ALEXANDRIA, Va., Nov. 25 -- United States Patent no. 12,479,540, issued on Nov. 25.
"Multifunctional stand-up paddleboard and methods" was invented by Henry Westlind (Marquette, Mich.) and Joe Thiel (Marquette, Mich.).
According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "Disclosed herein is a multifunctional stand-up paddleboard (MFSUP) comprising a paddleboard, a paddle, and a drive unit. At the stem of the paddleboard is a docking port configured to receive the drive unit that propels the paddleboard. In some embodiments, the paddleboard comprises a rigid midsection, and an inflatable bow and stem. The inflatable portions are inflated during use and deflated then folded over the midsection during storage. A contro...