Patent ID: 6592291
Filing Date: 2003-07-15
Classification: B60P,B63C

Abstract:
A boat ramp comprising:(i) a ladder-style frame having elongated lateral side rails held in spaced apart parallel condition by cross support beams, said spaced apart condition being greater than about one and one-half feet, said rails having a length greater than 10 feet and terminating at one end as a water end and terminating at the other end as a shore end, (ii) at least six hull roller assemblies mounted on said side rails in laterally paired relationship across from each other and in longitudinally spaced relationship along said rails such that at least three said hull roller assemblies are distributed over the water end half of the length of each said rail, each said assembly having a hull roller axle carrying at each end thereof a hull roller, said hull roller assemblies being so mounted on said rails that their said axles are in pivotable elevated transverse orientation above said rails so as to permit said hull rollers to pivot and rotate according to the contour of the hull of a boat pulled into resting condition thereupon, each said side rail having a said hull roller assembly at the water end terminus thereof, the hull rollers across from each other that are nearest to each other being called inside hull rollers, (iii) a water end keel roller assembly on a water end cross support beam mounted to and extending between said rails at said water end, said keel assembly having a central keel roller greater in axial length than one-fourth of the distance between said rails, said axial length of said keel roller being at least about 6 inches, said inside hull rollers of said hull roller assemblies at said water end being in such proximity to said keel roller as to cooperate with said keel roller at said water end to substantially preclude all contact by the bow of a boat against structural elements of said ramp at said water end other than said hull rollers and said keel roller, and (iv) a shore end winch assembly comprising a winch mount beam mounted between said rails at a location inwardly spaced from said shore end, said winch mount beam being sloped upward toward said shore end at a low angle of no more than about 45 degrees above the elongated direction of said rails, a winch mounted at the outer end of said winch mount beam, and lateral bracing for said winch mount beam.