Abstract:
In a preferred embodiment, an apparatus for guiding a watercraft, including: at least two center members of relatively hard material; each of the at least two center members having a tube of relatively soft material forced thereover; the tube of relative soft material contacting a rubrail of the watercraft; and no other part of the apparatus contacts any portion of the watercraft.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to watercraft generally and, more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a novel system for docking watercraft. 
     2. Background Art 
     Watercraft can be severely damaged while docking in a berth on a floating dock or while docking on a trailer or while docking on a boat lift. Such damage can occur due to wave action, wind, and/or operator error. 
     Some attempts to limit the damage are as follows: 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,486,342, issued Dec. 30, 1969, to Aks, and titled PILE MOORING BUMPER, discloses a pile mooring bumper which is intended to be used with a watercraft tied between two piles. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,010,962, issued Mar. 8, 1977, to Groblebe, and titled BOAT LOADING STRUCTURE, discloses a boat trailer having a pair of side rails with bars extending upwardly from the side rails. Each of the bars has a spring connecting it with a side rail and has a roller member rotatably attached to the upper end thereof. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,338,046, issued Jul. 6, 1982, to Thomerson, and titled BUMPER RING WITH RELIEF GROOVE, discloses a system for protecting the legs of an offshore platform which includes a bumper system having its upper and lower ends attached to the platform. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,653,420, issued Mar. 31, 1987, to Johnson, and titled PROTECTIVE COVER FOR BOAT HOIST BUMPERS, discloses two or four bumpers attached to a lift for boats. Each bumper is covered with a protective composite sleeve, the bumpers constructed usually of foamed polystyrene. Each bumper is flared outwardly to conform to the side of the boat. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,184,562, issued Feb. 9, 1993, to Hallin, and titled LAKE DOCK POLE ACCESSORY SYSTEM, discloses a plurality of vertical bumpers attached to a lake dock, the bumpers being provided for the tying up of a watercraft thereto. Each bumper has a protective central portion of wood. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,342, issued May 21, 1996, to Wright et al., and titled MARINE DOCK BUMPER AND TIE LINE STORAGE DEVICE, discloses a vertical dock bumper which, in pertinent part, includes a padded section of desirably a blown closed cell polyurethane foam with a formed skin. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,499,915, issued Dec. 31, 2002, to Tayman, and titled PORTABLE PILING EXTENDER APPARATUS, discloses a vertical piling extender, the extender to prevent the rub rail of a boat from riding over the top of the piling. 
     Brochure by Ve-Ve Incorporated, Ramsey, Minn., copyright 2001-2005, shows various types of roller guide ons for watercraft. 
     The prior art disclosed above has some serious disadvantages. First, some of the bumpers use a relatively soft center member. Second, some are designed to contact the watercraft below the rubrail of the watercraft, thus tending to mar the topsides. Third, some are complicated structures. Fourth, some are not self-draining. 
     Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a system for watercraft docking that does not have a relatively soft center member. 
     It is a further object on the present invention to provide such a system for watercraft docking that contacts only the rubrail of the watercraft, thus not marring the topsides of the watercraft. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide such a system that is simply constructed. 
     It is an additional object of the present invention to provide such a system that is self-draining. 
     Other objects of the present invention, as well as particular features, elements, and advantages thereof, will be elucidated in, or be apparent from, the following description and the accompanying drawing figures. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention achieves the above objects, among others by providing, in a preferred embodiment, an apparatus for guiding a watercraft, comprising: at least two center members of relatively hard material; each of said two center members having a tube of relatively soft material forced thereover; said tube of relative soft material contacting a rubrail of said watercraft; and no other part of said apparatus contacts any portion of said watercraft. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
       Understanding of the present invention and the various aspects thereof will be facilitated by reference to the accompanying drawing figures, provided for purposes of illustration only and not intended to define the scope of the invention, on which: 
         FIG. 1  is a side elevational view, partially in cross-section of the unit of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a end elevational view, showing the tubing of the present invention being flexed and centering a watercraft. 
         FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the arrangement of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is an end elevational view of the units attached to the horizontal cross beam of a watercraft lift. 
         FIG. 5  is an end elevational view of the units attached to a horizontal member of a watercraft trailer. 
         FIGS. 6   a  and  6   b  are fragmentary isometric views showing, respectively, single and double (for sandwiching) mounting plates for a horizontal surface. 
