US20090038529A1 - System and method for selectively securing articles to a hull of a watercraft - Google Patents
System and method for selectively securing articles to a hull of a watercraft Download PDFInfo
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- US20090038529A1 US20090038529A1 US11/891,083 US89108307A US2009038529A1 US 20090038529 A1 US20090038529 A1 US 20090038529A1 US 89108307 A US89108307 A US 89108307A US 2009038529 A1 US2009038529 A1 US 2009038529A1
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- cavity
- anchor
- watercraft
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- retainer
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
- B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING
- B63B17/00—Vessels parts, details, or accessories, not otherwise provided for
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
- Fittings On The Vehicle Exterior For Carrying Loads, And Devices For Holding Or Mounting Articles (AREA)
Abstract
A watercraft includes a hull having a sidewall, and a cavity formed in the sidewall. The cavity includes an open end. An anchor includes an insertion portion configured to be removably inserted into the cavity through the open end. The anchor further includes a movable retention element that removably retains the insertion portion of the anchor in the cavity when the insertion portion is inserted into the cavity.
Description
- The invention generally relates to watercraft, and more particularly relates to a system and method for selectively and removably attaching equipment, accessories, and other articles to a watercraft's hull.
- People use watercraft such as kayaks and canoes for recreational activities, such as paddling and fishing. Modern versions of such watercraft often include hulls constructed of plastics or composite materials that are relatively strong, tough, and lightweight. When constructed of a plastic material such as polyethylene, the hulls of such watercraft can be formed using modern molding processes, including rotational molding. Such molding processes can yield a plastic hull having a relatively complex shape in a unitary piece. Some modern paddle watercraft include hulls having open cockpits in which occupants sit, while others include a hollow hull having a top surface or “deck” on which an occupant sits.
- When using paddle watercraft for outdoor activities, persons often carry various articles and gear for their use and comfort. When a paddle watercraft is used for fishing, for example, fishing rods and other fishing gear must be positioned on or within the relatively small watercraft such that the gear does not interfere with operation of the vessel. In particular, fishing rods preferably should be positioned such that the rods do not interfere with a person's paddling motion. Some modern fishing kayaks and canoes include fishing rod holders that are screwed, bolted or otherwise substantially permanently attached to a portion of the watercraft for use in securing a fishing rod in a substantially upright position. Accordingly, such upright and unmanned fishing rods can be positioned such that the rods will not interfere with a person's paddling or other activities. Though such a fishing rod holder is useful in securing an unmanned fishing pole to a watercraft, the fishing rod holder is secured at a fixed position on the watercraft, and cannot be easily or readily relocated from one location to another. Accordingly, there is a need for an attachment system for selectively and removably securing a fishing rod holder to a watercraft's hull at any one of a plurality of fore and aft positions.
- Modern paddle watercraft such as fishing kayaks and canoes also typically include one or more seats mounted within or on their hulls at an elevation that is at or slightly above the waterline. This low seat position permits a seated occupant's center of gravity to be as low as possible, thus maximizing the stability of the watercraft on the water. Though such seats may be vertically supported by a hull's bottom, the fore and aft position of a seat typically is secured by connecting the seat to the hull using a plurality of straps, bolts, or the like. Typically, such seats only can be installed at a finite number of locations on a hull, thereby restricting the number of available fore and aft seat positions within a watercraft. Accordingly, there is a need for an attachment system for removably securing a seat at substantially any fore or aft position within an open watercraft. In addition, there is a need for a seat attachment system that permits a seat to be easily installed in and removed from a watercraft such that the seat can be used as a beach chair, a camp chair, or the like.
- Fishermen and paddlers also often have a need to secure other types of gear, accessories and other articles within a watercraft to prevent the items from falling overboard, tipping or sliding. For example, a conveniently located cup holder mounted to a watercraft's hull can be used to securely hold an open beverage container. A convenient securing system also would be desirable for retaining articles such as coolers, gear bags, tackle boxes, and the like within a watercraft. Preferably, such an attachment system would be sufficiently flexible to permit an article to be secured to a hull of a watercraft at substantially any desired fore or aft position. In addition, such an attachment system preferably would permit a person to quickly and simply secure substantially any type of article or device to a watercraft's hull, and to quickly and easily release such a secured article from the hull.
