Abstract:
A water sports apparatus for use by stand-up paddleboard riders, comprising a first end, a second end and a substantially flexible main body extending there between, wherein the respective ends further each define a buoyant body, allowing the water sports apparatus to float on the surface of a body of water. Using a stand-up paddleboard paddle, a stand-up paddleboard rider may further lift the water sports apparatus from the surface of a body of water or catch the water sports apparatus in mid-air and subsequently throw it to a waiting stand-up paddleboard rider similarly outfitted with a stand-up paddleboard paddle. The water sports apparatus further includes cordage loops attached to each respective end, and a cordage lanyard attached to at least one of the cordage loops for storage and transport of the water sports apparatus by attachment to the leash cup of a stand-up paddleboard.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/052,240, filed on Sep. 18, 2014, entitled “Water Sports Apparatus”, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0002]    The present disclosure relates to recreational water sports, and more specifically, to an apparatus for coaching, training and recreational use while stand-up paddle boarding on a stand-up paddleboard, promoting confidence, balance, agility, strength, and paddleboard maneuvering and handling skills. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Stand-up paddle boarding, also known as stand-up paddle surfing, is increasingly becoming a popular outdoor recreational surface water sport. A variant of stand-up ocean surfing, central to the Polynesian culture for centuries, where instead of riding a moving wave to shore, the stand-up paddle boarder uses a paddle to move on the open ocean, in harbors, on lakes, in rivers, and canals or any other body of water. 
         [0004]    While the roots for the stand-up paddle boarding industry may be traced back to late depression-era Hawaii, it was not until the mid-2000s when it became popularized in the continental U.S. This sport has one of the highest adoption rates of any other outdoor recreational sport in the U.S. in recent years, with more than fifty percent of all first time outdoor recreation participants trying stand-up paddle boarding for the first time. The sport has become wildly popular in a very short time. Because of the increased mobility of the paddleboard, compared to the ocean surfboard, the sport offers greater versatility, allowing participants to ride in both open water and in smaller, closed bodies of water. 
         [0005]    Because it is both versatile and accessible, paddle boarding increasingly attracts participants at all levels of age, skill, and competency. But, without basic instruction, the new entrants to the sport may become quickly disappointed because of frequent falls from the board, difficulties in navigation, and wasted effort and exhaustion. Likewise, seasoned participants to the sport may become bored, especially where only closed, smaller bodies of water are available, limiting the variety that they might enjoy. 
         [0006]    For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a tool to build confidence on a paddleboard and teach balance, agility, strength, and paddleboard handling skills, while increasing the playability and driving competitive team participation. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    The present disclosure, in its many embodiments, provides an apparatus for building paddleboard confidence and control while teaching balance, agility, strength, handling and maneuvering skills, comprising the use of a paddleboard paddle to catch, in a fun and easy format that can be used both in one-on-one and competitive team game play. 
         [0008]    In an exemplary embodiment, a water sports apparatus comprises a first end, a second end, and a main body extending from said first end to said second end, wherein said first end defines a first buoyant body, and said second end defines a second buoyant body. In exemplary embodiments said first and second buoyant bodies may comprise open cell foam and said main body is substantially flexible. 
         [0009]    In another exemplary embodiment, said main body further comprises a main outer sleeve fixedly attached to a main inner sleeve, and wherein said first end, said second end, said main outer sleeve and said main inner sleeve further comprise substantially high visibility and quick-drying materials. In yet another exemplary embodiment, said first end, said second end, and said main inner sleeve may further comprise a fabric made from a plurality of spandex synthetic fiber, and said main outer sleeve further comprises a fabric made from mesh synthetic fiber, a substantially non-binding, low friction and durable character. 
         [0010]    Exemplary embodiments of the instant disclosure comprise a water sports apparatus, wherein a first cordage loop is fixedly attached to said first end and a second cordage loop is fixedly attached to said second end. In another exemplary embodiment, to one of said cordage loops a cordage lanyard may be removably attached by a cordage lanyard clip. In yet another embodiment, said first cordage loop and said second cordage loop may further be used, in combination with said cordage lanyard, to secure and transport said water sports apparatus. 
         [0011]    In another exemplary embodiment, a water sports apparatus comprises a first buoyant end fixedly attached to a second buoyant end by a substantially flexible main body, wherein said water sports apparatus removably receives a paddleboard paddle. In an embodiment, said water sports apparatus may have an overall width of approximately 2 to 7 inches and an overall length of approximately 11 to 14 inches. 
