Abstract:
An exemplary embodiment of a boat bow guide system includes a cross-bracket structure adapted for mounting to a boat trailer at a bow location on the trailer, the cross-bracket structure having opposed first and second arm mounting portions. First and second arm support members are adapted for telescopic mounting to respective ones of the first and second arm mounting portions, so that each of the first and second arm support members may be fixed in position at a plurality of positions between an inward position and an outward position. Boat guiding arms may be mounted to the arm support members for guiding the bow of the boat during launching and recovery operations.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    Boats and water craft may be moved between a land-based storage site and a lake, river, ocean, bay or marina by a trailer. The user typically pulls the trailer behind a vehicle such as a car or truck on a roadway, backs up the trailer to a launch site, and launches the boat from the trailer onto the water. To recover the boat from the water, the user backs up the trailer into the water at the launch site, and drives or pulls the boat onto the trailer. Whether launching or recovering a boat, currents, waves or wind may make the boat more difficult to control. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0002]    Features and advantages of the disclosure will readily be appreciated by persons skilled in the art from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the drawing wherein: 
           [0003]      FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic view illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a boat on a trailer being launched or recovered from the water. 
           [0004]      FIG. 2  is a diagrammatic isometric view illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a long tongue boat trailer with a boat bow guide system. 
           [0005]      FIG. 3  is a diagrammatic isometric view of an exemplary embodiment of a cross bracket structure of a boat bow guide system. 
           [0006]      FIG. 4  is a diagrammatic isometric view of a fragment of the cross bracket structure of  FIG. 3 , with an exemplary embodiment of an angle bracket for support a guide arm structure. 
           [0007]      FIG. 5  illustrates an exemplary embodiment of a guide arm structure. 
           [0008]      FIG. 6  is a diagrammatic isometric view showing an exemplary A frame boat trailer and aspects of an exemplary embodiment of a boat bow guide system. 
           [0009]      FIG. 7  illustrates fragments of an exemplary angle bracket and cross bracket structure of the bow guide system of  FIG. 6 .  FIG. 8  further illustrates a fragment of the angle bracket of  FIGS. 6 and 7 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0010]    In the following detailed description and in the several figures of the drawing, like elements are identified with like reference numerals. The figures are not to scale, and relative feature sizes may be exaggerated for illustrative purposes. 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  diagrammatically illustrates a boat  10  being launched from or recovered to a trailer, which has been backed into the water  20  in a launch site so that the trailer wheels are submerged and not visible in  FIG. 1 . Mounted to the boat trailer is an exemplary embodiment of a bow guide system  50 . The bow guide system includes guide arms  60 A,  60 B which guide the port and starboard sides of the bow region  10 A of the boat into or out of the trailer in a controlled fashion, facilitating launching into or recovering the boat from the water. 
         [0012]    The exemplary bow guide system  50  is further illustrated in  FIGS. 2-5 . This exemplary embodiment is adapted for attachment to a long tongue boat trailer, depicted as trailer  30 . The trailer wheels  34  are mounted on an axle  34 A, which is supported by the rear axle frame  36 . The center tongue  38  of the trailer extends from the trailer rear axle frame  36  forward to the front end of the trailer, which typically has a trailer coupling (not shown in  FIG. 2 ) for attachment to a vehicle which will pull the trailer. The trailer tongue may be a steel hollow tube or a beam, for example. 
         [0013]    The exemplary system  50  includes a cross bracket member  52  which is mounted transverse to the tongue  38 , and includes cross bracket arm portions  52 A and  52 B which extend out from the tongue on either side. The cross bracket arm portions include a series of spaced holes  52 - 1 , which are used to secure angle brackets  56 A and  56 B at selected positions along the extents of the cross bracket portions  52 A and  52 B. The holes may be circular or slot or oblong shaped, for example. The cross bracket member  52  may be fabricated of a rectangular or square metal tube, e.g. a steel tube. The dimensions of the bracket member may depend on the requirements of the particular application, including the boat size. 
