GB2394252A

GB2394252A - Tender securing apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2394252A
Application number: GB0319766A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alan Douglas Skertchly
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-08-23
Filing date: 2003-08-22
Publication date: 2004-04-21
Also published as: AU2003259349A1; WO2004018285A1; GB0319766D0; GB0219670D0

Abstract

Tender securing apparatus for attachment of a tender to another boat. The apparatus comprises a bar 10 securable to the tender 21 and a telescopic pole 13. The pole 13 is attached at one end to the bar 10 by way of a universal joint 14 and the other end of the pole 13 has a swivel 4 and universal joint 5 that is connectable to the other boat 22. The bar 10 may be adjustable in length and may be securable to the rowlocks 1 of the tender. Eyelets 2 may be provided on the adjustable bar for attaching a rope to aid launching and recovery from water. In use, the telescopic pole can be retracted to secure the inflatable boat or tender at an angle to the boat. The pole 13 can also be extended to allow greater access to the part of the boat where the inflatable boat or tender is secured . The apparatus can be compressed in size to facilitate storage.

Description

( TENDER SECURING APPARATUS

This invention relates to a tender securing apparatus and especially, but not exclusively, to such an apparatus for use in 5 securing a tender to a boat.

As used herein the term "tender" will be used to refer to any inflatable or other small watercraft. Tenders are traditionally made of plastics material and are used to transfer people or 10 equipment to shore from a boat or parent vessel, for example a yacht. Tenders when not in use must, therefore, be stored on or near such a boat, such that, they are readily available for use when required.

15 Many boats have a so-called swim or diving platforms located at their stern. Such platforms are generally relatively close to the water level, when the boat is in use, and as such provide an efficient entry point into the water or indeed into a tender.

Because of this fact, tenders are traditionally secured to 20 yachts or the like, on or above, their swim or dive platform.

Tender securing apparatus, for example the Snap davit system, exist which allow tenders to be mounted vertically on the stern of most pleasure craft. Alternatively, boat owners typically 25 mount tenders vertically on the stern of pleasure craft using ropes, or by the use of fixed rods that are mounted on brackets.

However, neither of these methods is ideal. The use of ropes is unsightly and time consuming to rig, and both methods restrict the use of the swim or diving platform as a safe entry and exit 30 point.

Any tender securing apparatus which eliminates some of the disadvantages associated with presently available tender securing apparatus, would therefore be desirable.

Accordingly the present invention provides a tender securing apparatus, comprising a bar which is securable to a tender, a telescopic pole, fixed at one end thereof to the bar by way of a first universal joint, and a swivel and universal joint which is 5 connectable to a boat and located at the end of the telescopic pole which is remote from said one end.

As used herein, the expression "swivel and universal joint" refers to a joint which will allow movement in more than one 10 plane of movement, including the possibility of a swivel action.

This may be achieved using a single joint (such as a ball and socket joint) or by combining a conventional universal joint with a swivel joint.

15 Preferably the bar is of adjustable length.

Suitably the bar is securable to rowlocks on the tender.

As used herein the term " rowlocks" shall be taken to mean any 20 means capable of securing an oar to the tender.

This apparatus is advantages as it is easy to fit and operate, and allows the tenders position relative to the swim or dive platform of a boat to be varied, allowing access to the platform 25 without completely launching the tender.

Whilst a boat is, for example, berthed and has a tender located on its stern, the telescopic pole of the tender securing apparatus can be extended to allow greater access to and from 30 the swim or diving platform. However, if desired the telescopic pole can be compressed so as to move the tender over the swim or diving platform. This may be particularly desirable while the boat is underway, as it will reduce windage on the vessels forward action. Further, when the vessel is left unattended the 35 telescopic pole can be still further compressed, so as to effectively close the swim or diving platform and secure the

tender at an angle, which will reduce the amount of rainfall collecting in the tender.

Additionally when the tender is in use, the tender securing 5 assembly can be neatly compressed and stored.

In a preferred embodiment, the bar is adjustable in length.

Having an adjustable bar, which is securable to the tender, is advantageous, as the apparatus can be adjusted to fit various 10 sizes of tender. In particular, the bar is securable to the tender oar rowlock fixing points, which are at a set distance or dimension apart, predetermined by the manufacturers specification and formulated to the over all length of the

tender. In particular, the bar itself may be generally telescopic in nature, having inner and outer sections which are slideable relative to each other, but which may be fixed relative to each other in various positions, using suitable fixing elements. For 20 instance, one of the inner or outer sections of the bar is suitably provided with a series of pre-drilled holes and the other of the inner or outer sections is provided with one or more button springs, arranged to engage in the holes to fix the inner and outer sections relative to each other, and thereby 25 make the length adjustable. Other suitable fixing means include spring clips.

The spacing of the fixing means, for instance the holes and button springs, or the spring clips along the bar is suitably 30 set to allow the length of the bar to be adjusted to allow it to fit across the set distances of the rowlock fixing points of the range of available tenders.

The inner and outer sections are suitably "box" sections in that 35 they may be substantially square in cross section. Alternatively

q they may be of any other suitable cross section, for example circular. The bar is also preferably provided with an eyelet on at least 5 one end region thereof but most preferably on both end regions.

Such eyelets will advantageously aid the safe launching and recovery of the tender to and from the water by providing, for example a point onto which a rope could be tied to assist in raising the tender out of the water after use.

In a preferred embodiment, the first universal joint at said one end of the telescopic pole is provided with a connector, which is rotatably mounted on the bar, for example by means of a bracket. This allows relative movement between the pole and the 15 bar in several directions.

The telescopic pole suitably comprises a telescopic tube rotatably mounted on an inner bar. In this embodiment, the swivel and universal joint are mounted on the tube of the 20 telescopic pole. The swivel and universal joint are preferably connectable to a boat by means of a ball pin, or any other suitable means.

