GB2124158A

GB2124158A - Water planing board

Info

Publication number: GB2124158A
Application number: GB08319596A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Reginald Price
Original assignee: R J PRODUCTS
Current assignee: R J PRODUCTS
Priority date: 1982-07-28
Filing date: 1983-07-20
Publication date: 1984-02-15
Also published as: GB8319596D0

Abstract

The board (10) includes handles (40, 42) mounted above the board and a towing hitch (32) for connection to a towing line (30), the towing hitch being operatively linked to a hand grip member (38) so that it is held in a hitched position by the grip of the user and releases the line when the user's grip is released. The board has knee pads (24) and foot pads (44) for alternative usage. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Water planing board This invention relates to water craft, and more particularly to craft which are intended to be towed behind powered vessels.

Water-skiing is of course well known, but is best adapted to practice by young adults. Older people coming to it for the first time often find great difficulty in adapting to the physical requirements of water-skiing, and can easily have accidents.

Water sledging is also known, where the person doing it kneels or stands on a sledge or board while being towed behind a power boat. Like water-skiing, however, it is the person who is towed rather than his craft; that is to say, he holds on to the tow line and is pulled along while supported on the skis or sledge which at speed planes over the surface of the water.

According to the present invention there is provided a water planing board adapted to support a user and including handles mounted above the board and a towing hitch for connection to a towing line, the towing hitch being operatively linked to a hand grip member so that it is held in a hitched position by the grip of the user and releases the line when the user's grip is released.

The handles suitably take the form of handel bars.

Said hand grip member preferably takes the form of a lever which is movable between a hitch position in which it lies adjacent a said handle so that it can be gripped by the fingers of the user's hand on the handle, and a release position remote from the handle. The lever is suitably a lateral extension from the spindle which is journalled to a support on the board, another lateral extension from the spindle being shaped as a hook so as to retain a hitched line when the lever is in the hitch position and to release it when in said remote position. The lever is preferably moved from the hitch position to the release position by the tension of the line on the hook when the lever is released by the user.

The board is preferably adapted to support a kneeling person. To this end it can be provided with shaped or padded knee support members on either side, and preferably a seat rearwardly located so as too provide support for the posterior of the user when kneeling. The board may also be provided with foot supported portions forwardly located so that the user can if he wishes stand on the board rather than kneeling on it.

The handlebars are preferably adjustable fore and aft, or for height, or both.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, one embodiment will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the craft from above; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the craft from below; Figure 3 is a perspective fragmentary view of the handlebar and hitch arrangement.

Referring to the drawings; the craft comprises a board 10, suitably made from glass fibre reinforced polyester. The board is sufficiently buoyant to support itself and an adult user. Thus, it is hollow or contains a buoyant material such as foamed polyurethane or foamed polystyrene. In shape it looks rather like a backless slipper, with a forward plinth 12 in front of a platform 14 which extends over the greater part of its length. A pair of handlebars 16 are mounted on the plinth 12 about a horizontal axle 18 which is provided with clamping screws so that the handlebars 16 are mounted on the plinth 12 about a horizontal axle 18 which is provided with clamping screws so that the handlebars can be swung about the axle and clamped in the desired position.

On the platform 14 is a rear plinth 20 which is topped by a seat 22. Between the plinths 12,20 on either side of the platform is a pair of knee supports 24, suitably shaped, optionally of resilient material, so as to support the knees of the user while he grips the handlebars and is supported posteriorly by the seat 22. The underside of the board is provided with ribs 26, the central one of which leads to a skeg or keel 28 at the rear. The skeg is 25 mm deep by 155 mm long and provided with three 12 mm diameter apertures 29 to facilitate sideslip when required.

The craft is towed by a towing line (generally indicated at 30) which is releasably hitched to the craft. The hitch point is provided by a hook 32 which projects laterally from a spindle 34 freely journalled at 36 to the handlebar column. From the upper end of the spindle projects laterally a lever 38 which is movable between a hitch position where it lies alongside and in front of one of the handles 40 of the handelbars (as shown in Figures 1 and 3) and a release position in which it swings forwardly from the handlebar. In the hitch position the hook 32 retains the towing line, while in the release position the hook has swung around so that the line slips off it.

In use, the user connects the towing line to the hook, and while holding the lever against the handle 40 with one hand he kneels on the craft and takes hold of the other handle 42. The towing line is then pulled by the towing vessel, such as a power boat, and the board planes over the water. The user can turn the board from side to side by leaning the board to one side or the other with the help of the handlebars. Owing to the short lateral extension of the hook 32 and the long length of the lever 38, the user can easily hold the lever in the hitch position even with relatively light finger pressure during towing. As soon as he wants to stop, or if he capsizes, however, he simply releases the lever and the tension in the towing line swings the hook around so that the line is released.

The platform 14 is provided with two foot supporting regions 44 in front of the knee supports so that a skilled user can stand on the craft instead of kneeling on it. Forthispurposethehandlebarswill probably be raised to a vertical position.