- The invention includes a watercraft comprising a hull having a sidewall. A cavity can be formed in the sidewall, and can include a substantially open end. The invention can further include an anchor having an insertion portion configured to be removably inserted into the cavity through the open end. The anchor also can include a retention element configured to removably retain the insertion portion in the cavity when the insertion portion is inserted into the cavity.
- The invention also includes an apparatus for removably attaching an article to a hull of a watercraft. The apparatus can include a body portion, a retainer portion, and a connector portion attached to the body portion. The retainer portion can be resiliently connected to the body portion such that the retainer portion is capable of resilient deflection toward the body portion.
- The invention further includes a system for selectively and removably attaching an article to a hull of a watercraft. The system can include a hull wall having a plurality of spaced cavities therein. In addition, the system can include at least one retainer member configured to be received in at least one of the spaced cavities. The retainer member can include a retention means for selectively blocking extraction of the retainer from the cavity when the retention means is received in the cavity.
- The invention also includes a method for removably securing an article to a hull of a watercraft. The method can include providing at least one cavity in a portion of the hull. The method can further include attaching an anchor to the article that includes at least one selectively movable retention element. In addition, the method can include engaging the anchor in the cavity such that the retention element selectively prevents extraction of the anchor from the cavity.
- These and other aspects of the invention will be understood from a reading of the following detailed description together with the drawings.
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FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a watercraft having an attachment system according to the invention. -
FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the watercraft shown inFIG. 1 . -
FIG. 3 is an inside perspective view of a sidewall of the hull of the watercraft shown inFIGS. 1 and 2 . -
FIG. 4 is another inside perspective view of a sidewall of the hull of the watercraft shown inFIGS. 1 and 2 . -
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of one embodiment of an anchor use in the attachment system of the watercraft shown inFIGS. 1-4 . -
FIG. 6A is a partial cross-section of a sidewall of the hull of the watercraft shown inFIGS. 1-4 with the anchor ofFIG. 5 being inserted into an open end of a sidewall cavity. -
FIG. 6B is a partial cross-section of a sidewall of the hull of the watercraft shown inFIGS. 1-4 with the anchor ofFIG. 5 partially inserted into a sidewall cavity. -
FIG. 6C is a partial cross-section of a sidewall of the hull of the watercraft shown inFIGS. 1-4 with the anchor ofFIG. 5 fully inserted into a sidewall cavity. -
FIG. 7A is an elevation view of a long telescoping rod for use in the attachment system of the watercraft shown inFIGS. 1-4 . -
FIG. 7B is an elevation view of a short telescoping rod for use in the attachment system of the watercraft shown inFIGS. 1-4 . -
FIG. 8 is an elevation view of one end of the telescoping rod shown in eitherFIG. 6 orFIG. 7 . -
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a portion of the open cockpit of the watercraft shown inFIGS. 1-4 and showing two telescoping rods mounted between opposed sidewalls of the hull. -
FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a platform removably mounted between opposed sidewalls of the hull of the watercraft shown inFIGS. 1-4 . -
FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a fishing rod holder clamped to a telescoping rod mounted between opposed sidewalls of the hull of the watercraft shown inFIGS. 1-4 . -
FIG. 12A is a perspective view of a seat secured to the hull of the watercraft shown inFIGS. 1-4 by two anchors like that shown inFIG. 5 . -
FIG. 12B is a front perspective view of the seat shown inFIG. 12A . -
FIG. 13 is perspective view of a cup holder including an anchor like that shown inFIG. 5 . -
FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a strap having an anchor like that shown inFIG. 5 secured to one end. -
FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative cavity and anchor configuration. -
FIG. 16 is a perspective view of an oar holder having an anchor like that shown inFIG. 5 . -
FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a pair of watercraft joined together by a pair of booms having a plurality of anchors like that shown inFIG. 5 . -
