Patent Publication Number: US-8534212-B1

Title: Pontoon boat fender and method of using the same

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The present disclosure is directed to a pontoon boat fender with a fence guard portion that protects a fence upstanding from a deck of a pontoon boat at a peripheral edge of the pontoon boat deck and a bumper or pontoon guard portion that is moveable between an extended position that overlies and protects at least a portion of the pontoon of the pontoon boat in a docking mode and retracted position that exposes the pontoon of the pontoon boat and allows for the navigation of the pontoon boat. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a pontoon boat fender mounted to a pontoon boat; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the pontoon boat fender of  FIG. 1  with the bumper or pontoon guard portion shown in a retracted position; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a pontoon boat fender of  FIG. 1  with the bumper or pontoon guard portion of the pontoon fender shown in an extended position; 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of the pontoon boat fender of  FIG. 1  with the bumper or pontoon guard portion shown in a retracted position; and 
         FIG. 5  is a rear perspective view of the pontoon boat fender with the bumper or pontoon guard portion shown in a position between the retracted position and the extended position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of a pontoon boat fender  10 . The pontoon boat fender  10  is adapted to be releasably mounted to a pontoon boat, so the fender may be deployed as necessary when the boat is in use or stowed as necessary when the boat is not in use, as may be desired. Preferably, the pontoon boat fender  10  is releasably mounted between a deck  12  of the pontoon boat and a fence  14  extending around a periphery of the pontoon boat deck. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the pontoon boat fence  14  extends upwardly and generally vertically from the deck  12  around the outer periphery of the deck. In this position, the pontoon boat fender  10  may be mounted on the outboard side of the pontoon boat to protect the fence and a pontoon  16  below the deck as will become evident from the discussion that follows. In view of the marine environment, the pontoon fender is preferably made from polyvinyl materials to withstand the elements and provide cushioning. For instance, the pontoon boat fender may be made from a polyethylene material with a soft inner core of PVC to absorb impact. The pontoon boat fender may also be made from a vinyl material with a soft PVC core to absorb impact. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the pontoon boat fender  10  preferably comprises a fence guard portion  18  that is adapted to be mounted on the pontoon boat. When the pontoon boat fender is mounted to the fence as shown in  FIG. 1 , the fence guard portion  18  is in position to protect at least a portion of the fence when the pontoon boat is brought alongside another object or is in a docked position. Preferably, the fence guard portion  18  has a length that is dimensioned to accommodate a height of the fence  14  and a thickness of the deck  12  and its associated structure. Preferably, the fence guard portion  18  overlies at least a portion of the fence, and when the pontoon boat fender is mounted to the fence, a proximal end  20  of the fence guard portion is generally adjacent to a top of the fence  22 , and a distal end  24  of the fence guard portion is generally adjacent to the deck  12  of the pontoon boat. 
     The pontoon boat fender  10  also comprises a bumper or pontoon guard portion  30  that is operatively coupled to the fence guard portion. The bumper or pontoon guard portion  30  is preferably movable relative to the fence guard portion  18  between a docking or extended position and a navigating or retracted position. In the docking or extended position, the bumper or pontoon guard portion  30  is extended away from the fence guard portion  18  such that a distal end  32  of the pontoon guard portion may be spaced from the distal end  24  of the fence guard portion and the bumper or pontoon guard portion may be positioned to overlie a portion of the pontoon  16 . With the bumper or pontoon guard portion  30  overlying the outboard portion of the pontoon  16 , the bumper or pontoon guard portion may be positioned to protect at least a portion of the pontoon from impact from objects alongside the pontoon boat. The distal end  32  of the bumper or pontoon guard portion may be provided with an inboard tab  34  to engage the underside curvature of the pontoon. In the navigating or retracted position, the bumper or pontoon guard portion  30  is retracted toward the fence guard portion  18  such that the bumper or pontoon guard distal end  32  is adjacent to the fence guard portion distal end  24 . This allows the boat to be navigated without the bumper or pontoon guard portion being subjected to waves or a wake action generated by the pontoon during underway motion of the pontoon boat. Because the pontoon guard portion  30  may be moved between the docking or extended position and the navigating or retracted position, the pontoon boat fender may be mounted to the pontoon boat and ready for use in either position or mode as necessary depending upon whether the user is navigating or docking. 
     The fence guard portion  18  may comprise a shell with a hollow interior  40 . The fence guard portion may have an opening  42  at its proximal end and an opening  44  at its distal end both leading into the hollow interior. The bumper or pontoon guard portion  30  may be received in the hollow interior  40  of the shell in a manner to permit reciprocal sliding motion of the bumper or pontoon guard portion  30  in the hollow interior relative to the fence guard portion  18  between the docking or extended position and the navigating or retracted position. The bumper or pontoon guard portion  30  may also be provided with a handle  46  at its proximal end to allow operation of the bumper or pontoon guard portion within the hollow interior of the shell. A slot  48  may provided in the fence guard portion to accommodate and/or allow access to the handle to facilitate operation of the bumper or pontoon guard portion within the hollow interior of the shell. The handle  46  may project from the slot  48  a distance to enable the handle to function as a lower stop to limit downward motion of the bumper or pontoon guard portion. An upper stop  49  may be provided in the hollow interior  40  adjacent the fence guard portion proximal end opening  42  to limit outward motion of the bumper or pontoon guard portion  30 . 