1. A water planing board adapted to support a user and including handles mounted above the

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

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Water planing board This invention relates to water craft, and more particularly to craft which are intended to be towed behind powered vessels. Water-skiing is of course well known, but is best adapted to practice by young adults. Older people coming to it for the first time often find great difficulty in adapting to the physical requirements of water-skiing, and can easily have accidents. Water sledging is also known, where the person doing it kneels or stands on a sledge or board while being towed behind a power boat. Like water-skiing, however, it is the person who is towed rather than his craft; that is to say, he holds on to the tow line and is pulled along while supported on the skis or sledge which at speed planes over the surface of the water. According to the present invention there is provided a water planing board adapted to support a user and including handles mounted above the board and a towing hitch for connection to a towing line, the towing hitch being operatively linked to a hand grip member so that it is held in a hitched position by the grip of the user and releases the line when the user's grip is released. The handles suitably take the form of handel bars. Said hand grip member preferably takes the form of a lever which is movable between a hitch position in which it lies adjacent a said handle so that it can be gripped by the fingers of the user's hand on the handle, and a release position remote from the handle. The lever is suitably a lateral extension from the spindle which is journalled to a support on the board, another lateral extension from the spindle being shaped as a hook so as to retain a hitched line when the lever is in the hitch position and to release it when in said remote position. The lever is preferably moved from the hitch position to the release position by the tension of the line on the hook when the lever is released by the user. The board is preferably adapted to support a kneeling person. To this end it can be provided with shaped or padded knee support members on either side, and preferably a seat rearwardly located so as too provide support for the posterior of the user when kneeling. The board may also be provided with foot supported portions forwardly located so that the user can if he wishes stand on the board rather than kneeling on it. The handlebars are preferably adjustable fore and aft, or for height, or both. In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, one embodiment will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the craft from above; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the craft from below; Figure 3 is a perspective fragmentary view of the handlebar and hitch arrangement. Referring to the drawings; the craft comprises a board 10, suitably made from glass fibre reinforced polyester. The board is sufficiently buoyant to support itself and an adult user. Thus, it is hollow or contains a buoyant material such as foamed polyurethane or foamed polystyrene. In shape it looks rather like a backless slipper, with a forward plinth 12 in front of a platform 14 which extends over the greater part of its length. A pair of handlebars 16 are mounted on the plinth 12 about a horizontal axle 18 which is provided with clamping screws so that the handlebars 16 are mounted on the plinth 12 about a horizontal axle 18 which is provided with clamping screws so that the handlebars can be swung about the axle and clamped in the desired position. On the platform 14 is a rear plinth 20 which is topped by a seat 22. Between the plinths 12,20 on either side of the platform is a pair of knee supports 24, suitably shaped, optionally of resilient material, so as to support the knees of the user while he grips the handlebars and is supported posteriorly by the seat 22. The underside of the board is provided with ribs 26, the central one of which leads to a skeg or keel 28 at the rear. The skeg is 25 mm deep by 155 mm long and provided with three 12 mm diameter apertures 29 to facilitate sideslip when required. The craft is towed by a towing line (generally indicated at 30) which is releasably hitched to the craft. The hitch point is provided by a hook 32 which projects laterally from a spindle 34 freely journalled at 36 to the handlebar column. From the upper end of the spindle projects laterally a lever 38 which is movable between a hitch position where it lies alongside and in front of one of the handles 40 of the handelbars (as shown in Figures 1 and 3) and a release position in which it swings forwardly from the handlebar. In the hitch position the hook 32 retains the towing line, while in the release position the hook has swung around so that the line slips off it. In use, the user connects the towing line to the hook, and while holding the lever against the handle 40 with one hand he kneels on the craft and takes hold of the other handle 42. The towing line is then pulled by the towing vessel, such as a power boat, and the board planes over the water. The user can turn the board from side to side by leaning the board to one side or the other with the help of the handlebars. Owing to the short lateral extension of the hook 32 and the long length of the lever 38, the user can easily hold the lever in the hitch position even with relatively light finger pressure during towing. As soon as he wants to stop, or if he capsizes, however, he simply releases the lever and the tension in the towing line swings the hook around so that the line is released. The platform 14 is provided with two foot supporting regions 44 in front of the knee supports so that a skilled user can stand on the craft instead of kneeling on it. Forthispurposethehandlebarswill probably be raised to a vertical position. CLAIMS

1. A water planing board adapted to support a user and including handles mounted above the board and a towing hitch for connection to a towing line, the towing hitch being operatively linked to a hand grip member so that it is held in a hitched position by the grip of the user and releases the line when the user's grip is released.

2. A water planing board according to claim 1 wherein the handles take the form of handlebars.

3. Awater planing board according to claim 1 or claim 2wherein said hand grip member takes the form of a lever which is movable between a hitch position in which it lies adjacent a said handle so that it can be gripped by the fingers of the user's hand on the handle, and a release position remote from the handle.

4. A water planing board according to any one of claims 1,2 and 3 wherein the lever is a lateral extension from a spindle which is journalled to a support on the board, another lateral extension from the spindle being shaped as a hook so as to retain a hitched line when the lever is in the hitch position and to release it when in said remote position.

5. A water planing board according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the lever is arranged so as to be moved from the hitch position to the release position by the tension of the line on the hitch when the lever is released by the user.

6. A water planing board according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the board is adapted to support a kneeling person.

7. Awater planing board according to claim 6 wherein the board is provided with shaped or padded knee support members on either side.

8. Awater planing board according to claim 6 or claim 7 wherein the board is provided with a seat rearwardly located so as to provide support for the posterior of the user when kneeling.

9. A water planing board according to any one of claims 6 to 8 provided with foot support portions forwardly located so that the user can if he wishes stand on the board rather than kneeling on it.

10. A water planing board according to any one of the preceding claims provided on its underside at the rear with a depending keel member having one or more apertures therein.

11. A water planing board substantially as described herein with reference to the drawings.