FIG. 18 is a perspective view of another embodiment of an anchor clip for use in a system and method according to the invention. -
FIG. 19 is an outboard perspective view of an adjustable foot brace assembly including a pair of anchor clips like that shown inFIG. 18 . -
FIG. 20 is a perspective view of the foot brace assembly shown inFIG. 19 installed along a sidewall of a watercraft using an anchor clip like that shown inFIG. 18 . -
FIGS. 1 and 2 show one embodiment of awatercraft 10 according to the invention. In this embodiment, thewatercraft 10 includes anelongated hull 16 having abow 17, a stern 19, and a pair of opposedupstanding sidewalls open cockpit 11. Thefirst sidewall 12 has a firstupper edge 13, and thesecond sidewall 14 has a secondupper edge 15. Thehull 16 can be constructed in a single piece of molded plastic. Alternatively, thehull 16 can include two or more joined portions constructed of plastic or any other suitable material, such as a composite fiberglass material or the like. Aseat 90 is positioned in a substantially aft portion of theopen cockpit 11. A pair of foot braces 40 is mounted on opposed inboard surfaces of thesidewalls seat 90. In the embodiment shown, the foot braces 40 are slidably supported byrails 42 that permit an occupant to selectively adjust the fore and aft positions of the foot braces 40 along therails 42. Such adjustable foot braces 40 can be of a type well known in the art. - As shown in
FIG. 2 , a plurality of spacedcavities 20 in the opposedsidewalls cavities 20 can be located proximate to theupper edges sidewalls cavities 20 are spaced about 6 inches apart in a fore and aft direction, and extend along substantially the entire lengths of the opposedsidewalls sidewalls fewer cavities 20 than are shown in the figures, and thecavities 20 can be formed closer together or farther apart than shown in the figures. Indeed, thewatercraft 10 can include substantially any number ofsidewall cavities 20. Thecavities 20 can be formed along thesidewalls cavities 20 are integrally molded in thesidewalls sidewall cavity 20 can be constructed separately, and attached to thesidewalls - As shown in
FIG. 2 , eachcavity 20 along thefirst sidewall 12 can have acorresponding cavity 20 along thesecond sidewall 14 that is diametrically opposite from the correspondingother cavity 20. Alternatively, the positions of thecavities 20 along thesecond sidewall 14 can be staggered relative to the locations of thecavities 20 along thefirst sidewall 12. -
FIG. 3 shows one embodiment of thesidewalls cavities 20 in the sidewalls. In this embodiment, thecavities 20 are elongated slots or pockets that extend substantially vertically downward from theupper edges sidewalls cavity 20 includes an openupper end 22, aforward edge 23, anaft edge 25, aback wall 29, and a substantially open inboard side orface 27. Thecavities 20 can other configurations and orientations, as long as thecavities 20 are capable of removably receiving ananchor 50 as described below. InFIG. 3 , aretainer bar 30 extends in a fore and aft direction, and extends across at least a portion of the openinboard side 27 of at least onecavity 20. Theretainer 30 can be mounted to an inboard face of asidewall retainer bar 30 extends across at least a portion of the open inboard faces 27 of at least two or moresuccessive cavities 20. As shown inFIG. 2 , eachretainer bar 30 can extend across two or moreadjacent cavities 20. As shown inFIG. 4 , forslots 20 located proximate to an adjustablefoot brace assembly 40 having anelongated rail 42 mounted on ahull sidewall rail 42 can extend across the openinboard side 27 of one ormore cavities 20 in lieu of aretainer bar 30. Adjustablefoot brace assemblies 40 having elongatedrails 42 mounted on a hull sidewall are well known in the art. -
FIG. 5 shows one embodiment of ananchor 50 for use in a mounting system according to the invention. Theanchor 50 is configured to be securely and removably received in one of thesidewall cavities 20 described above. In the embodiment shown inFIG. 5 , theanchor 50 is a clip including anelongated body portion 52, anelongated retainer portion 54, and aconnector portion 56. Thebody portion 52 andretainer portion 54 are connected together at ahinge portion 51 at their respective lower ends. Thus, in this embodiment, thebody portion 52 andretainer portion 54 combine to form a substantially V-shaped member. Also in this embodiment, theconnector portion 56 inwardly extends from an upper end of theelongated body portion 52, and includes at least one hole or opening 59 therein. Theretainer portion 54 can include aledge portion 55, anextended portion 53, and alip 57 that combine to form a substantially C-shapedretainer recess 58. Theanchor 50 can be constructed in a single piece of a tough and resilient material. For example, a one-piece anchor 50 can be constructed of an ABS plastic material (a combination of acrylonitrile, butadiene and styrene resins). Preferably, a selected plastic material is resistant to ultra-violet light. When theanchor 50 is constructed of a resilient material, theretainer portion 54 is capable of resilient deflection toward thebody portion 52 abouthinge portion 51. Alternatively, theanchor 50 can be constructed of anodized aluminum or another metal, or any other suitably tough and resilient material. - As shown in
