GB2200873A

GB2200873A - Floating structure

Info

Publication number: GB2200873A
Application number: GB08703657A
Authority: GB
Inventors: William Alan Guest
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1987-02-17
Filing date: 1987-02-17
Publication date: 1988-08-17
Also published as: GB8703657D0

Abstract

A structure (16) which permits of the mutual attachment of individual surfboards (2) comprises a member (1) which extends in the manner of a bridge between the surfboards thus maintaining the surfboards in spaced apart, connected relationship. A substantial portion of the structure (16) may lie in a plane which is substantially parallel to and substantially higher than the plane occupied by the surfboards, or may be of inverted U-shape, comprising a top portion (4) and downwardly extending legs (5). The floor may be provided with foot holds of webbing material, and steering equipment, propulsion equipment or insignia items may be releasably attached to the structure. <IMAGE>

Description

Title: Float connecting structure Description of Invention This invention relates to a structure for mutually connecting buoyant platforms of the kind commonly called surfboards.

By the term surfboard we mean an elongate, relatively rigid body which is buoyant in water and which has major portions of its surface which are substantially flattened, the length of the body being significantly greater than the width thereof and the thickness thereof at the thickest point being significantly less than the width thereof. The body may have straight or curved longitudinally extending margins and one or both ends along the longitudinal axis thereof may be rounded so as to produce a streamlined shape. Moreover one or both ends of the body may be slightly up-turned. The underside of the body may carry a small fin, rudder or keel and the upper side may be adapted to receive a sail and we include in the term "surfboards" sailboards and any other similar buoyant body of a kind generally employed by a user for travelling on the surface of water.

Surfbocrds are articles which are widely used in leisure and water sports activities for the purpose of travelling on the surface of water utilising the momentum of waves, or the effect of wind upon a sail attached to the surfboard, or the activities of a user of the surfboard for propulsion of the surfboard.

Most preferably the user stands on an upper surface of the surfboard whilst travelling on the surface of the water. However the ability to stand requires considerable practice and good balance. Moreover the surfboard, because of its relatively small size does not permit of use by more than one person at any one time and is not large enough to be adapted to provide a stable platform for diving, or fishing activities etc.

According to a first aspect of the invention we provide a structure which permits of mutual attachment of individual surfboards comprising a member which, in use, extends in the manner of a bridge between the surfboards and means for attachment to at least two surfboards, to maintain the surfboards in spaced apart, connected relation.

The surfboards may lie in a common plane with the bridge member but in the preferred embodiment a significant portion of the bridge member lies in a plane which is substantially higher than the plane occupied by the surtboards.

Preferably the bridge member is in the form of a shallow, inverted Ushape comprising a top portion and downwardly extending legs the ends of which are provided with said attachment means. Preferably the structure comprises two or more bridge members.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the leg members are adjustable so as to permit of altering the length of each leg.

Preferably the structure connects the surfboards in such a manner that corresponding regions of similar surfboards are held spaced apart and substantially opposite one another, however, where more than two surfboards are connected, corresponding regions of similar surfboards need not or be in mutual alignment.

The structure has provided a platform or floor which is supported on the bridge members, said floor having an upper surface which is textured and which may be provided with foot holds comprising loops of webbing material into which the feet of a user may be inserted so as to permit the user to stand more readily on the floor.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the structure is provided with means to releasably attach auxiliary items to permit of steering, propelling or identifing the structure. In particular a rudder may be attached to the frame for steering purposes, a mast and sail or an outboard motor may be attached to propel the structure, and flags, markers and buoys may be attached to permit of easy visualisation and identification of the structure.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a plurality of mutually attached surfboards, the means of attachment comprising a rigid structure which contains the surfboards in spaced apart relationship, said structure comprising at least one member which extends in the manner of a bridge between the individual surfboards.

According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a method of attaching surfboards together to provide a stable floating platform wherein the surfboards are attached by means of a rigid structure.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention there is provided a platform for water based activities comprising a floor area supported on a rigid structure which structure has means for attachment to at least two surfboards.

The invention thus permits of an extension of the use of a surfboard.

The plurality of attached surfboards lends itself to use in surfing and windsurfing instruction, the instructor being able to remain close alongside a learner during instruction. Moreover the added stability of the joined surfboards enables the rudimentary aspects of balance and control of a surfboard to be learned more easily by a beginner.

