Patent ID: 8556146
Filing Date: 2013-10-15
Classification: B60R

Abstract:
1. A rack for carrying a boat on top of a vehicle having an elongate axis parallel to the direction of vehicular travel comprising a crossbar and a pair of towers configured to mount the crossbar on top of a vehicle, the crossbar being substantially perpendicular to the elongate axis, and a pair of saddle devices mounted on the crossbar facing each other, and configured to cooperatively cradle a boat hull, a cradle axis being defined perpendicular to the crossbar and equidistant from each saddle device, each saddle device having a C-shaped portion having an open side facing the cradle axis, each C-shaped portion including a lower platform portion, an upper platform portion, and a connecting portion extending from the lower platform portion to the upper platform portion opposite the open side, the upper platform portion being cantilevered inward toward the cradle axis from the connecting portion, wherein each upper platform portion is connected to a wing expanse angled upward away from the cradle axis, and wherein each wing expanse has side walls connected to the respective upper platform portion creating a diaphragm having an open side opposite from the open side of the respective C-shaped portion.