FIGS. 6A-6C , theanchor 50 can be configured to be downwardly inserted through the opentop end 21 of asidewall cavity 20. In the embodiment shown, as the anchor is inserted into thecavity 20, theretainer recess 58 engages a portion of abar 30 orrail 42 that extends across the openinboard side 27 of thecavity 20, thus securely retaining theanchor 50 within thecavity 20. As shown inFIG. 6A , the lower end of the anchor having thehinge portion 51 can be downwardly inserted through the opentop end 21 of asidewall cavity 20. As shown inFIG. 6B , as the anchor is further inserted past thebar 30 orrail 42 extending across theinboard face 27 of thecavity 20, theretainer portion 54 andbody portion 52 of theanchor 50 are wedged towards each other by the bar orrail back wall 29 of thecavity 20. As shown inFIG. 6C , once theledge portion 55 ofanchor 50 is inserted past the lower edge of thebar 30 orrail 42, theresilient retainer portion 54 springs away from thebody portion 52 such that thebar 30 orrail 42 is received in theretainer recess 58 of theanchor 50. In this position, theledge portion 55 is positioned below thebar 30 orrail 42, and thelip 57 is positioned above thebar 30 orrail 42. - In the embodiment shown in
FIG. 6C , thelip 42 blocks further downward insertion of theanchor 50 into thecavity 20, and theledge portion 55 blocks upward extraction of theanchor 50 from thecavity 20. In addition, fore and aft movement of theanchor 50 relative to thesidewalls FIG. 3 ). In this embodiment, once theanchor 50 is fully inserted in acavity 20 as shown inFIG. 6B , theconnector portion 56 is positioned at an elevation that is proximate to the opentop end 22 of thecavity 20. As shown inFIG. 6C , theconnector portion 56 preferably extends at least some distance above the opentop end 22 of thecavity 20. To remove an insertedanchor 50 from acavity 20, theretainer portion 54 can be manually deflected toward thebody portion 52, thus disengaging theledge portion 55 from the bar orrail anchor 50 to be vertically extracted from thecavity 20. For example, a person can push thelip 57 of theanchor 50 in an outboard direction toward thebody portion 52 and away from thebar 30 orrail 42 with one hand until theledge portion 55 disengages from thebar 30 orrail 42, and with the same hand or the other hand, grip and vertically extract theanchor 50 from thecavity 20. - As shown in
FIGS. 7A-14 , theanchors 50 can be attached to various accessories and articles to permit removable attachment of the accessories and articles to the hull of awatercraft 10. As shown inFIGS. 7A and 7B , ananchor 50 like that described above can be attached to each end of arod FIGS. 7A and 7B , therods FIG. 7A , along telescoping rod 60 includes atubular portion 62 having afirst end 63 and asecond end 65. Anextendable portion 66 is slidably received in thesecond end 65, and includes athird end 69. Afirst anchor 50A is attached to thefirst end 63 of thetubular portion 62, and asecond anchor 50B is attached to the third end of thefirst end 69 of theextendable portion 66. The overall length of thelong rod 60 is adjustable by sliding movement of theextendable portion 66 within thetubular portion 65. As shown inFIG. 8 , thefirst end 63 of thetubular portion 62 and thethird end 69 of theextendable portion 66 can be substantially flat, and can be attached to theconnector portion 56 of ananchor bolt 3 andnut 5. Alternatively, the ends 63, 69 of therod 60 can be attached to theconnector portion 56 by any other suitable connecting means. The bolted or pivoting connection shown inFIG. 8 is desirable because thebolt 53 andnut 57 permit at least some relative rotational movement between theanchors rod 60 to be installed at an acute angle relative to a sidewall, as shown inFIG. 2 , as well aspermits rod 60 to be engaged, if desired to two cavities on the same side of thehull 16. - As shown in
