The present invention concerns a device with compressed-air jets projecting from boats below the water-line, for performing lateral translatory motions.

The need of performing lateral translatory motions is a strong need for all those people sailing into small ports or wet basins, filled up with ships and boats of coasting trade; besides the application of troublesome and encumbering outboard motors, the mentioned need has been coped with in document WO 98/22337 De Risi, in which a hydraulic system for steering a ship is claimed, based on the reaction caused by the outlet of water jets from nozzles on the sides and placed above the water-line.

It is the aim of the present invention to obtain precise and efficient lateral translatory motions of the boats by means of air jets at an even very high pressure, coming out from special nozzles placed on the sides below the water-line so as to allow the sliding in the liquid, overcoming the inertia of the boat. Said air jets may be generated by a compressor on

the boat provided with a tank or a bomb of dimensions variable according to the dimensions of the boat.

The present invention will be explained more in detail hereinbelow relating to the enclosed drawings in which an embodiment is shown.

Figure 1 shows a plant and a scheme of a device with compressed-air jets projecting from boats below the water- line, for performing lateral translatory motions, according to the present invention.

Figure 2 shows a lateral view of the location of the elements of the device according to the present invention, on a boat N.

The enclosed figures show a device with compressed-air jets projecting from boats below the water-line, for performing lateral translatory motions according to the present invention, comprising: - a plurality of nozzles 1 for the outlet of the compressed air generated by a compressor 3, and whereby for each nozzle the regulation is controlled by a correspondent electrovalve 2, and the opening and closing thereof is remote controlled by means of cables 7 so that the

opening allows the sudden outlet of a compressed-air jet that determines the motion of the boat in the direction opposite to said jet; a compressor 3, operated with 12 V or 24 V direct current or 220 V alternating current, provided with a tank or a bomb, for supporting the compression corresponding to the dimensions and the inertia of a boat N; - a safety-valve 4 placed at the outlet of the pressurized tank for avoiding casual operating; a plurality of pipes 5, out of copper or even flexible materials, able to support even high pressures, starting from said tank of the compressor 3 and ending below the water-line at starboard and at port of the head; further pipes 5 may lead the compressed air at starboard or at port of the stern still below the water-line, while further pipes 5 with the same features may end up at half the boat for making the lateral mooring easier; - a control panel 6 that may be composed according to the number of functions to be performed, which may be: A = for the control of the electrovalve 2 of the nozzle 1 placed at port of the head; B = for the control of the electrovalve 2 of the nozzle 1 placed at starboard of the head;

C = for the control of the electrovalve 2 of the nozzle 1 placed at the centre at port; D = for the control of the electrovalve 2 of the nozzle 1 placed at the centre at starboard; E = for the control of the electrovalve 2 of the nozzle 1 placed at port of the stern ; F = for the control of the electrovalve 2 of the nozzle 1 placed at starboard of the stern.

It is obvious that the section of the high pressure pipes 5 is variable according to the features of the installation, as well as the section and the shape of the nozzles by means of which the connection to the outside is obtained in the real work.

Instead of said valve 4, a similar result may be obtained by means of an electro-stop or even disconnecting the control panel.