         [0014]    Each angle bracket  56 A and  56 B includes a bracket attachment portion and an angle portion which extends at an angle with respect to the attachment portion. In the example depicted in  FIG. 2 , the angle portion extends at an acute angle with respect to the attachment portion. In another example, the angle portion may extend at a 90 degree or even larger angle with respect to the attachment portion. For example, angle bracket  56 A includes bracket attachment portion  56 A- 1  and angle portion  56 A- 2 . The angle brackets may be fabricated of a hollow rectangular or square metal tube, e.g. a steel tube. The dimensions of the bracket attachment portion are preferably selected so that the attachment portion may be slide onto and over the cross bracket portion  52 A or  52 B in a telescoping arrangement. In one example, the attachment portion may have a square tube dimension of 1.5 inch, and the cross bracket arm portion may have a square tube dimension of 1.25 inch. Of course, the dimensions of the brackets may be varied, e.g., depending on the size and weight of the boat to be trailered. For example, a guide system for a  27  foot boat may employ 2 inch and 2.25 inch tube sizes, for the attachment portion and the cross bracket arm portions, respectively. 
         [0015]    The telescopic arrangement of the angle brackets and the cross bracket portions allows the guide system  50  to be adjusted so that the width dimension between the angle brackets can be adjusted, and fixed to an adjusted position. This allows the guide system to be adapted to boats of different sizes. 
         [0016]    In another embodiment, the angle bracket may have an attachment portion which has a cross-sectional dimension which is smaller than the cross bracket portion, so that the attachment portion fits into the cross bracket portion. In this alternate embodiment, for example, the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 6-8 , the angle portion of the angle bracket is attached to an end of the attachment portion protruding from the cross bracket portion. 
         [0017]    The size and shape of the angle brackets  56 A and  56 B may be varied to accommodate boats of differing sizes and hull shapes. The exemplary embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 2-5  may be adapted for handling boats with V-shaped hulls. The angle portion of the angle bracket may extend in a direction which is perpendicular to the trailer tongue, or at an acute angle with respect to the trailer tongue. For example, the angle portion may be swept back relative to the tongue for some applications. 
         [0018]    The cross bracket member  52  may be attached to the trailer tongue  38  by various means. In this exemplary embodiment, a bracket attach structure  54  is a beam or tube section, which is connected to the cross bracket member in a transverse relationship, forming an “x” or cross shape in this example. The bracket attach structure  54  may be attached to the cross bracket member  52  by welding, for example. The structure  54  may be fabricated to form a unitary structure with the cross bracket member  52 . The bracket attach structure  54  may be attached to the trailer tongue with U shaped fasteners  55 A, attach strips  55 B and threaded fasteners  55 C. This attachment technique allows the user to adjust the position of the bow guide system  50  along the length of the tongue  38 , to accommodate different boat sizes, for example. The bracket attach structure  54  may also be welded to the tongue in a more permanent arrangement, or attached by bolts passed through holes in the tongue. 
         [0019]    In an exemplary embodiment, the bow guide system  50  further includes guide arms  60 A and  60 B, which mount onto the angle brackets  54 A,  56 B. The guide arms are supported by the angle brackets, so that the boat hull may contact the guide arms during boat recovery and boat launching to maintain the hull in a generally centered orientation relative to the boat trailer. The lateral spacing between the guide arms may be adjusted so that there is a relatively snug fit of the boat bow between the guide arms, and this can assist in securing the boat in position on the trailer while traveling. For example, when traveling on rough rods, the guide arms can assist in keeping the bow of the boat from bouncing around. 
         [0020]    For this example, the guide arms  60 A,  60 B may be fabricated of PVC tubing, of a large enough diameter to fit onto the angle portions, yet be snug enough to be frictionally held in position. The guide arms may be fabricated in two sections, joined by an angle member, to allow angular rotation of a distal arm section relative to a section mounted on the angle bracket. Thus, as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 5 , guide arm  60 A, for example, may include PVC tube section  60 A 1  mounted onto the bracket angle portion  56 A, and a distal PVC section  60 A 3  coupled to section  60 A 1  by a PVC angle coupler  60 A 2 . Threaded fasteners  60 A 4  may be used to secure the sections together. The angle coupler may allow rotation of the distal section  60 A 3  about the longitudinal axis of the section  60 A 1 , with a sliding fit between the section  60 A 1  and the coupler  60 A 2 . The guide arms may be fabricated of PVC tubing with a 2 inch inner diameter, to fit over angle portions with a 1.5 inch outer dimension. 