FIG. 7B , ashort telescoping rod 70 is similarly constructed to thelong telescoping rod 60 described above, but can have minimum and a maximum overall lengths that are shorter than thelong telescoping rod 60. As shown inFIG. 7B , theshort telescoping rod 70 includes atubular portion 72 having afirst end 73 and asecond end 75. Anextendable portion 76 is slidably received in thesecond end 75, and includes athird end 79. Athird anchor 50C is attached to thefirst end 73 of thetubular portion 62, and afourth anchor 50D is attached to the third end of theextendable portion 76. The overall length of theshort rod 70 is adjustable due to sliding movement of theextendable portion 76 within thetubular portion 75. As shown inFIG. 8 , thefirst end 73 of thetubular portion 72 and thethird end 79 of theextendable portion 76 can be substantially flat, and each can be attached to theconnector portion 56 of ananchor bolt 53 andnut 57. Alternatively, the ends 73, 79 of therod 70 can be attached to theconnector portion 56 of theanchor 50 by other connecting means. As described above for thelong rod 60, the bolted (as shown in this embodiment) connection permits desirable pivotal movement between theanchors - As shown in
FIG. 9 , thetelescoping rods opposed cavities 20 inopposed sidewalls watercraft 10, thus securely positioning therods telescoping rods FIG. 9 , theanchor 50 on each end of therods cavity 20 as illustrated inFIGS. 6A-6C , and as described above. Once so inserted, theanchors 50 secure each end of eachrod hull sidewall FIG. 9 , the distance betweenopposed cavities 20 can vary along the length of thehull 16. InFIG. 9 , the distance “D” is larger than the distance “d” because the width of thehull 16 and the distance between theopposed sidewalls opposed cavities 20 is narrower near the hull's bow or stern. Accordingly, ashort rod 70 can be positioned forward of along rod 60 in order to adapt the rods' lengths to the hull configuration. In addition, because therods long rods 70 or twoshort rods 70 might be adapted to fit in a parallel relationship like that shown inFIG. 9 . In one embodiment, theshort rod 70 is sized to be transversely installed across forward portions of ahull 16, and thelong rod 60 is sized to be transversely installed across middle and aft portions of thehull 16. In addition, as shown inFIG. 2 , arod opposed sidewalls rod hull 16 when theanchors 50 are pivotally connected to the ends of therods rods watercraft 10. -
FIG. 10 shows aplatform 80 mounted between portions ofopposed sidewalls watercraft 10 using a mounting system like that described above. For example, aplatform 80 can be mounted atop one ormore rods anchors 50 attached to the ends of therods cavities 20 inopposed sidewalls watercraft 10. As also shown inFIG. 10 , items such as afishing rod holder 90 can be mounted to such aplatform 80 by securing the fishing rod holder'sbase 92 to theplatform 80. Substantially any other desired item also can be attached to theplatform 80 in a similar manner. - In an alternative arrangement shown in
FIG. 11 , abase 92 of afishing rod holder 90 can be clamped to at least onerod watercraft 10 as described above. As shown inFIG. 11 , aclamp 94 can be attached to the base 92 using suitable fasteners 97 to firmly clamp thefishing rod holder 90 to therod - As shown in
FIGS. 12A and 12B , a mounting system like that described above can be used to secure aseat 100 at a desired longitudinal position within ahull 16 of awatercraft 10. In the embodiment shown inFIGS. 12A and 12B , aseat 100 includes atubular frame 102. In order to support and restrain theseat 100 in thehull 16, afirst anchor 50E can be attached to one portion of the seat'sframe 102, and securely engaged in afirst cavity 20E along thefirst sidewall 12 of thewatercraft 10. In addition, asecond anchor 50F can be attached to a second portion of the seat'sframe 102, and securely engaged in asecond cavity 20F along thesecond sidewall 14 of thewatercraft 10. For example, as shown inFIG. 12B , eachanchor frame 102 by an L-shapedbracket 101 by screws, bolts, or the like. In the embodiment shown inFIG. 12A , theframe 102 can rest upon and be vertically supported by the hull's bottom 17, and can be restrained against longitudinal movement within thehull 16 by theanchors -
FIG. 13 shows acup holder 300 attached to ananchor 50 like that described above. In the embodiment shown, thecup holder 300 includes a cup-shapedholder portion 302 and abracket portion 305. The bracket portion can be connected to theconnector portion 56 of ananchor 50 by amechanical fastener 307, or the like. By engaging theanchor 50 in a conveniently locatedsidewall slot 20 of awatercraft 10 like that shown inFIGS. 1 and 2 , thecup holder 300 can be securely mounted on ahull sidewall cup holder 300 is available to retain a water bottle, soda can, or the like. -
