Boat docking backstop

A device that attaches to the center of a boat slip so a boat entering the slip will engage the device. The device consist of a central vertical member having a horizontal support bar on one end so that the horizontal support bar is approximately centered with respect to the vertical member and is approximately perpendicular thereto. Each end of the horizontal support bar is provided with a forwardly inclined leg that engages the rear end of an approaching boat as the boat backs into the boat slip. Each leg is capable of flexing slightly rearward when engaged by the boat to slow and stop the boat, preventing damage to both the boat and the dock. An alternate embodiment eliminates the vertical member.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention is a backstop that attaches to a boat dock and serves as a shock absorber to slow and cushion a boat as the boat is backed into a boat slip, thereby preventing damage to both the boat and the boat dock.

2. Description of the Related Art

A variety of devices have been used to protect a boat and a boat slip from damage that could occur as a boat is entering a boat slip. Many of these devices are attached on the sides of either the boat or the boat slip to prevent damage to the sides of the boat or boat slip. Other devices attach to the boat dock and are designed to receive the front end of a boat as the boat enters the boat slip.

The present invention is designed for use on a boat slip where a larger boat is to be docked. Larger boats generally enter a boat slip so that the back end of the boat enters the boat slip. The present invention is provided with at least two arms that are angled toward the water where the approaching boat will enter the boat slip. The arms are designed so that when the rear end of the boat engages with them, they will flex slightly rearward to act as a shock absorber to slow the approach of the boat and to prevent damage to both the boat and the boat slip as the boat is docked.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a device that attaches to a boat dock. Specifically, the device secures to the center of a boat dock slip such that a boat entering the slip will engage the device which serves as a shock absorber to slow and stop the boat, thereby preventing damage to the boat and to the boat slip.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is provided with a central vertical member that is designed to be secured to a surface located on the dock approximately in the center of a boat slip. One end of the vertical member is provided with a horizontal support bar that is attached to the vertical member so that the horizontal support bar is approximately centered with respect to the vertical member. Each end of the horizontal support bar is provided with a forwardly inclined leg. Each leg forms an acute angle with the vertical member when viewed from the side, and both legs are at approximately the same incline such that both legs will engage the rear end an approaching of a boat approximately simultaneously as the boat backs into the boat slip. Although the angles at which the legs are positioned relative to the vertical member are not critical, the angle is preferably within the range of 45 to 5 degrees and the angle will preferably be determined by the size of the boat with which the device is to be employed.

Each leg is capable of flexing slightly rearward toward the vertical member when engaged by the rear end of a boat, thereby slowing and stopping the boat as the boat enters the boat slip to prevent damage to both the boat and the boat slip as the boat is docked.

An alternate embodiment of the invention eliminates the vertical member and the horizontal member attaches directly to a horizontal portion of the boat slip.

Both the preferred embodiment and the alternate embodiment can be installed with the legs angled downward or upward. The critical thing when installing either of the embodiments is that the arms are positioned on the dock where the rear of the boat will engage the arms as the boat is backed into the boat slip and that the legs are at such an angle that they can flex rearward sufficiently to serve as a shock absorber for an approaching boat.

Both of the embodiments may be secured to the boat dock by bolts, brackets or any other suitable attachment means.

Preferably, each embodiment is constructed of a material, such as for example high density polyethylene pipe, that will flex slightly without breaking and will return to its original configuration once pressure is removed. If polyurethane pipe is employed to construct the device, the pipe is preferably thermally fused together to accomplish the construction.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings and initially toFIGS. 1-3, the present invention is a boat docking backstop device10that attaches to a boat dock12. Specifically, the device10secures to a vertical surface, a horizontal surface or other suitable structure14on the boat dock12at approximately the center of a boat dock slip16such that, as shown inFIGS. 5 and 6, a boat18entering the slip16will engage the device10which serves as a shock absorber to slow and stop the rearward motion of the boat18, thereby preventing damage to the boat18and to the boat slip16.

A preferred embodiment10of the invention is provided with a central vertical member20that is designed to be secured to a structure14located on the dock12approximately in the center of a boat slip16. One end22of the vertical member20is provided with a horizontal support bar24that is attached to the vertical member20so that the horizontal support bar24is approximately centered with respect to the vertical member20and is approximately perpendicular to the vertical member20. Each end26A and26B of the horizontal support bar24is provided with a forwardly inclined leg,28A and28B respectively.

Each leg28A and28B forms an acute angle W with the vertical member20when viewed from the side, as shown inFIG. 4. Although the angle W at which the legs are positioned relative to the vertical member are not critical, the angle W is preferably within the range of 45 to 5 degrees to provide sufficient distance for the legs28A and28B to flex backward to serve as a shock absorber for an approaching boat18. A more preferable range of angle W is within the range of 25 to 5 degrees, with the most preferred range of angle @ being within the range of 15-5 degrees.

Also, both legs28A and28B are at approximately the same incline or angle W such that both legs28A and28B will engage the rear end30an approaching of a boat18approximately simultaneously as the boat18backs into the boat slip16, as shown by Arrow A inFIGS. 5 and 6.

As illustrated inFIG. 6, each leg28A and28B is capable of flexing slightly rearward, as shown by Arrow B, toward the vertical member20when engaged by the rear end30of a boat18, thereby slowing and stopping the boat18as the boat18enters the boat slip16to prevent damage to both the boat18and the boat slip16as the boat18is docked.

Referring now toFIGS. 7-9, there is illustrated an alternate embodiment10A of the invention. The alternate embodiment10A is similar to the preferred embodiment10, but it eliminates the vertical member20and the horizontal member or horizontal support bar24attaches directly to a horizontal portion32of the boat slip16. The angle of incline Angle X or the angle of each of the legs28A and28B relative to a vertical orientation, which is represented inFIG. 9by dashed line V, for the legs28A and28B of the alternate embodiment10A will be determined by the way that the horizontal support bar24mounts to the horizontal portion32of the boat slip16, but the legs28A and28B will be installed so that they are inclined toward the incoming boat18and away from the boat dock12.

Both the preferred embodiment10and the alternate embodiment10A can be installed with the legs28A and28B angled downward, as illustrated for the preferred embodiment10inFIG. 1, or angled upward, as illustrated for the preferred embodiment10inFIG. 2. The critical thing when installing either of the embodiments10or10A is that the arms28A and28B are positioned on the dock12at a location where the rear end30of the boat18will engage the arms28A and28B as the boat18is backed into the boat slip16.

Both of the embodiments10and10A are to be secured to the boat dock12by suitable attachment means34, such as bolts, brackets, etc.

Preferably, each embodiment10and10A is constructed of a material, such as for example polyethylene pipe that will flex slightly without breaking and will return to its original configuration once pressure is removed. If polyethylene pipe is employed to construct the device, the pipe is preferably thermally fused together to accomplish the construction.