Patent ID: 6021734
Filing Date: 2000-02-08
Classification: B63B

Abstract:
A brace assembly for mounting on a personal watercraft at or adjacent the rear of the personal watercraft, and for use by a rear-facing rider on the personal watercraft wherein the personal watercraft includes a longitudinally-extending seat having a rear and being arranged such that a driver and the rear-facing rider straddle the seat with their legs when on the watercraft seat, said brace assembly comprising:(a) engagement structure to be grasped by such rear-facing rider;(b) a support column having a first length, said support column supporting said engagement structure; and(c) a support housing having an opening receiving said support column,said support housing, said support column, and said engagement structure, in combination, being sufficiently strong to receive body weight of a rear-facing adult rider at said engagement structure, and thereby to provide sufficient strength to enable such rear-facing adult rider to stabilize himself during normal operation of the personal watercraft, said brace assembly comprising height adjustment apparatus effective to control raising and lowering the height of said engagement structure between a first raised position and a second lowered position above the top surface of the seat, thereby enabling the rear-facing rider to engage said engagement structure substantially above the height of the top surface of the seat, said height adjustment apparatus comprising a spring active to urge a lock pin into an aperture in said support column thereby to retain said engagement structure at a fixed height.