FIG. 14 shows astrap assembly 400 having ananchor 50 connected to afirst end 404 of astrap 402. As shown inFIG. 14 , asecond end 406 of thestrap 400 can include anattachment mechanism 408 such as a buckle, a snap, a clip, a hook-and-loop fastener, or the like. Theattachment mechanism 408 permits thesecond end 404 of thestrap 400 to be connected to substantially any object or article. Alternatively, thesecond end 406 of thestrap 400 can be tied to an object or article, or permanently connected to an article such as by sewing, one or more permanent fasteners, or the like. For example, thesecond end 406 of thestrap 402 can be removably or permanently attached to a handle of a cooler, the handle of a fishing tackle box, the frame of a seat, or the like. With thesecond end 406 of thestrap 402 connected to an object, theanchor 50 on the strap'sfirst end 404 can be engaged in asidewall slot 20, thus removably securing a connected object to a watercraft's hull. Similarly, an anchor can be connected to an elongated cord that can be tied, looped around, or otherwise connected to a secured item (not shown in the figures). -
FIG. 16 shows anoar holder 500 having aclip portion 502, and ananchor 50 connected to theclip portion 502 by apost 504. Theclip portion 502 forms a substantiallyU-shaped channel 506. When theanchor 50 is inserted into a mating cavity along a hull sidewall, the shaft of an oar can be inserted intochannel 506 of theclip portion 502 such that the oar is removably retained along the hull sidewall. Preferably, theclip portion 502 is constructed of a resilient material, and thechannel 506 is shaped and sized such that a substantially cylindrical shaft of an oar can be received within thechannel 506 and securely gripped by theclip portion 502, and such that the oar can be easily selectively removed from thegripping clip portion 502. -
FIG. 17 shows a pair ofbooms 602, 604 having a plurality of spacedanchors 50 attached along their lengths. A pair of spacedanchors 50 is connected to eachboom 602, 604 proximate to each end of thebooms 602, 604. As shown inFIG. 17 , theanchors 50 on each end of eachboom 602, 604 can be inserted into alignedcavities 20 in twoadjacent watercraft hulls 12A, 12B, thereby connecting the twohulls 12A, 12B together in a side-by-side arrangement to form a catamaran. Similarly,such booms 602, 604 can be used to connect an outrigger or the like to a single watercraft hull 12 (not shown in the figures). - An alternative configuration for a
sidewall cavity 120 and amating anchor 150 according to the invention is shown inFIG. 15 . Unlike thesidewall cavity 20 described above, in this embodiment, thecavity 120 formed in ahull sidewall 112 includes aninboard wall 127. Theinboard wall 127 includes astep 130. When theanchor 150 is fully engaged in thecavity 120, aledge portion 155 of theanchor 150 resiliently catches thestep 130, thereby blocking extraction of theanchor 150 from thecavity 120. To remove theanchor 150 from thecavity 120, aretainer portion 154 of theanchor 150 can be deflected toward a body portion 152 of theanchor 150 such as pushing thelip 157 in an outboard direction, thereby disengaging theledge portion 155 from the cavity'sstep 130, and permitting theanchor 150 to be vertically extracted from the opentop end 128 of thecavity 120. Acavity 120 can be integrally formed in a unitary molded watercraft hull, or can be formed in any other manner, such as machining, or the like. Of course, a watercraft according to the invention can include many other configurations of cavities and mating clips that perform substantially the same retention function as described above. - Another embodiment of an
anchor 250 for use with awatercraft 10 like that described above is shown inFIG. 18 . In this embodiment, theanchor 250 includes aretainer portion 254 and aconnector portion 256. As shown inFIG. 18 , theretainer portion 254 can include aledge portion 255 and alip portion 257. As shown inFIG. 19 , two ormore anchors 250 can be attached to arail 42 of an adjustablefoot brace assembly 40. As shown inFIG. 20 , the spacedanchors 250 can be inserted into matinghull sidewall cavities 20, and permit thefoot brace rail 42 andfoot brace assembly 40 to be selectively and securely mounted at a desired fore and aft location on asidewall hull 16 of awatercraft 10. - The invention has been described in terms of selected embodiments having particular features. Persons of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that various changes can be made to one or more features of the specifically described embodiments without departing from the invention. For example, though two specific mating anchor and cavity configurations have been described above, other alternative mating cavity and anchor configurations can be used. All such changes and modifications are intended to be within the scope of the appended claims.
