Patent Publication Number: US-6220197-B1

Title: Anchoring and operating device for a watercraft

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The use of fishing boats or marine vessels in shallow water or along the edge of the shoreline goes hand in hand with the success of a fishing effort. For the same reason, fish harbor in the brush or along the shoreline, larger fish prey on smaller fish near these hiding places. When fishing in these areas, the operator of the boat must be able to maneuver the boat without hitting the brush and follow the indications provided by a fishfinder. 
     A trolling motor is the most common means of navigating in shallow or hazardous water at a slow speed but fails to provide any provisions for stopping the boat. If a boat is taken near the shoreline for fishing, the trolling motor makes the boat sail, often into the shoreline damaging the boat or quickly through schools of fish. Stumps often provide the most hazardous damage to boats and are capable of damaging the trolling motor as well. 
     Some of the earliest means for operating the boat on a waterway was provided by men using long poles to push off the river bed to move the boat along the waterway. Such poles are also well known to provide a means for breaking boats or docking a boat. Nevertheless, there exists a need for operating and stopping boats in hazardous waterways for recreational use. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to a device for operating and anchoring a watercraft in water areas with brush, stumps, in shallow areas, and along shoreline. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a device which is attachable to a watercraft and has an adjustable universally operated pole that may be locked into anchoring position. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide and operating and anchoring device for a boat used for fishing in congested areas. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a device for quickly anchoring a watercraft for fishing in a congested area. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a device for operating a boat in a congested areas and then anchoring the boat. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a device for quickly moving and anchoring a boat in a congested area. 
     The present invention provides the operator of a watercraft with a device for operating the watercraft in hazardous areas without the need of a trolling motor and without damaging the boat. The device includes an easy to operate spud assembly which includes a bracket that may be retrofitted onto any watercraft already in use. The spud assembly permits the operator to immediately stop the watercraft for temporary anchoring or long term anchoring. The spud assembly also permits the operator to walk the watercraft around brush piles in the water, along shorelines, in shallow water or through pilings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a plan view of a device for operating and anchoring a watercraft. 
     FIG. 2 is a top plan view a device for operating and anchoring a watercraft. 
     FIG. 3 is a partial cross sectional view taken along lines  2 — 2  of FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 4 is an partial cross sectional of the device shown in FIG. 3 in an unlocked position. 
     FIG. 5 is a partial view of FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A device  1  for operating and anchoring a watercraft  2  on a body of water is illustrated in FIG.  1 . Although the device is mounted on the watercraft shown in FIG. 1, the device may be adopted to mount on any similar type of watercraft. The device is used on small boats, such as fishing boats, in areas where trolling motors and drag anchors fail to provide the needed mobility and quick stopping ability. Hazardous areas near the shore on lakes and rivers often include brush piles, stumps, and rocks which could put a hole in a boat hull or damage a motor, even a trolling motor. 
     The present invention solves all the problems of operating a boat or watercraft in hazardous shallow water or along a shoreline. As shown in FIG. 2, the device  1  includes a bracket  10  with a pair of mounting flanges  11  and  12 . First mounting flange  11  includes four apertures for mounting the bracket  10  to the side of the boat  2  with any well known fastening device. The first mounting flange  11  has an L-shaped configuration as shown in the drawings. Second mounting flange  12  is welded to the first mounting flange  11  or may be integrally formed of the same material such as steel or iron. As assembled and as illustrated in FIG. 1, first mounting flange  11  is connected to the boat and the second mounting flange  12  extends over the water. 