The platform produced by mutually attaching the surfboards may be used as a raft or boat which may be adapted to be powered by sail or by an outboard motor or any other suitable means and the platform may be used for diving, fishing, sunbathing or any other similar purpose.

A powered version of the raft may be used by an instructor to tow a surfer or wind surfer on a single board thus maintaining the learner close to the instructor.

The preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which; FIGURE I shows a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 2 shows a front elevation of the embodiment of Figure 1.

FIGURE 3 shows a plan view of the embodiment of Figure 1.

FIGURE 4 shows a further embodiment of the invention involving the use of three surfboards.

FIGURE 5 shows a front elevation of the embodiment of Figure 4.

FIGURE 6 shows an alternative arrangement involving the use of three surfboards.

The embodiment of Figure I shows a structure 16 which permits of mutual attachment of individual surfboards 2. The structure comprises a member I which extends in the manner of a bridge between the surfboards thus maintaining the boards in spaced apart, connected relationship. The bridge member I also has means 3 provided on or formed integrally with said bridge member for attachment to the surfboards.

The connected surfboards 2 lie generally in a common plane.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention a significant portion of the structure 16 lies in a plane which is substantially parallel to and substantially higher than the plane commonly occupied by the surfboards to which the structure is attached.

In an alternative embodiment the structure lies in or very close to common plane occupied by the surfboards.

The bridge member I is in the form of a shallow, inverted U-shape comprising a straight or slightly bowed/arcuate top portion 4 and downwardly extending legs 5 the ends of which legs are provided with said attachment means 3. The bridge member I may be in the form of a solid or hollow bar comprising stainless steel, galvanised mild steel or reinforced plastic. The bridge-member may comprise a tube having a hollow cyrindrical shape in transverse cross section or a square internal and external cross sectional shape.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention the structure 16 comprises two or more bridge members 1.

Preferably in a structure comprising two or more bridge members the bridge members are mutually connected by means of further members 17 which are disposed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axes of the surfboards 2 and which extend between said bridge members I to maintain the bridge members in a rigidly connected, spaced apart relation. The further members 17 may be releasably attached'to the bridge members I or formed integrally therewith.

Preferably the legs 5 of the bridge members are adjustable so as to permit of altering the length of each leg and in a particularly preferred embodiment the legs 5 comprise elements which extend in the manner of a telescope and are fixed at a desired length by any suitable means.

The structure may be used for mutually connecting more than two surfboards and for this purpose the bridge members may be modified by provision of a further leg II, as shown in Figure 5, which extends from a middle of the bridge member in a direction substantially perpendicular to the top portion 4 thereof, said further leg being provided at its free end with attachment means 12. The leg II is preferably adjustable in the same manner as legs 5 and may be releasably attached to the bridge member I or formed integrally therewith.

The structure 16 may be further provided with a cross brace 18 having releasab!e attachment to the further members 17-or being formed integrally therewith and the cross brace may be provided with a leg which is adapted for adjustment of the length thereof and which is provided at its free end with attachment means.

In the specific embodiment of Figuret$6" the structure further comprises an element 13 which projects from a"-bridge member in a direction substantially perpendicular to a plane of the bridge member which contains the top and leg portions thereof, the element having provided thereon a leg (not shown) which leg extends perpendicular to said element and parallel to said plane and which leg is adjustable in length, and which leg has provided at its free end attachment means 14.

In a particularly preferred embodiment the element 13 oornprises a substantially V-shaped member, said element being connected with the bridge member at the ends of the arms of the V, said ends being attached to the bridge member at regions which are equidistant from a middle of the bridge member. The leg is provided at a region which constitutes the apex of the V.

The structure 16 may be formed from separate bridge members, further members, legs, cross braces, and elements which are assembled and secured together to form a rigid structure.

In the embodiments shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4 the structure mutually connects surfboards such that corresponding regions of the surfboards are held spaced apart and substantially opposite one another. In the embodiment of Figure 6 the structure is used to connect together surfboards such as to permit of corresponding regions of similar surfboards not all being in mutual alignment.

In the preferred embodiments of the invention the structure further comprises a platform or floor 6 which is supported on and by the bridge members 1. The floor may be releasably attached to or formed integrally with the bridge members. The floor 6 may have further attachment to the further members 17.