         FIGS. 7   a  and  7   b  are fragmentary isometric views showing, respectively, single and double (for sandwiching) mounting plates for a vertical surface. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The invention consists of an apparatus for fending off or centering watercraft on boat trailers, docks, dry storage, etc. A metal plate is bent and fastened to a base mounting flange which is secured to a watercraft trailer, watercraft lift, or whatever. Then, a PVC/plastic pipe of adequate thickness is forced down over the bent pipe to the base plate. The plastic tube is now capable of resisting high side loads and acts as a spring to help guide the watercraft to its proper location. As a force pushes on the composite tube, it yields and responds with increasing response to redirect the watercraft to the proper location. As one approaches the trailer lift and makes contact with the system, the non-marring plastic tube will yield and push back to guide the vessel to the predetermined desired location, permitting single-handed docking if desired. The composite columns can be kept loose or tight to the hull as required. The dimensions of the elements can be varied depending on the size of the watercraft. 
     Reference should now be made to the drawing figures, provided for purposes of illustration only, and on which the figure numerals in parentheses (when used) refer the reader to the figure in which the element(s) being described are more fully shown, although the element(s) may be shown on other figures also. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a unit constructed according to the present invention, generally indicated by the reference numeral  10 . Unit  10  includes a relatively hard center pipe or bar  20 , preferably of metal, attached to a baseplate  22  over which center pipe or bar is forced a PVC or other plastic pipe  24 . Center pipe or bar  20  is preferably about 1½ inches in diameter and is about 12-20 inches long, with a generally vertical upper half and a lower half bent about 8-10 degrees from vertical. PVC or other plastic pipe  24  is preferably about 2 inches in diameter and is about 3 to 4 feet long. Of course, center pipe or bar  20  and PVC or other plastic tube  24  can have other dimensions, depending on the size of the watercraft. Drain hole  26  is disposed at the lowest end of PVC or other plastic pipe  24 . 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a watercraft  30  being guided by units  32  and  34 , the units being attached, respectively, to docks  39  and  38  disposed on either side of watercraft  30 . The initial position of units  32  and  34  is shown in broken lines on  FIG. 2 . When watercraft  30  approaches docks  39  and  38 , the plastic tubes of units  32  and  34  contact the rubrail of the watercraft and flex outwardly in the direction indicated by the heavy arrows on  FIG. 2 , thus guiding watercraft  30  to its proper position between the docks and counteracting any forces due to wave action, wind, and/or operator error. Drain holes  36  are provided at the lowest end if plastic tubes  32  and  34 . 
       FIG. 3  illustrates watercraft  30  being guided into position by units  32  and  34  and also illustrates that the provision of four units is desirable, the additional units being indicated by the reference numerals  40  and  42 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a watercraft  30  guided onto a watercraft lift by units  32  and  34 . Units  32  and  34  are mounted on a horizontal cross beam  50  of the watercraft lift in a direction opposite to that shown on  FIG. 2 . It will be understood that units  40  and  42  ( FIG. 3 ) may be provided and that the procedure outlined with reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3  will be followed to guide watercraft onto the watercraft lift. Various other means of attachment of units  32  and  34  to horizontal cross beam  50  may be provided as well and such is within the contemplation of the present invention. Drain holes  36  are shown disposed at the lowest ends of tubes  32  and  34 . 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a watercraft  30  guided onto a watercraft trailer by units  32  and  34 . Units  32  and  34  are mounted on a horizontal cross member  60  of the watercraft lift in a direction opposite to that shown on  FIG. 2 . It will be understood that units  40  and  42  ( FIG. 3 ) may be provided and that the procedure outlined with reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3  will be followed to guide watercraft  30  onto the watercraft trailer. Various other means of attachment of units  32  and  34  to horizontal cross member may be provided as well and such is within the contemplation of the present invention. Drain holes  36  are shown disposed at the lowest ends of tubes  32  and  34 . 
       FIGS. 6   a  and  6   b  illustrate center pipe or bar  70  attached, respectively, to a horizontal mounting plate  72 , the latter figure including a backing plate  76  for sandwiching between horizontal surfaces. When element  70  is a pipe, drain holes  74  are disposed at the lowest ends of the pipes. 
       FIGS. 7   a  and  7   b  illustrate center pipe or bar  80  attached, respectively, to a vertical mounting plate  82 , the latter figure including a backing plate  84  for sandwiching between vertical surfaces. When element  80  is a pipe, drain holes  86  are disposed at the lowest ends of the pipes. 
     In the embodiments of the present invention described above, it will be recognized that individual elements and/or features thereof are not necessarily limited to a particular embodiment but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in any selected embodiment even though such may not be specifically shown. 
     Spatially orienting terms such as “above”, “below”, “upper”, “lower”, “inner”, “outer”, “inwardly”, “outwardly”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, and the like, when used herein, refer to the positions of the respective elements shown on the accompanying drawing figures and the present invention is not necessarily limited to such positions. 
     It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those elucidated in, or made apparent from, the preceding description, are efficiently attained and, since certain changes may be made in the above construction without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown on the accompanying drawing figures shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense. 
     It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.