Sportfishing outrigger devices

Improved spreader assemblies for cable trussed masts of sportfishing boat outriggers have spreader arms formed of straight metal tubing and a cable guide through which one of the cables passes is removably fitted into the outboard end of each spreader arm. There is a spreader arm holder that includes a collar sized to encircle the mast and four bores in such collar are positioned in a common transverse plane spaced 90.degree. apart in which the inboard ends of the spreader arms are retained. A lug extends laterally from the collar at each collar bore location creating an extension of the respective bore to provide support to the inboard end of the spreader arm inserted in such bore.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This application relates generally to outrigger devices. More particularly, 
it concerns novel and improved outrigger devices of the cable trussed type 
used on sportfishing boats. 
Description of the Prior Art 
Outriggers are frequently used on sportfishing boats to releasably hold a 
fishing line outboard of the boat. The purpose of such outrigger systems 
is to trail the fishing line from a position to the side of the boat and 
well above the water so that a number of separate baits can be trolled 
astern at the same time positioned in the water at laterally spaced 
locations. This is accomplished by running the fishing line from the 
fishing pole in the boat cockpit to a release clip mounted on a rigging 
halyard carried by the outrigger and thence astern of the boat. The 
release clip is arranged so that when a fish strikes the bait, the line 
will separate from the outrigger system and allow the angler to play the 
fish directly from his fishing pole in the boat cockpit. 
Outrigger devices to which this invention pertains are formed of a tubular 
mast of modest diameter which is strengthened against bending or buckling 
by longitudinal cable truss systems that include spreader arms to stand 
off the cable from the mast to create a truss unit. Such outrigger devices 
are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,632,050, the contents of which are 
incorporated herein by reference. 
OBJECTS 
A principal object of the invention is the provision of improved forms of 
sportfishing boat outrigger devices. 
Further objects include the provision of: 
1. New forms of cable trussed outrigger masts that are improved to protect 
them from appreciable damage upon inadvertent impact with pilings, 
bridges, docks, etc. 
2. Such assemblies that permit broken spreader arms to be replaced without 
need to take the outrigger mast apart or to remove the spreader assembly 
from the mast. 
3. Outrigger spreader arm units of unique construction permitting them to 
be made with substantial reduction in material requirements and cost of 
manufacture. 
Other objects and further scope of applicability of the present invention 
will become apparent from the detailed descriptions given herein; it 
should be understood, however, that the detailed descriptions, while 
indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of 
illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the 
spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent from such 
descriptions. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
This invention provides improvements in outrigger devices for sportfishing 
boats that have a tubular mast together with a plurality of truss cables 
positioned about and extending longitudinally of the mast to resist 
bending thereof and at least one spreader assembly carried by such mast 
comprising a plurality of tubular spreader arms each having an inboard end 
and an outboard end integral with a central body section, each said 
spreader arm being associated with one of the cables to forcibly stand off 
such cable laterally from the mast. 
The objects are accomplished in accordance with the invention by the 
provision of improved spreader assemblies for such outrigger devices. 
In the new spreader assemblies, the spreader arms are formed of metal 
tubing which, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, is threaded on 
the inboard end. In another embodiment, the inboard end may be unthreaded. 
A cable guide through which one of the mast cables passes is removably 
fitted into each outboard end of each spreader arm. 
The spreader assemblies further include a spreader arm holder that 
comprises a collar sized to encircle the outrigger mast. There are four 
bores in the collar positioned in a common transverse plane spaced 
90.degree. apart into which the inboard ends of the spreader arms extend. 
A lug extends laterally from the collar at each collar bore location 
creating an extension of the respective bore to provide support to the 
inboard end of the spreader arm inserted into such bore. Each lug includes 
a longitudinal slot and a matching boring to admit the beaded end of the a 
truss cable or screwlink of a turnbuckle. Such matching boring is 
structured so that when such beaded end is operatively positioned therein 
and the spreader arm is positioned in the collar bore, the screwlink is 
captured in the collar. 