Claims (26)
1. A watercraft comprising:
(a) a hull having a first sidewall, the first sidewall having a first upper edge;
(b) a first cavity formed in the first sidewall, the first cavity having a substantially open first end; and
(c) a first anchor comprising:
(i) a first insertion portion configured to be removably inserted into the first cavity through the first end; and
(ii) a first retention element configured to removably retain the insertion portion in the first cavity when the first insertion portion is inserted into the first cavity.
2. A watercraft according to claim 1 wherein the first cavity is proximate to the first upper edge.
3. A watercraft according to claim 1 wherein the first cavity formed in the first sidewall includes a substantially open first inboard face, and further comprising a retaining member extending across at least a portion of the first inboard face.
4. A watercraft according to claim 1 wherein the first retention element comprises a resilient catch that removably retains the first insertion portion in the first cavity when the first insertion portion is inserted in the first cavity.
5. A watercraft according to claim 3 wherein the first retention element comprises a resilient catch that engages the retaining member and thereby removably retains the first insertion portion in the first cavity when the first insertion portion is inserted in the first cavity.
6. A watercraft according to claim 1 and further comprising an article attached to the first anchor, wherein when the first insertion portion is received in the first cavity, the article is thereby removably connected to the first sidewall.
7. A watercraft according to claim 1 wherein the hull further comprises a second sidewall having a second upper edge, and further comprising:
(a) a second cavity formed in the second sidewall, the second cavity having a substantially open second end; and
(c) a second anchor comprising:
(i) a second insertion portion configured to be removably inserted into the second cavity through the substantially open second end; and
(ii) a second retainer for removably retaining the second insertion portion in the second cavity when the second insertion portion is received in the second cavity.
8. A watercraft according to claim 7 , and further comprising an article attached to the first and second anchors, wherein when the first anchor is received in the first cavity and the second anchor is received in the second anchor, the article is supported between the first and second sidewalls.
9. A watercraft according to claim 8 wherein the article comprises an extendable bar having a first end attached to the first anchor, and a second end attached to the second anchor.
10. A watercraft according to claim 8 wherein the article comprises an item selected from the group comprising of a seat, a platform, a fishing rod holder, an oar holder, a cup holder, a boom, a strap, a foot brace, and a cord.
11. A watercraft according to claim 7 wherein the first cavity and the second cavity are substantially directly opposite from each other in the hull.
12. A watercraft according to claim 1 and further comprising a plurality of additional cavities formed in the first sidewall, each additional cavity having a substantially open end.
13. An apparatus for removably attaching an article to a hull of a watercraft, the apparatus comprising a body portion, a retainer portion, and a connector portion attached to the body portion, wherein the retainer portion is resiliently connected to the body portion such that the retainer portion is capable of resilient deflection toward the body portion.
14. An apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the retainer portion includes a catch.
15. An apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the body portion and retainer portion are elongated members connected at their lower ends, and wherein the body portion and retainer portion form a substantially V-shaped portion
16. An apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the connector portion is attached to an upper end of the body portion.
17. An apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the body portion, retainer portion and connector portion are constructed in a single piece.
18. A system for selectively and removably attaching an article to a hull of a watercraft, the system comprising;
(a) a hull wall having a plurality of spaced cavities therein; and
(b) at least one retainer member configured to be received in at least one of the spaced cavities, the retainer comprising retention means for selectively blocking extraction of the retainer from the cavity when the retention means is received in the cavity.
19. A system according to claim 18 wherein the at least one spaced cavity includes a retention element, and wherein the retention means engages the retention element when the retainer is received in the cavity, thereby selectively blocking extraction of the retainer from the cavity when the retainer is received in the cavity.
20. A system according to claim 18 wherein the retention element is a bar, and wherein the retention means is a member that resiliently engages the bar when the retainer is received in the cavity.
21. A system according to claim 18 wherein the retainer comprises a one-piece clip, and wherein the retention means comprises a resilient portion of the clip that resiliently engages a mating portion the cavity.
22. A method for removably securing an article to a hull of a watercraft, the method comprising:
(a) providing at least one cavity in a portion of the hull;
(b) attaching an anchor to the article, the anchor including at least one selectively movable retention element;
(c) engaging the anchor in the cavity such that the retention element selectively prevents extraction of the anchor from the cavity.
