William Renfro of Washington DC wants to make life on the ocean waves more
comfortable. Instead of hard bunk beds, his patent aims to equip boats with
luxury waterbeds (WO 00/1280). But since the added weight would slow the boat to
a snail鈥檚 pace, the crew will fill their beds each night using a pump and valve
system which could be mounted inside or outside the boat, depending on the noise
levels users are willing to put up with. The next morning, the beds are emptied
and folded away. In cold weather, the water can be heated by the engine as it is
pumped onboard.
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