Patent ID: 6189478
Filing Date: 2001-02-20
Classification: B63C

Abstract:
A boat carrier with retractable wheels, comprising:a transverse frame comprising fore and aft substantially parallel horizontal tubes, each tube having left and right ends;each tube being a two-part telescoping tube comprising an outer section and an inner section, the inner section nested within the outer section over part of the length of the inner section and part of the length of the outer section, making each parallel tube variable in length;a seat foundation plate attached medially to the parallel tubes, spanning between them, holding the tubes substantially parallel to each other, the seat foundation plate laterally spanning the nested part of the length of each tube, and releasably locking the inner sections in relation to the outer sections;a left side plate attached to the left ends of the tubes and extending downward from the tubes on a plane normal to the tubes;a right side plate attached to the right ends of the tubes and extending downward from the tubes on a plane normal to the tubes;a left gunwale clamp foundation plate attached to the left ends of the tubes, having a front end extending forward from the left end of the fore tube and a back end extending rearward from the left end of the aft tube;a right gunwale clamp foundation plate attached to the right ends of the tubes, having a front end extending forward from the right end of the fore tube and a back end extending aft from the right end of the aft tube;means for releasably securing the left gunwale foundation plate to the left gunwale of a boat and the right gunwale clamp foundation plate to the right gunwale of a boat;a left wheel strut attached to the left side plate below the parallel tubes by a pivot attachment that is releasably lockable in at least 2 selectable positions, including downward and horizontal, about a pivot axis parallel to the tubes of the transverse frame;a right wheel strut attached to the right side plate below the parallel tubes by a pivot attachment that is releasably lockable in at least 2 positions, including downward and horizontal, about a pivot axis parallel to the tubes of the transverse frame; anda wheel rotatably attached to each wheel strut on a rotation axis parallel to the parallel tubes of the transverse frame;whereby the wheels can be releasably attached to a boat, pivoted downward for rolling transport of the boat on land, and pivoted into or out of a horizontal retracted position beside the boat by occupants within the boat while the boat is afloat.