         [0021]    The cross bracket member  52  provides a rigid structure connecting the guide arm support structures, which in an exemplary embodiment include the angle brackets  54 A,  54 B. The rigid connection structure imparts strength and rigidity to the guide arms, so that the arms are not knocked out of position due to hard contact with the boat bow, which might otherwise prevent the boat from centering properly during boat recovery operations, for example. Out of place guide arms could damage the boat or waste time in trying to launch or recover the boat. 
         [0022]    In some embodiments, a light kit may be installed on the guide arms.  FIG. 5  depicts an exemplary light kit  60 A- 6  mounted inside the guide arm section  60 A- 3 . The guide arm section may be fabricated of a transparent or translucent material to pass light from the light kit. The light kit may be an incandescent or LED light source, powered by a low voltage source connected by wires to a power source, or by a battery pack. 
         [0023]      FIGS. 6-8  illustrate an alternate embodiment of a bow guide system  150 , adapted for attachment to and use with an A-frame boat trailer  130 . This type of trailer generally has a frame with side rails  132 A,  132 B which meet at or adjacent the front of the trailer, near a trailer hitch location  134 . The system  150  includes a cross bracket member  152 , which may be mounted to the boat frame side rails  132 A,  132 B by U bolts  160 , straps  162  and nuts  164  as generally depicted in  FIG. 6 . In an exemplary embodiment the cross bracket member is a rectangular or square tube member, e.g., fabricated of a metal such as steel or aluminum. The system further includes angle arm members  154 A,  154 B, which each include a bracket attach portion for telescopically engaging an end portion of the cross bracket member, and an arm portion generally directed in an upward or angled fashion from an elbow portion. 
         [0024]      FIGS. 7-8  illustrate exemplary angle arm member  154  and its telescopic attachment to the cross bracket member  152 . The cross bracket member has a pair of holes  152 A formed in its upper and lower surfaces. The angle arm member includes a bracket attach portion  154 A- 1 , an elbow portion  154 A- 2  and an arm portion  154 A- 3 . The bracket attach portion of the angle arm member has a series of spaced holes  154 A- 4  formed through its upper and lower surfaces, and can be inserted into the hollow cross bracket member to a desired depth to set the spacing of the arm portion from the center of the trailer. With holes in the bracket attach portion lined up with the holes  152 A in the cross bracket member, a U bolt  170  can be inserted through the holes formed in both telescopic members, and secured with nuts  172 . 
         [0025]    The arm portions of the angle arm members  154 A,  154 B can be long enough to provide contact with the bow of the boat in some applications. However, it is contemplated that, for an exemplary embodiment, the angle arm members may be fabricated from a tube steel or metal stock, and bent with a tube bender or like tooling to assume the shape shown in  FIG. 8 . In this example, the angle arm portion may be covered with a softer material to prevent scratching or dinging the boat bow. Alternatively, the angle arm portions may be used to attach PVC guide arm sections, as depicted with the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . In this case, the guide arm sections may be slightly oversized relative to the angle arm portions to provide an sliding or interference fit. 
         [0026]    Exemplary embodiments of the bow guide system are readily attached to a boat trailer. The cross bracket structure may be positioned on the tongue or side rails of the trailer, attached in position, and the width of the guide arms adjusted for a snug fit of the bow. The brackets for the guide arms may be secured in the selected positions. 
         [0027]    A boat may be recovered onto a trailer by driving or in some instances pulling the boat toward the trailer while in the water. The bow of the boat is centered by allowing it to softly “bounce” off the guide arms, keeping it centered while the boat bow reaches the front of the trailer. The guide arms may be angled to follow the lines of the boat, e.g., as depicted in the exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 1 . The boat may be secured to the trailer using a cable hooked to the boat eyelet, and winched into place against the trailer bow guide roller  32  ( FIG. 1 ) in the typical manner. 
         [0028]    Although the foregoing has been a description and illustration of specific embodiments of the subject matter, various modifications and changes thereto can be made by persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as defined by the following claims.