Preferably the floor has provided a textured upper surface so as to reduce the risk of a user of the structure slipping on the floor and the floor may further be provided with foot holds 8 comprising loops of webbing material into which the feet of a user may be inserted.

The floor may be provided on its underside with a container 9 for storage of articles beneath the floor.

Preferably the structure has provided means 10 by which an item of steering equipment and/or an item of power equipment and/or item of insignia may be attached to the structure.

The steering equipment may comprise a rudder, the power equipment may comprise a mast and sail and/or an outboard motor, and the insignia may include flags, markers, and buoys.

Whilst the structure has been described and shown in the drawings for use with two or three surfboards it will be appreciated that more than three surfboards could be connected by such means.

The attachment means 3 may be attached to the surfboards by any suitable attachment means and it will be appreciated that it may be desirable to modify the surfboards in order to facilitate attachment of the structure thereto.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the attachment means comprises a foot member through which straps of webbing material pass or to which straps are attoched, the straps being adapted to bind the foot member to a surfboard.

The structure lends itself to easy transportation by means of a roof rack on a motor car or similar vehicle; The structure may be inverted on the roof rack permiting of storage and transportation of surfboards between the upwardly extending legs 5.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method of process for attaining the disclosed result, or a class or group of substances or compositions, as appropriate, may, separately or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

CLAIMS:

I. A structure which permits of mutual attachment of individual surfboards comprising a member which, in use, extends in the manner of a bridge between the surfboards and means for attachment to at least two surfboards, to maintain the surfboards in spaced apart, connected relation.
2. A structure according to Claim I adapted to be secured to two surfboards which lie generally in a common plane.
3. A structure according to Claim 2 in which the bridge member lies close to the common plane.
4. A structure according to Claim 2 in which a significant portion of the bridge member lies in a plane which is substantially higher than the common plane.
5.- A structure according to any one of Claims I to 4 in which the bridge member is in the form of a shallow, inverted U-shape comprising a top portion and downwardly extending legs the ends of which are provided with said attachment means.
6. A structure according to Claim S in which the top portion is in the form.

of a solid or hollow bar and said leg members are provided at either end of said top portion.
7. A structure according to any preceding claim which comprises two or more bridge members.
8. A structure according to Claim 7 wherein the separate bridge members are secured oradapted to be secured together to form a rigid frame.
9. A structure according to any one of Claims 5 to 8 in which said leg members are adjustable in length.
10. A structure according to any preceding claim in which said attachment means comprise foot members and the foot members are attached to the surfboards by means of straps comprising webbing material.
II. A structure according to any preceding claim in which corresponding regions of similar surfboards are held spaced apart and substantially opposite one another.
12. A structure according to any preceding claim which supports a floor or platform.
13. A structure according to Claim 12 when dependent upon Claims 7 to 11 in which said floor is supported on said bridge members.
14. A structure according to Claim 12 or Claim 13 in which said floor is provided with foot holds comprising loops of webbing material into which the feet of a user may be inserted, and in which said floor has provided on its underside a container for storage of articles beneath the floor.
15. A structure according to any preceding claim in which there is provided means to releasably attach to said frame an item of steering equipment, and/or an item of power equipment, and/or an item of insignia.
16. A structure according to Claim 15 in which the steering equipment comprises a rudder, the power equipment comprises a mast and sail and/or an outboard motor, and the insignia includes flags, markers and buoys.
17. A plurality of mutually attached surfboards, the means of attachment comprising a rigid structure which maintains the surfboards in spaced apart relationship, said structure comprising at least one member which extends in the manner of a bridge between the individual surfboards.
18. A plurality of mutually attached surfboards according to Claim 17 having attactment means in accordance with any one of Claims I to 16.
19. A plurality of mutually attached surfboards substantially as described herein and with reference to the accompanying drawings.
20. A method of attaching surfboards together to provide a stable floating platform wherein the surfboards are attached by means of a rigid structure.
21. A method according to Claim 20 in which the structure, has the characteristics defined in any one of Claims I to 16.
22. A method substantially as described herein and with reference, to the accompanying drawings.
23. A platform for water based activities comprising a floor area supported on a rigid structure which structure has means for attachment to at least two surfboards.
24. A platform according to Claim 23 having features according to any one of Claims I to 16.
25. A platform substantially as described herein and with reference to the accompanying drawings.
26. A structure substantially as described herein and with reference to the accompanying drawings.
27. Any novel feature or combination of features disclosed herein.