         [0012]    Exemplary embodiments of the instant disclosure comprise a method for building paddleboard confidence and control while teaching balance, agility, strength, handling and maneuvering skills, further comprising the use of a paddleboard paddle to catch, scoop and throw a water sports apparatus. In exemplary embodiments, said water sports apparatus comprises a first buoyant end fixedly attached to a second buoyant end by a substantially flexible main body, and wherein said buoyancy causes said water sports apparatus to float on a surface of a body of water to facilitate lifting from said surface of said body of water with said paddleboard paddle. 
         [0013]    In exemplary embodiments, said method comprises draping said substantially flexible main body of said water sports and game play apparatus on said paddleboard paddle when lifting said water sports and game play apparatus from said body of water with said paddleboard paddle. In exemplary embodiments, said method comprises substantially balancing said first buoyant end on a first paddleboard paddle or shaft face and substantially balancing said second buoyant end on a second paddleboard paddle or shaft face. 
         [0014]    Exemplary embodiments of the instant disclosure wherein said water sports apparatus may be advanced in a field of play by said lifting sports apparatus from said surface of said body of water, or catching in mid-air, followed by said throwing to a receiving participant. In so doing, the participant&#39;s balance, agility, strength and paddleboard maneuvering and handling skills may be challenged. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0015]    Embodiments of the disclosure will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying figures. 
           [0016]      FIG. 1  illustrates a top view of an exemplary embodiment of a water sports apparatus in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure; 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a cross-sectional view taken on line A-A of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a close-up, cross-sectional view taken of region B-B of  FIG. 2 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0019]    The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the disclosure or the application and uses of the disclosure. As used herein, the word “exemplary” means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Thus, any embodiment described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any expressed or implied theory presented in the preceding technical field, background, brief summary, or the following detailed description. 
         [0020]    In this description, reference is made to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated with like reference numerals throughout. As used in the description herein and throughout, the meaning of “a,” “an,” and “said” includes plural reference unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Also, as used in the description herein, the meaning of “in” includes “into” and “on” unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. 
         [0021]    Referring now to the drawings, exemplary embodiments of said water sports apparatus comprise a first end and a second end, each defining a substantially buoyant body, connected by a substantially flexible main body. The main body of exemplary embodiments includes generally a main outer sleeve and a main inner sleeve, which is also common with both first and second ends. In one exemplary embodiment, the material of said main inner sleeve comprises a high visibility, quick-drying fabric, such as that made from a plurality of spandex synthetic fiber, but may be any natural or synthetic material that is highly visible and substantially quick-drying. In another exemplary embodiment, the material of said main outer sleeve is a substantially non-binding, low friction, quick-drying and durable fabric, such as that made from mesh synthetic fibers, but may be any natural or synthetic material that is non-binding, low friction, quick-drying and durable. In another embodiment, said buoyant bodies are made from a material that has the physical capacity to absorb water when in contact with a source of water, such as open-cell foam, but may comprise any natural or synthetic material that has the capacity to absorb water when in contact with said water. 
         [0022]      FIGS. 1 to 3  show a water sports apparatus embodiment of the instant disclosure. As shown in one embodiment, said water sports apparatus  10  includes a main body  15 , a first end  20  and a second end  21 . In an exemplary embodiment, said main body  15  is designed to be substantially flexible to allow said first end  20  and said second end  21  to move freely to the extent of the full length of said main body  15 , of approximately 7 to 9 inches, resulting in an overall length of said water sports apparatus of about 11 to 14 inches. 
         [0023]    In one embodiment, main body  15  is generally formed from a main outer sleeve  16  (as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 ) fixedly attached to a main inner sleeve  17 , wherein said main outer sleeve  16  is highly visible, quick-drying, durable, low friction and substantially non-binding to a paddleboard paddle shaft (not shown) or blade face (not shown) and said main inner sleeve  17  is highly visible and quick-drying. In another exemplary embodiment, fixed attachment between said main outer sleeve  16  and said main inner sleeve  17  may be accomplished by sewing, but may also be accomplished by welding, adhesive, or any attachment means that produces a durable and permanent fixation. 
         [0024]    In another embodiment, said first end  20  and said second end  21  generally have a rectangular shape and an approximate width of 2 to 3 inches, which is substantially the same width as said main body  15 . In one exemplary embodiment, said first end  20  further defines a buoyant body  22  (as shown in  FIG. 3 ) and said second end  21  further defines a second buoyant body  23 . In another exemplary embodiment, said first buoyant body  22  and said second buoyant body  23  have the physical capacity to absorb a portion of water, when in contact with a source of water. In an embodiment, said buoyant bodies  22  and  23  may comprise open-cell foam, but may comprise any natural or synthetic material that has the capacity to absorb water when in contact with said water. 