     To maintain the bumper or pontoon guard portion  30  in a desired position relative to the fence guard portion  18 , an elastic locking band  50  may be provided. The locking band  50  may be arranged on the fender to cooperate with the bumper or fence guard portion to hold the bumper in position. For instance, as shown in the figures, the locking band  50  may be used to hold the bumper or pontoon guard portion  30  against the upper stop  49  in the navigating position. However, the locking band  50  may also be used to maintain the bumper in the docking position. Preferably, the elastic locking band  50  is arranged across the slot  48  of the fence guard portion and cooperates with the handle  46 . More preferably, the elastic locking band cooperates with the handle to maintain the bumper portion in the navigating position. 
     Referring specifically to  FIG. 4 , the fence guard portion  18  is provided with a tab  60  at its proximal end  20 . Preferably, the tab  60  allows the proximal end  20  of the fence guard portion to be attached to the fence  12  ( FIG. 1 ). The tab  60  is spaced from a back surface  62  of the fence guard portion  18  to enable the fence guard portion to be attached around the fence. Typically, the fence is one inch square tubing. The spacing of the tab  60  accommodates this geometry, although another spacing arrangement may be used depending upon the geometry of the fence. 
     Specifically referring to  FIG. 4 , the fence guard portion  18  has a hook  70  operatively connected to the distal end  24  of the fence guard portion. The hook  70  cooperates with the tab  60  to allow releasably mounting of the pontoon boat fender to the pontoon boat. Preferably, the hook  70  engages the underside of the deck structure  12  ( FIG. 1 ), although the hook may be positioned to engage another portion of the boat structure or fence structure. Preferably, the hook  70  is positioned on an adjustment strap  72  so that the hook is movable relative to the tab  60  to allow adjustably mounting and unmounting of the fender as desired depending upon boat style, fence height, deck thickness, deck structure, and other mounting structure variables. The strap has a proximal end  74  that may be grasped by the user, for instance, when pulling the strap to secure the fender on the boat. The strap has a distal end  76  that may be fixed to the fence guard portion adjacent to the distal end  24  of the fence guard portion. Preferably, the strap  72  extends through a slot  78  within the fence guard portion  18  that extends from the distal end  24  of the fence guard portion to the proximal end  20  of the fence guard portion. This allows the hook  70  to freely slide along the adjustment strap  72  and be supported by the adjustment strap in a position below the adjustment strap and adjacent to the distal end  24  of the fence guard portion in the same relative plane as the tab. This in turn enables the pontoon fender to be mounted in a generally vertical plane parallel to the fence. The adjustment strap preferably has a length allowing the pontoon fender to be used with a variety of fence heights and pontoon boats manufactured by different manufacturers. Although the hook is shown in the figures as attached to the strap, in addition to, or in the alternative, the tab may be attached to a strap with a similar arrangement to that shown in the drawings. 
     After exiting the slot  78  toward the proximal end  20  of the fence guard portion, the adjustment strap  72  may be directed through a buckle  90  to releasably engage the adjustment strap along its length as desired to releasably secure the pontoon fender between the deck and top of the fence. The buckle may comprise a cam operated lever that frictionally engages the adjustment strap in a locked position and releases the strap in an unlocked position. Preferably, the buckle  90  is provided at the fence guard proximal end  20  for ease of use, although the buckle may be provided in another area of the fence guard portion. In the alternative to a buckle, the strap may be tightened against the fence guard portion using other mechanical means, for instance, a hook and loop fastener system to releasably engage the strap to the fence guard portion. Although the strap as shown is inextendable once fastened with the buckle, the strap may also be formed from an elastic material, i.e., bungee cords or elastic bands, to secure the pontoon boat fender to the fence. A handle  96  may be provided on fence guard portion back surface  62  to aid in maneuvering the fender. 
     To attach the pontoon boat fender to the pontoon boat, the user operates the buckle  90  to loosen the strap  72  and lower the hook  70 . Then the user lifts the fender over the side of the fence and engages the tab  60  between the top  22  of the fence and the seat cushion. The user then preferably engages the underside of the deck with the hook  70  and pulls up on the strap  72  to securely engage the hook on the underside of the deck  12 . The user then engages the buckle  90  to secure the strap in position. At this point, the fence guard portion  18  overlies the outboard portion of the fence  14  and protects the fence structure of the boat from dock structures or other objects alongside the boat. The locking band  50  may then be released from the handle  46  and handle may be pushed downward to place the bumper or pontoon guard portion  30  in the docking or extended position. At this point the bumper or pontoon guard portion  30  overlies the outboard side of the pontoon  16  and protects the pontoon from dock structures or other objects alongside the boat. To the remove the fender, the user performs the steps in reverse order. The handle  46  is lifted upward to move the bumper or pontoon guard portion  30  to the navigating or retracted position and the locking band  50  is manipulated to engage the handle. Next, the user lifts up on the buckle  90  to release the strap, and holding onto the boat fender, the user lifts upward an amount that is sufficient to release the hook  70  from the underside of the deck  12  when the fender is moved back downward. Once the hook is disengaged from the deck, the boat fender may be pulled over the side of the fence and placed on the deck. 
     While specific embodiments have been described in detail in the foregoing detailed description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, those with ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that various modifications and alternatives to those details could be developed in light of the overall teachings of the disclosure. Accordingly, the particular arrangements disclosed were meant to be illustrative only and not limited as to the scope of the invention which is to be given the full breadth of the appended claims and any equivalents thereof.