Patent ID: 8430286
Filing Date: 2013-04-30
Classification: B60R

Abstract:
1. An accessory rack for supporting small boats on a transporting vehicle having available a front platform site extending generally across a width of a front of said vehicle and a rear platform site extending generally across a width of a rear of said vehicle, said accessory rack comprising: a front assembly having the elongated front bottom base member attachable across a width of said front platform site and a rear assembly having an elongated rear bottom base member attachable across a width of said rear platform site, a single front upright post connected at a lower end to the center of said front bottom base member of said front assembly so that said front upright post is generally centered with respect to said width of said vehicle, an elongated front boat-receiving cross member connected at the center thereof to an upper end of said single front upright post, said elongated front boat-receiving cross member being generally parallel to said elongated front bottom base member; a single rear upright post connected at a lower end to the center of said rear bottom base member of said rear assembly so that said rear upright post is generally centered with respect to said width of said vehicle, an elongated rear boat-receiving cross member connected at the center thereof to an upper end of said single rear upright post, said elongated rear boat-receiving cross member being generally parallel to said elongated rear bottom base member; a single elongated upper beam member extending between said front boat-receiving cross member and said rear boat-receiving cross member, said elongated upper beam member connected to said center of said front boat-receiving cross member and said center of said rear boat-receiving cross member so that said front upright post, said rear upright post and said upper beam member are generally centered over respective portions of said vehicle; wherein each of said front upright post and said rear upright post further comprises: a lower upright post portion attached to said center of a respective one of said elongated front bottom base member and said elongated rear bottom base member, an upper upright post portion attached to said center of a respective one of said front boat-receiving cross member and said rear boat-receiving cross member, each said lower upright post portion and said upper upright post portion configured to be removably and adjustably engagable with each other so that said boat-receiving cross member is locked at a selected height over said vehicle and generally centered over said vehicle with respect to said vehicle width; wherein each said upper post portion and said boat-receiving cross member further comprises: an elongated middle portion generally parallel to said bottom base member and connected at the center thereof to said upper end of said upper post portion, said elongated middle portion having opposed ends, a boat-receiving end portion for each of said opposed ends, each said boat-receiving end portion configured to be removably and adjustably engaged, and lockable with a respective end of said middle portion to provide said cross member with a selected width, a stub portion attached to said center of said middle portion, and facing an opposite one of said front assembly and said rear assembly for removably and slidably receiving and locking to said upper beam members, said stub portion being coplanar with and perpendicular to said middle portion, and said upper beam member and each said stub portion being adaptable so that a user may select a length of said rack for a specific said vehicle; a plurality of gear attachments attached to said rack, each said gear attachment having an opening for receiving a tie-down, and attached adjacent at least one of: a center of each said elongated middle portion, at least one end of said front mounting base member and at least one end of said rear mounting base member, at an upper end of each said lower upright post portion.