         [0025]    As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , in one exemplary embodiment, a first cordage loop  24  is fixedly attached to said first end  20  and a second cordage loop  25  is fixedly attached to said second end  21 . In another embodiment, fixed attachment between said cordage loops  24  and  25  and respective said ends  20  and  21  may be accomplished by sewing, but may also be accomplished by welding, adhesive, or any attachment means that produces a durable and permanent fixation. 
         [0026]    In one embodiment (as shown in  FIG. 1 ), a cordage lanyard  26  is removably attached by a cordage lanyard clip  27  to one of said cordage loops  24  or  25 . In an exemplary embodiment, said cordage loops  24  and  25 , in combination with said cordage lanyard  26  and cordage lanyard clip  27 , facilitate securement and transport of said water sports apparatus  10 , permitting said cordage lanyard  26  to be removably attached, for instance, to the leash cup of a stand-up paddleboard. In one embodiment, said cordage loops  24  and  25  and cordage lanyard  26  comprise a durable and decay-resistant material, such as plurality of nylon or polypropylene fiber, but may be any natural or synthetic material that offers durability and decay-resistance in light of the conditions found in outdoor, wet environments. 
         [0027]    In another exemplary embodiment, said cordage lanyard clip  27  comprises durable and decay-resistant material, such as nylon, polypropylene, or acetal polymer, but may be comprised of any natural or synthetic material that offers stiffness, durability and decay-resistance in light of the conditions found in outdoor, wet environments. 
         [0028]    One skilled in the art will note several advantages that the exemplary embodiments of this disclosure have over the conventional uses of a stand-up paddleboard for recreational and training usages. In an embodiment, the combination of said first end  20  and said second end  21 , each defining respective said substantially buoyant bodies  22  and  23 , and connected by said substantially flexible main body  15 , allows said water sports apparatus  10  to float on a surface of a body of water. In an embodiment, this combination further allows a stand-up paddleboard rider to utilize a stand-up paddleboard paddle to lift and removably receive said water sports apparatus  10  from said surface of said body of water, wherein said first end  20  is substantially balanced on a first paddleboard paddle shaft (not shown) or blade face (not shown) and said second end  21  is substantially balanced on an opposing second paddleboard paddle shaft (not shown) or blade face (not shown), and wherein said substantially flexible main body  15  is substantially draped on a top of the paddleboard paddle shaft or blade face. In this state, wherein said water sports apparatus  10  is substantially balanced on said stand-up paddleboard paddle shaft (not shown) or blade face (not shown), and not otherwise substantially attached to said stand-up paddleboard paddle, said water sports apparatus  10  can be subsequently thrown, tossed or otherwise substantially released by said stand-up paddleboard rider in possession of said water sports apparatus  10 . 
         [0029]    Furthermore, in another embodiment, the combination of said first end  20  and said second end  21 , each defining respective said substantially buoyant bodies  22  and  23 , and connected by said substantially flexible main body  15 , also allows said water sports apparatus  10  to be caught in mid-air by said stand-up paddleboard rider with said stand-up paddleboard paddle when being received from another stand-up paddleboard rider. In one embodiment, the steps to catch said water sports apparatus  10  in mid-air are similar to lifting said water sports apparatus  10  from said surface of said body of water, wherein said stand-up paddleboard rider removably receives said water sports apparatus  10  in said air, wherein said first end  20  is substantially balanced on said first paddleboard paddle shaft or blade face and said second end  21  is substantially balanced on said opposing second paddleboard paddle shaft or blade face, and wherein said substantially flexible main body  15  is substantially draped on the top of said paddleboard paddle shaft or blade. 
         [0030]    In addition, in another exemplary embodiment, because said buoyant bodies  22  and  23  comprise a material that absorbs a portion of water when in contact with said body of water, the mass of the water sports apparatus  10  is substantially increased, thereby increasing the ease of throwing, tossing or otherwise substantially releasing the water sports apparatus  10  from said stand-up paddleboard paddle shaft or blade. In this exemplary embodiment, the increased mass also confers a similar benefit to a stand-up paddleboard rider subsequently removably receiving said water sports apparatus  10  in said mid-air. 
         [0031]    Further, said water sports apparatus  10  is advanced in a field of play by said lifting water sports apparatus  10  from said surface of said body of water, or by catching water sports apparatus  10  in mid-air, followed by said throwing, tossing or substantially releasing water sports apparatus  10  to a receiving participant. 
         [0032]    All of the embodiments described herein are exemplary embodiments provided to enable persons skilled in the art to make or use the disclosure and not to limit the scope of the disclosure that is defined by the claims.