With the new spreader assemblies constructed in this manner, an arm that 
may be bent or broken can be quickly replaced without requiring 
dismantling of other parts of the outrigger device. Further, while the 
assemblies utilize inexpensive, straight metal tubing for the spreader 
arms and a simple connection between such tubing and the assembly collar, 
the arrangement of the collar lugs supports the tubing when subjected to 
side thrusts while permitting limited flexing movement in the cable guides 
at the outboard ends in response to gable action. Hence, sturdy, reliable 
spreader assemblies are provided in accordance with the invention with 
substantial reduction in material requirements and production costs as 
compared with related devices of the prior art.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring in detail to the drawings in which identical parts are 
identically numbered, the improved outrigger device 2 comprises a unique 
spreader assembly 4 having spreader arms 6 associated with cables 8 to 
forcibly stand off each cable 8 laterally from the mast 10. 
The spreader arms 6 are formed of straight tubing threaded on their inboard 
ends 12. A cable guide 14, through which one of the cables 8 passes, is 
removably fitted into the outboard end 16 of each spreader arm 6. 
Advantageously, the arms 6 are made of aluminum metal and the guides 14 
are injection molded plastic. 
The spreader assembly 4 includes a collar 18 sized to encircle the mast 10 
and four threaded bores 20 therein are positioned in a common transverse 
plane spaced 90.degree. apart into which the inboard ends 12 of the 
spreader arms 6 are screwed. Preferably the collars 18 are machined out of 
aluminum metal bar stock. 
A lug 22 extends laterally from the collar 18 at each collar bore 20 
location creating an extension of the respective bore to provide support 
to the inboard end 12 of the spreader arm 8 screwed into such bore 20. 
Each lug 22 includes a longitudinal slot 24 and a matching boring 26 to 
admit the beaded end 28 of the screwlink 30 of a turnbuckle 32. Such 
matching boring 26 is structured so that when such beaded end 28 is 
operatively positioned therein and the spreader arm 6 is screwed into the 
collar bore 20, the screwlink 30 is captured in the respective collar lug 
22. 
In another embodiment of the invention (not shown), the inboard end of the 
the spreader arms are not threaded and they are retained in the collar by 
a cotter pin, bolt or equivalent fastener. 
The mast 10 is formed of a plurality of tubular sections 10a and 10b 
telescoped together in the vicinity of the spreader assembly 4. For this 
purpose, the collar 18 has an upper axial bore 34 substantially equal in 
diameter to the outside diameter of the tubular section 10a and a lower 
axial bore 36 substantially equal in diameter to the outside diameter of 
the tubular section 10b. The sections 10a and 10b overlap (see FIG. 2) and 
a bolt 38 extends though opposed holes 40 in the collar 18 and matching 
holes 42 in the tubular sections 10a and 10b to lock them in place in the 
collar 18 thereby providing a rigid mast 10. 
In the new outrigger devices of the invention, all parts can be 
disassembled. This provides advantages for both their manufacture and use. 
As to manufacture, such devices may be packaged "knockdown" at one 
location for shipment and assembly at another location. Since such 
shipment can be done in relatively small packages, great savings in 
shipping and warehousing costs are attained. Further, because of the 
structure of the cable guide tips 14, all of the truss cables 8 can be 
finished at both ends before they are installed on the masts 10 to form 
the complete outrigger device 2. 
Also of importance to the sportfishing boat owner, repairs of damaged 
devices of the invention are easily made without need for major 
disassembly. For example, should a spreader arm 6 be broken by impact with 
a bridge or piling, repair is quickly accomplished. Thus, the 
corresponding cable 8 is relaxed by manipulation of a turnbuckle 32, the 
cable 8 is withdrawn from the guide tip 14, the damaged arm 6 is removed 
from the collar 18 and is replaced in reverse manner with a replacement 
spreader arm 6.