Personal watercraft surface protector

A personal watercraft surface protector is provided for protecting the top front portion of personal watercraft. Designed to be an accessory to be used with the many models made by various manufacturers, the protector is molded into an overall cup-like shape in order to fit over the nose of a personal watercraft. The protector is formed of a plurality of layers, having a center protective layer formed of a single molded piece of impact absorbing material, such as rubber, having a plurality of suction cups formed integral to and extending downward from the center protective layer. The suction cups cover the inner lining of the protector for temporarily affixing the protector to the outer surface of a personal watercraft. An outer decorative layer and a smooth, scratch resistant inner layer are also provided.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates generally to vehicle surface protectors and, 
more particularly, to a body surface protector for use with personal 
watercraft. 
2. Description of the Related Art 
Personal watercraft, as they are generically known, have become immensely 
popular in recent years. A major problem associated with demanding use of 
such water vehicles is that the top and front of the craft can incur 
scrapes and nicks when docked. In addition to protection from abrasions, 
protection from moderate impact would increase the longevity of the craft 
and its looks, thereby increasing resale value. 
In the related art, other methods of protecting the outer hull surface of 
water vehicles are known. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,394,821, issued 
in the name of Ziegler et al., a protective covering for a watercraft is 
disclosed for completely circumscribing the upper portion of the hull of a 
boat. And, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,355,822, issued in the name of Lemke, a 
bumper fender is disclosed depicting a portable cushion for movably 
placing between a dock and a boat. Similarly, in U.S. Des. Pat. No. 
297,627, issued in the name of Patton, a boat bumper is disclosed 
appearing to function in a similar manner. 
Further, there are also examples of protective devices for protecting the 
upper surface of a water vehicle. Examples include U.S. Pat. No. 
4,922,849, issued in the name of Wills, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,815,412, 
issued in the name of Cassaro, Jr. 
And finally, there has been one known attempt to partially protect both the 
outer surface as well as the upper surface of a water vehicle. In U.S. 
Pat. No. 5,291,848, issued in the name of Wilhelm et al., a protective 
boat hood is disclosed. 
Consequently, a need has been felt for providing an apparatus which 
combines the benefits of protecting both the outer front surface as well 
as the upper front surface of a water vehicle other than a boat, namely a 
personal watercraft. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved 
body surface protector for personal watercraft. 
It is a feature of the present invention to provide an improved surface 
protector for personal watercraft which utilizes suction cups on the 
underside for securing the protector to the watercraft. 
Briefly described according to the preferred embodiment of the present 
invention, a protective cover for the top front portion of personal 
watercraft is provided. Designed to be an accessory to be used with the 
many models made by various manufacturers, the protector would appear 
similar to the bras available for the front ends of sports cars. As a 
single molded piece including body-hugging curves, holes are provided to 
accommodate the rope hole located in the front of these vessels. On the 
underside, suction cups provide an easy way to secure it as well as easy 
removal. 
An advantage of the present invention is that personal watercraft can be 
protected from the nicks and abrasions which occur when docking. 
Another advantage of the present invention is that the craft is also 
protected from impact, sunlight, and the elements. 
Further, a preferred embodiment of the present invention can be made in 
various colors, designs and textures for adding a sporty appeal to the 
craft.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
1. Detailed Description of the Figures 
Referring now to FIG. 1, a personal watercraft surface protector 1 is 
shown, according to the present invention, for protecting the top front 
portion of personal watercraft. Designed to be an accessory to be used 
with the many models made by various manufacturers, the protector 1 is 
molded into an overall cup-like shape in order to fit over the nose of a 
personal watercraft. A universal shape can be utilized in order to provide 
a generic fit for all brands and types of watercraft, or a customized 
shape can be developed for each individual make and model. Overall, the 
protector would appear similar to the bras available for the front ends of 
sports cars. 
As shown in FIG. 2, the protector 1 is formed of a plurality of layers. A 
center protective layer 20 is formed of a single molded piece of impact 
absorbing material, such as rubber. Formed integral to and extending 
downward from the center protective layer 20 are a plurality of suction 
cups 22. These suction cups 22 cover the inner lining of the protector 1, 
and form the attachment means for temporarily affixing the protector 1 to 
the outer surface of a personal watercraft 30 (as shown in FIG. 3.) 
Covering the outer surface of the center protective layer 20 is an outer 
decorative layer 24. It is envisioned that the outer decorative layer 24 
comprises a polyurethane or other smooth, colorful, decorative material. 
The outer layer 24 is adhered directly to the outer surface of the center 
layer 20. A smooth, scratch resistant inner layer 26 is affixed to the 
inner surface of the center protective layer 20, and provides a scratch 
resistant lining. In order for the suction cups 22 to be able to adhere to 
the surface of the personal watercraft properly, the suction cups 22 must 
protrude through the inner layer 26. 
2. Operation of the Preferred Embodiment 
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, as 
shown in FIG. 3, the protector 1 is slipped over the nose of a personal 
watercraft 30. In order to facilitate adhesion of the suction cups 22 to 
the watercraft 30, the protector 1 can be wetted prior to attachment. 
Removal of the protector 1 is accomplished by slowly and gently 
disengaging the suction cups 22 from the surface of the watercraft 30 so 
as to avoid tearing or stretching the material. As depicted, it is 
envisioned that access apertures 32 would be provided, depending upon the 
specific needs of the user's personal watercraft 30, such as to provide 
access for docking lugs, towing hooks, or the like. 
The foregoing description is included to illustrate the operation of the 
preferred embodiment and is not meant to limit the scope of the invention. 
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill that many minor variations 
can be performed to the present invention within the scope of the present 
teachings. Therefore, the scope of the invention is to be limited only by 
the following claims.