modules to be introduced inside other bigger ones, thus reducing the boat length.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Several small watercrafts are known from the state of the art, featuring a small size, such as launches, barks, canoes, dugout canoes, dinghies or boats, which are propelled by means of paddles, sails or engines. Said small watercrafts allow people to sail either for work or leisure, and can be used for different purposes, such as short distance journeys, boat trips, fishing, use thereof in large vessels as lifeboats, etc.

However, these watercrafts are made with floating materials, but these materials are usually heavy, also occupying a certain volume depending on the craft needs. None of these small crafts have a system which allows reducing the size thereof, thereby they always occupy the same space, both while in use and during storage or transport, hindering thereof. Therefore, a modular boat is desirable, which can reduce the length thereof, preventing the drawbacks existing in the boats from the state of the art.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the problems existing in the state of the art by means of a modular boat, which is formed by a plurality of different sized modules.

These modules can be coupled to and decoupled from each other by means of coupling means, which are configured so as to allow introducing smaller sized modules inside other bigger sized modules, thus reducing the boat length.

According to a preferred embodiment of the modular boat object of the invention, the coupling means have wedges and grooves being complementary to each other, in such a way that the wedges are introduced in the grooves, thus reducing the length of the boat.

Preferably, there is a central module which is the one of the biggest size, and side modules at both sides thereof. These side modules will also feature a different size with respect to each other, such that those featuring a smaller size can be introduced inside those featuring a bigger size and being adjacent thereto.

Preferably, the smaller sized modules will be introduced in bigger sized modules being adjacent thereto, so as to take advantage of their location in the boat, and make the process for reducing the size thereof quicker, although, alternatively, the modules can be disassembled from each other entirely, and then the smaller sized modules can be introduced in other bigger sized ones which initially were not adjacent thereto.

In order to open and bring the boat into operation, the user will only have to pull a little bit strongly, and thus the modules which are inside the others will be released and the boat will be assembled in seconds and ready to be used.

By means of the present invention, the size of the boat can be reduced after use thereof, making easier for it to be stored or transport anywhere. The boat in the reduced sized condition thereof may be easily transported by any person, even by a child.

Another advantage of the present invention is that the different modules of the boat can be independently removed, or may be hidden by introducing them in bigger sized ones, depending on the required needs and size of the boat. When a bigger sized boat is needed, all modules thereof will be deployed, whereas when only a small sized boat is required, some of the modules may be hidden.

This invention provides another additional advantage consisting of making it possible for the modular boats to be carried in great amounts, without occupying hardly any space, in cruisers, fishing vessels, naval crafts, and any other type of large watercrafts, as lifeboats, so as to safeguard the life of occupants thereof in case of shipwreck or any other type of problem offshore. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

In order to provide a better understanding of the invention, by way of illustration but not limited thereto, there follows a description of an embodiment of the invention referring to a series of figures.

Figure 1 show a schematic perspective view of a boat object of the present invention, showing the different modules it comprises.

Figure 2 shows a side view of the boat object of the present invention, wherein some modules have been introduced inside others and the boat has reduced the size thereof.

Figure 3 shows a schematic view of an embodiment of the means coupling two modules. These figures refer to a set of elements which are: boat, central module, side modules, coupling means, wedges of the coupling means, and grooves of the coupling means.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is a modular boat 1.

As it can be seen in the figures, the modular boat 1 object of the invention is formed by a plurality of modules 2, 3, which feature different sizes. These modules 2,3 can be coupled to and decoupled from each other by means of coupling means 4, these coupling means 4 being configured to allow some smaller sized modules 3 to be introduced inside bigger sized modules 2, 3, thus reducing the boat 1 length.

Preferably, the boat 1 has at least a central module 2, and several side modules 2, being the central module 1 the one featuring the biggest size, such that at least one of the side modules 3 is introduced in said central module 1. Furthermore, different side modules 3 will be considered, these being either outer side modules if they are at an end of the boat 1 , or inner side modules, if they are arranged between two modules, or between two side modules 3, or between the central module 2 and a side module 3. Preferably, the side modules 3 also feature different size with respect to each other, such that at least one of the side modules 3 with a smaller size can be introduced inside some of the side modules 3 with a bigger size.

According to a particular embodiment of the boat 1 , the coupling means 4 feature wedges 5, and grooves 6 being complementary to the wedges 5, configured for the wedges 5 to be introduced in said grooves 6, and thus reducing the length of the boat 1. Figure 3 illustrates this particular embodiment of the coupling means, in the case of a wedge 5 in a module and a groove 6 in another module. Figures being included are not to scale, and are only representative, but never limitative of the invention. Dimension, distribution of elements, and actual shape of each of the components may vary such as to allow a better operation of the boat.

Once having clearly described the invention, it should be noted that the particular embodiments described above are liable to undergo detail modifications provided that these do not alter the fundamental principle and essence of the invention.