ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 17 -- United States Patent no. 12,312,043, issued on May 27, was assigned to MasterCraft Boat Co. LLC (Vonore, Tenn.).
"Wake-modifying device for a boat" was invented by Darren S. Sheedy (Greenback, Tenn.), Matthew J. Huyge (Wyoming, Mich.), Michael D. Myers (Knoxville, Tenn.) and Zane E. Schwenk (Winter Haven, Fla.).
According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A recreational sport boat includes a hull, having starboard and port sides and a transom, and a wake-modifying devices positioned aft of the transom. The wake-modifying device includes a plate-like member and at least one downturned surface. The wake-modifying device is pivotable between a non-deployed position and a deployed po...