23. A method of claim 22 wherein the engagement of the anchor in the cavity occurs without substantial forward or aftward movement of the anchor relative to the hull.
24. A method of claim 22 further comprising removing the anchor from the cavity by selectively moving the retention element.
25. A method of claim 24 wherein the removal of the anchor from the cavity occurs without substantial forward or aftward movement of the anchor relative to the hull.
26. A method of claim 22 wherein the article is pivotally connected to the anchor to permit the article to pivot in multiple directions when the anchor is engaged in the cavity.
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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US11/891,083 US20090038529A1 (en) | 2007-08-09 | 2007-08-09 | System and method for selectively securing articles to a hull of a watercraft |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US11/891,083 US20090038529A1 (en) | 2007-08-09 | 2007-08-09 | System and method for selectively securing articles to a hull of a watercraft |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
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US20090038529A1 true US20090038529A1 (en) | 2009-02-12 |
Family
ID=40345285
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US11/891,083 Abandoned US20090038529A1 (en) | 2007-08-09 | 2007-08-09 | System and method for selectively securing articles to a hull of a watercraft |
Country Status (1)
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US (1) | US20090038529A1 (en) |
Cited By (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20100181807A1 (en) * | 2008-12-24 | 2010-07-22 | Smith Richard D | Mesh chair with open-end hoop |
US8869731B2 (en) | 2012-03-16 | 2014-10-28 | Hobie Cat Company | Adjustable kayak chair |
US9475559B2 (en) | 2013-07-03 | 2016-10-25 | Hobie Cat Company | Foot operated propulsion system for watercraft |
US9484616B2 (en) | 2013-09-09 | 2016-11-01 | Eric Daniels | Support truss for an antenna or similar device |
US9492014B1 (en) | 2008-12-24 | 2016-11-15 | Mity-Lite, Inc. | Mesh folding chair |
US9527555B2 (en) | 2014-07-24 | 2016-12-27 | Hobie Cat Company | Adjustable kayak chair IM |
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US913457A (en) * | 1908-06-23 | 1909-02-23 | Charles Bestman | Oar-lock. |
US1150230A (en) * | 1915-06-07 | 1915-08-17 | Evinrude Motor Company | Detachable universal brace. |
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US2489063A (en) * | 1946-06-04 | 1949-11-22 | Frank F Turner | Oarlock |
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US4807551A (en) * | 1986-03-18 | 1989-02-28 | Ace Gwyn C | Portable outrigger |
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US5292102A (en) * | 1991-10-25 | 1994-03-08 | Hoover Robert J | Mounting brackets for boats |
US5501169A (en) * | 1995-05-26 | 1996-03-26 | Denker; James M. | Universal canoe accessory mounting bracket |
US6050210A (en) * | 1998-01-30 | 2000-04-18 | Grzybowski; Joseph Michael | Universal clamping system |
US20040089218A1 (en) * | 2002-11-13 | 2004-05-13 | Cannon Ray Allen | Boat rack |
US20050252438A1 (en) * | 2004-05-11 | 2005-11-17 | Belcher Larry J | Boat mounted blind |
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Cited By (7)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20100181807A1 (en) * | 2008-12-24 | 2010-07-22 | Smith Richard D | Mesh chair with open-end hoop |
US8454093B2 (en) | 2008-12-24 | 2013-06-04 | Mity-Lite, Inc. | Mesh chair with open-end hoop |
US9492014B1 (en) | 2008-12-24 | 2016-11-15 | Mity-Lite, Inc. | Mesh folding chair |
US8869731B2 (en) | 2012-03-16 | 2014-10-28 | Hobie Cat Company | Adjustable kayak chair |
US9475559B2 (en) | 2013-07-03 | 2016-10-25 | Hobie Cat Company | Foot operated propulsion system for watercraft |
US9484616B2 (en) | 2013-09-09 | 2016-11-01 | Eric Daniels | Support truss for an antenna or similar device |
US9527555B2 (en) | 2014-07-24 | 2016-12-27 | Hobie Cat Company | Adjustable kayak chair IM |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
AS | Assignment |
Owner name: LEGACY PADDLESPORTS LLC, NORTH CAROLINA Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:WALTON, JOSEPH;ZIMMERMAN, ANDREW J.;REEL/FRAME:020235/0861 Effective date: 20070921 |
|
STCB | Information on status: application discontinuation |
Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION |