GB1568653A

GB1568653A - Car trailer cum boat

Info

Publication number: GB1568653A
Application number: GB824178A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: PEPPIATT D
Current assignee: PEPPIATT D
Priority date: 1978-05-31
Filing date: 1978-05-31
Publication date: 1980-06-04

Description

(54) CAR TRAILER CUM BOAT (71) I, DAVID RAYMOND PEPPIAn, of British Nationality, of 20 Central Avenue, Rivemiew Park, Althorne, Essex, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement : The present invention relates to small boats such as may be used as tenders to target veesstr is left in a vessels.

tf a tender i left in a dinghy park at a sailing resort, a yachtsman has the inconvenience of having to find the caretaker in order to unlock the park before he can use his boat. If he does not leave his tender in a dinghy park there is a considerable risk that the tender will be removed without his permission Accordingly the practice has grown that the yachtsman takes his tender nome with him when he leaves the sailing resort. He may do this by carrying the tender on the roof of his vehicle, which is difficult and unsafe except for the smallest and lightest craft, or he may load the tender onto a trailer. Towing a long trailer is bothersome and adds to traffic congestion. The present invention aims to provide a boattrailer combination which alleviates these difficulties.

According to the present invention, there is provided à combination of parts comprising a boat hull which is formed from a fore part and an aft part hinged together amidships said hull parts being constructed and arranged so that they can be folded together with their gunwales meeting over substantially their whole length, said combination of parts further comprising means for securing said hull parts together in open or sailable condition, means for securing said hull parts together in closed condition, and trolley means securable to at least one of said hull parts when the hull parts are in closed condition, whereby such boat-trailer combination can be towed behind a vehicle.

Thus the boat-trailer combination provided by the present invention will, for any given size of boat, be approximately half the length of a previously known boat carried on a trailer of conventional construction. A boat-trailer combination according to the invention has the further advantage of providing usefuI luggage space.

An embodiment of the invention will be described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a view of the boat hull parts opened out and secured in condition ready for use on the water, Fig. 2 is an exploded view of the boattrailer combination according to the invention comprising the boat hull parts folded together, the trolley means and a socket unit for a trailer ball mounting; and Fig. 3 is a view of the boat-traiIer according to the invention ready for road use.

As shown in the drawings the boat-trailer combination comprises a trolley I and a boat 2 formed of fore and aft hull parts 2a and 2b. Each of the hull parts 2a and Th terminates amidships in a portion of a seat 3. Each seat portion 3 is connected to the respective hull part by a bulkhead 4. The parts 2a and 2b may be connected together by hinges 5 mounted on the gunwales 6 or by other suitable means. For securing the two hull parts 2a and 2b in condition for use as a boat, locking means, e.g. a fish channel 7 is attached to the keel sections 8 which are provided with through holes 9 for connecting bolts (not shown).

The hull parts 2a and 2b have each builtin buoyancy means such as sealed foamfilled bodies which may be accommodated, for example, in boxed-in fore and aft sections 10. The seat portions 3 may also be boxed in by using second bulkheads 11, and further buoyancy means may be incorporated beneath these seat portions.

Preferably the hull parts 2a and 2b are formed as fibre reinforced plastic moulding and, in the embodiment shown, they are substantially identical so that they may be produced from a single mould. However, it is only essential that the gunwales 6 should fit together over substantially their whole length when the boat is folded up to be positioned on the trolley. It is envisaged that the remainder of the hull and the keel of each part could be so shaped as to form differential fore and aft hull parts.

The trolley 1 includes a cradle 12 shaped to accommodate the hull and keel of a hull portion 2b and incorporates means for securing the relevant boat hull part to the trolley.

When the boat-trailer is made ready to be towed by a car, a socket unit 13 is bolted onto the end of the lower boat hull portion 2b at 14. Clamp means 15 may be provided for securing the hull parts 2a and 2b together in the folded condition.

At the rear of the trailer a detachable lighting board 16 is provided and this also serves to cover the hinges 5 during towing.

Conventional means, not shown, are provided for connecting the lighting board etc.

to the lighting and braking system of the car. As previously mentioned the boat 2 may be used as a tender to a larger vessel but it would of course be suitable for other pleasure uses such as fishing. It can be so constructed that it may be propelled by oars, sail or outboard motor. It should of course be built to conform to any local requirements such as those of the National Ship and Boat Builders Federation. Similarly the whole boat-trailer combination should be made to comply with any local regulations relating to the construction and use of a road vehicle.

WHAT I CLAIM IS:- 1. A combination of parts comprising a boat hull which is formed from a fore part and an aft part hinged together amidships, said hull parts being constructed and arranged so that they can be folded together with their gunwales meeting over substantially their whole length, said combination of parts further comprising means for securing said hull parts together in open or sailable condition, means for securing said hull parts together in closed condition, and trolley means securable to at least one of said hull parts when the hull parts are in closed condition, whereby such boat-trailer combination can be towed behind a vehicle.

2. A boat-trailer combination according to claim 1, wherein each of said fore and aft hull parts terminates amidships in a portion of a seat and meeting edges of such seat portions are connected to their respective hull parts by bulkheads.

3. A boat-trailer combination according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said fore and aft hull parts are hinged together at the gdn- wale.

4. A boat-trailer combination according to any preceding claim, wherein built-in buoyancy means is provided in each said hull part.

5. A boat-trailer combination according to any preceding claim, wherein said fore and aft hull parts are substantially identical.

6. A boat-trailer combination according to any preceding claim, wherein each of said fore and aft hull parts is a fibre reinforced plastics moulding.

7. A boat-trailer combination according to any preceding claim, wherein said trolley means comprises a wheeled cradle adapted to receive the midships end of one of said hull parts and to be secured to at least the keel thereof.

8. A boat-trailer combination according to claim 7, wherein a socket unit for a trailer ball mounting is provided which is attachable to the keel of the hull part received by the cradle at the opposite end to the cradle.

9. A boat-trailer combination according to any preceding claim and further comprising a detachable tailboard bearing brake lights and rear reflectors.

10. A boat-trailer combination substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. The trolley 1 includes a cradle 12 shaped to accommodate the hull and keel of a hull portion 2b and incorporates means for securing the relevant boat hull part to the trolley. When the boat-trailer is made ready to be towed by a car, a socket unit 13 is bolted onto the end of the lower boat hull portion 2b at 14. Clamp means 15 may be provided for securing the hull parts 2a and 2b together in the folded condition. At the rear of the trailer a detachable lighting board 16 is provided and this also serves to cover the hinges 5 during towing. Conventional means, not shown, are provided for connecting the lighting board etc. to the lighting and braking system of the car. As previously mentioned the boat 2 may be used as a tender to a larger vessel but it would of course be suitable for other pleasure uses such as fishing. It can be so constructed that it may be propelled by oars, sail or outboard motor. It should of course be built to conform to any local requirements such as those of the National Ship and Boat Builders Federation. Similarly the whole boat-trailer combination should be made to comply with any local regulations relating to the construction and use of a road vehicle. WHAT I CLAIM IS:-

1. A combination of parts comprising a boat hull which is formed from a fore part and an aft part hinged together amidships, said hull parts being constructed and arranged so that they can be folded together with their gunwales meeting over substantially their whole length, said combination of parts further comprising means for securing said hull parts together in open or sailable condition, means for securing said hull parts together in closed condition, and trolley means securable to at least one of said hull parts when the hull parts are in closed condition, whereby such boat-trailer combination can be towed behind a vehicle.