The telescopic pole, which is attached to the bar by means of a 25 first universal joint, is suitably fixable at various desired lengths. For instance, it may be pre-drilled with holes that allow it to be fixed at a desired length, by introducing a pin into an appropriate hole.

30 The tender securing apparatus can be used to connect a tender to a boat. Specifically, the tender is securable to the bar, and the telescopic pole is securable to the stern of a boat. As the stern of the boat will vary due to size and style, the swivel and universal joint enables the customer to fit the apparatus at 35 its optimum position by means of drilling one hole through the transom on a boat and, for example, bolting the telescopic pole

! to the stern of the boat by way of the swivel and universal joint and a bracket.

The tender securing apparatus may be used in conjunction with at 5 least one pivot, for example a Snap Davit which is securable to both the tender and a boat, such that in use of the tender securing apparatus the tender can be pivoted about the at least one pivot by extension or compression of the telescopic pole.

10 A specific embodiment of the invention will now be particularly described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a side view of a tender secured to the stern of a 15 boat, with the tender securing apparatus secured to the tender and boat in the open or extended position.

Figure 2 illustrates the tender securing apparatus in the fully extended condition.

Figure 3 shows a side view of the tender on the stern of a boat, with the tender securing apparatus attached to the tender and a boat in the closed or compressed position.

25 Figure 4 illustrates the tender securing assembly in the fully compressed condition ready for storage in a locker.

As shown in figure 1, a tender securing apparatus comprises an adjustable bar 10, which is securable to the rowlocks 1 of a 30 tender 21. One end of a telescopic pole 13 is fixed to the adjustable bar 10 by way of a first universal joint 14. A swivel and universal joint, made up of a swivel joint 4 and second universal joint 5 are located at the other end of the telescopic pole 13, and it is via this joint arrangement that 35 the telescopic pole 13 is connectable to a boat 22.

As can be seen in Figure 2 the adjustable bar 10 comprises two box sections 11, 12 of material, which is preferably stainless steel. The smaller box section 11, can slide inside the larger box section 12 and can be secured at predetermined positions 5 relative to the larger box section 12 by pre-drilled locating holes 9 and button springs 8. In this way the overall length of the bar 10 may be adjusted.

At each end of the adjustable bar 10 there is provided securing 10 means in the form of location tubes 23 for attachment to the rowlocks 1 of the tender 21.

An eyelet 2 is attached at each end of the adjustable bar 10 to aid launching and recovery from the water. In use a rope may be 15 attached to the eyelets 2 which can then be used to pull the tender 21 out of the water.

The telescopic pole 13 is attached at one end to the adjustable bar 10, via the universal joint 14, by means of a bracket 3 and 20 a connector 15. The connector 15 is rotatably mounted in the bracket 3.

The telescopic pole 13 is comprised of a tube 16 and pre-drilled bar 17 which is suitably solid. The solid bar 17 can slide 25 inside the tube 16 with the aid of a stopper 18. The tube 16 has a swivel joint 4 attached at one end and the stopper 18 at the other, which the solid bar 17 can move through. The swivel joint 4 has the second universal joint 5 attached to it, which in turn is connected to a boat-mounting bracket 6 by means of a 30 first ball pin 7. The telescopic pole 13 can be secured at a desired length by location of a second ball pin 19 in pre-

drilled holes. Both ball pins 7, 19 are secured to the telescopic pole 13 by way of lanyards.

35 As shown in figure 3, in use of the apparatus, the solid bar 17 can be slid into the tube 16 to decrease the overall length of

the telescopic pole 13. This has the effect of bringing the tender 21 into a closed position with respect to the boat 22.

The apparatus can also be compressed in size for easy storage as 5 shown in Figure 4.

The adjustable bar 10, when detached from the tender 21 can be compressed such the pre-drilled storage location holes 9 line up and the apparatus can be secured in the storage position by 10 button springs 8. The telescopic pole 13 can also be compressed such that pre-drilled storage holes line up and the second ball pin 19 can secure the apparatus. The telescopic pole 13 may also be fixed to the adjustable bar 10 by use of the first ball pin 7 in the pre-drilled hole 9 in the adjustable bar 10.

Using the apparatus of the invention provides an easy and flexible means of manipulating a tender.

Claims

1. A tender securing apparatus, comprising a bar which is securable to a tender, a telescopic pole, fixed at one end 5 thereof to the bar by way of a first universal joint and having a swivel and universal joint which is connectable to a boat and located at the end of the telescopic pole which is remote from said one end.

10 2. A tender securing apparatus as claimed in claim l, wherein the bar is adjustable in length.

3. A tender securing apparatus as claimed in claim l or 2, wherein the bar is securable to rowlocks on the tender.

4. A tender securing apparatus as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein the bar comprises inner and outer sections which are telescopic and which may be fixed relative to each other.

20 5. A tender securing apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein the sections of the bar may be fixed by means of pre-drilled holes and button springs.

6. A tender securing apparatus as claimed in any preceding 25 claim, wherein the bar is provided with an eyelet on at least one end region thereof.

7. A tender securing apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the first universal joint at said one 30 end of the telescopic pole is fixed to a connector which is rotatably mounted on the bar by means of a bracket.

8. A tender securing apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the telescopic pole comprises a 35 telescopic tube rotatably mounted on an inner bar and wherein the said swivel and universal joint is mounted on the said tube.

ll

9. A tender securing apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the swivel and universal joint is connectable to a boat by means of a ball pin.

5 10. A method of securing a tender to a boat, said method comprising connecting the tender to a boat using an apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims.

11. A tender securing apparatus substantially as described 10 herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.