     The second mounting flange  12  includes a top surface  13 , a bottom surface  14  and a central opening  15 . Positioned on the top surface  13  over the central opening  15  of the second mounting flange  12  is a spud assembly  20 . The spud assembly  20  includes a maneuvering housing  21  and a lock retaining cup  22 . The lock retaining cup  22  has an outer radial wall  23 , an inner radial wall  24 , a bottom wall  25  and a central opening  26 . The lock retaining cup  22  is welded to the maneuvering housing  21 . The maneuvering housing  21  is formed by an upper flangette  27  and a lower flangette  28 , each having central openings  29 ,  30  and central flanges  32 ,  33 . Each central flange is cupped at one end and the flangettes are welded back to back with each respective flange facing in the opposite direction to form an outer housing  35  for receiving a maneuvering ring  36 . The maneuvering ring  36  is rotatably and universally supported for movement within the outer housing  35 . The maneuvering ring  36  has a central aperture  37  for receiving an operating cylinder  38 . The operating cylinder  38  is about two to three feet long and includes an outer surface  39  and an inner surface  40 . The operating cylinder  38  is securely connected to the maneuvering ring  36  for rotational and universal movement in union with the maneuvering ring  36  inside the outer housing. 
     Adjustably positioned within the operating cylinder is a pole  41 . The pole  41  is preferably at least 15 feet long and is inserted through the inside of the operating cylinder. The pole is used for moving the operating cyclinder and accordingly operating the boat along the water. The pole may be made of any heavyweight material and could be constructed of telescoping sections for compact storage. The pole is positioned through the operating cylinder so that both ends of the pole  41  extend outside of the assembly. Top portion  42  of the pole includes a flatten section  43  and bottom end  44  of the pole is formed to dig into the ground below the water. The bottom end of the pole may be provided with other shapes or even attachments shapes depending on the underwater terrain. 
     In order to anchor the boat, a locking means  50  is provided for locking the maneuvering ring  36 , the operating cylinder  38 , and the pole  41  within the spud assembly  20 . The locking means  50  includes a lock  51  and a lock housing  52 . The lock housing  52  has a central cylindrical section  53 , an outer cylindrical section  54 , and a top washer section  55 . Each of the sections has a central opening  56 ,  57 ,  58 . The central cylindrical section  53  has an upper member  59  which is welded to bottom surface  60  of the top washer section  55 . The outer cylindrical section  54  has an outer wall surface  61  and an upper top portion  62  which also welded to the bottom surface  60  of the top washer section  55 . The diameter of the central opening  56  of the central cylindrical section  53  is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the operating cylinder  38 . The locking means  50  is slidably supported on the operating cylinder  38  by positioning the central cylindrical section  53  along the outer surface  39  of the operating cylinder  38 . The outside diameter of the outer cylindrical section  54  is slightly smaller than the inside diameter of the inner radial wall  24  of the retaining cup. 
     The locking means  50  has an operating means  70  for locking and unlocking the spud assembly  20 . The operating means  70  includes a cord  71  secured to the lock housing  51  through apertures  73  and  74  in the top washer section  55 . The locking means  50  is removed from the spud assembly by pulling on the cord. 
     As shown in FIG. 5, a set screw and clamp assembly  80  is used to secure the pole against the inside surface of the operating cylinder. The assembly  80  includes a set screw  81 , a clamp  82  and a pair of stops  83  and  84 . The set screw  81  is turned to push the clamp  82  against the flatten section of the pole and wedge the pole against the inside surface of the operating cylinder to prevent movement of the pole . The stops limit movement of the clamp against the pole to prevent over tightening. The set screw  81  is positioned in an opening  85  in the operating cylinder  38  to limit vertical and horizontal movement of the pole when needed. The set screw  81  may be tightened or loosened to position the pole at a selected height or depth. 
     In order to operate the device in hazardous or shallow water, the locking means is released by pulling on the cord  71  and releasing the set screw and clamp. The pole is then dropped to the bottom and used to move the boat in the water. After selecting a stopping point, the locking means is inserted into the locking cup until the central cylindrical section  53  contacts the maneuvering locking movement of the maneuvering, the operating cylinder and the pole. 
     The operator or fisherman may use the device to operate a boat in water areas with brush or along shorelines. As fish are spotted with a fishfinder the user may release the locking means  50  to drop the pole to the bottom and walk the boat to the fish. The boat may then be anchored directly over the fish without drifting problems. If the boat must be moved a few feet, the locking means may be released and quickly reinserted whenever the user sets the pole in the bed or bottom.