Patent Publication Number: US-9849937-B1

Title: Boating safety device

Description:
FIELD 
     This invention relates to the field of boating and more particularly to a device for reducing the chances of a pleasure craft sinking. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Countless people from around the world take pleasure in boating every day. Many take excursions or go fishing on various sizes and types of boats, of particular interest are those who utilize powerboats. 
     A powerboat is any boat that is driven by a motor, such as an electric motor, gasoline motor, or a diesel motor. Often, powerboats are removed from the water after they are used, either placed upon a trailer, lifted into a high-and-dry, of lifted out of the water on a personal boat lift. 
     As such powerboats are subject to intrusion by water, either water washing over the gunnel of the boat, rain, etc., such water builds up in the hull of the boat. The presence of such water causes several issues, including increased corrosion and excess weight. The excess weight is a particular problem as it is possible that the weight limits of a boat lift are exceeded when the boat accumulates significant amounts of water. 
     To reduce issues related to water buildup in the hull, many boats have a drain plug, typically at the transom end of the hull. The drain plug is removable from the outside of the transom, so that after placing the boat on a trailer or lifting the boat out of the water. The drain plug is removed and most water in the hull drains from the drain. Additionally, for boats left outside as is often the case for boats on lifts, rain water continues to drain until the drain plug is replaced. 
     Unfortunately, many boaters have experienced what happens when they forget to replace the drain plug before placing the boat back in the water. Instead of water draining from the drain, water enters the hull through the drain. Hopefully, the boater realizes what is happening before the boat sinks, but unfortunately, in some boats, once the water rises to a certain level, the engine stops, making for serious problems. One popular boating web site asked, “Have you ever forgotten to install the drain plug?” to members and, out of 130 respondents, almost 43 percent admitted to forgetting the drain plug. 
     What is needed is an apparatus that will help a boater remember to install the boat plug. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one embodiment, a boat safety device is disclosed including a base portion that has a boat plug retaining cavity. The boat plug retaining cavity is sized for accepting and holding a boat drain plug and, in some embodiments, the boat plug retaining cavity is threaded to match threads of the boat drain plug. A key hole goes through a wall of the base portion and is sized to accept a boat key. The key hole is interfaced with the boat plug retaining cavity such that when a key is inserted fully into the key hole, teeth of the key extend into the boat plug retaining cavity. 
     In another embodiment, a method of reminding one to install a boat drain plug before starting the boat is disclosed including removing the boat drain plug, then placing a boat key in a key hole of a boat safety device, and then threading the boat drain plug into the boat safety device, thereby holding the boat key firmly within the boat safety device. Later, to get underway, unthreading the boat drain plug from the boat safety device, replacing the boat drain plug  3 , then removing the boat key from the boat safety device. 
     In another embodiment, a boat safety apparatus is disclosed including a base portion having a key hole for accepting a boat key and a boat plug retaining cavity for accepting and holding a boat drain plug. In such, when a boat key is inserted into the key hole, the boat key is held securely in place after the boat drain plug is inserted fully into the boat plug retaining cavity. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention can be best understood by those having ordinary skill in the art by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of a boat safety device. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a second perspective view of the boat safety device. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a perspective view of the boat safety device ready to accept a boat drain plug. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a perspective view of the boat safety device holding a boat drain plug. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a cutaway view of the boat safety device ready to accept a boat key and boat drain plug. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Throughout the following detailed description, the same reference numerals refer to the same elements in all figures. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , perspective views of a boat safety device  10  are shown. The boat safety device  10  includes a base portion  12  that has a boat plug retaining cavity  15  for receiving a boat drain plug  30  (see  FIGS. 3-5 ). In the embodiments shown, the boat plug retaining cavity  15  has threads  16  on an inside surface of a wall  130  of the boat plug retaining cavity  15  that match the threads  32  (see  FIGS. 3 and 5 ) of the boat drain plug  30 . The boat plug retaining cavity  15  is for accepting and holding a boat drain plug  30 . The base portion  12  also has a key hole  20  passing through the wall  130  that is sized to receive a boat key  40  (see  FIGS. 3-5 ). The key hole  20  is for accepting a boat key  40  (see  FIG. 5 ). 
     In some embodiments, a key guard  14  extends from or is attached to the base portion  12 . The key guard  14  is for guarding the boat key  40  from bending. When present, the key guard  14  provides protection from torque when the boat drain plug  30  is threaded into the boat plug retaining cavity  15 , as without the key guard  14 , a user would hold the boat key  40  while tightening the boat drain plug  30  into the boat plug retaining cavity  15 . In embodiments having the key guard  14 , it is anticipated that the key guard  14  include a key chain hole  26  for connecting the boat safety device  10  to, for example, a key chain or key ring. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , perspective views of the boat safety device  10  are shown. In  FIG. 3 , the boat safety device  10  holds a boat key  40  and is ready to accept a boat drain plug  30 . 
     The boat drain plug  30  is shown ready to enter the boat plug retaining cavity  15  which is hollow. The boat drain plug  30  typically has a driver end  34  (in this example a hex-head, though the boat drain plug  30  is not limited in any way). The driver end  34  is used to remove the boat drain plug  30  from the boat drain (not shown), should the boat drain plug  30  be too tight. 
     The threads  32  and diameter of the boat drain plug  30  are similar to the diameter and threads  16  of the boat plug retaining cavity  15  such that, the boat drain plug  30  threads into the boat plug retaining cavity  15 . Likewise, the key hole  20  is sized such that the boat key  40  fits within the key hole  20 . When the boat key  40  is inserted into the key hole  20 , teeth  41  of the key extend into the boat plug retaining cavity  15  so that, after installing the boat drain plug  30  into the boat plug retaining cavity  15 , the boat key  40  is held in the key hole  20  by the teeth  41  not being able to exit the key hole  20  until the boat drain plug  30  is later removed from the boat plug retaining cavity  15 . In doing so, the boat key  40  is held within the boat safety device  10  until the boat drain plug  30  is removed, thereby preventing the boat from operating until the boat drain plug  30  is removed from the boat safety device  10 . Therefore, the boater must take positive action to be able to start the boat and the boater will be more apt to remember to install the boat drain plug  30  into the boat drain before starting the boat. 
     In some embodiments, the key hole  20  is cut to have a narrow, pointed edge so that the edge tangles in the teeth  41  of the key to better hold the key  41  there within. 
     In  FIG. 4 , the boat safety device  10  has accepted the boat drain plug  30  which secures the boat key  40 . The boat key  40  is held securely within the key hole  20  making it difficult to start the boat until the boat drain plug  30  is removed from the boat safety device  10  and, hopefully, installed in the boat drain. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , a cutaway view of a boat safety device  10  is shown ready to accept the boat key  40  and the boat drain plug  30 . The boat safety device  10  includes a base portion  12  that has a boat plug retaining cavity  15  for receiving a boat drain plug  30 . In the embodiments shown, the boat plug retaining cavity  15  has threads  16  that match the threads  32  of the boat drain plug  30 . The base portion  12  also has a key hole  20  sized to receive a boat key  40 . 
     In some embodiments, a key guard  14  extends from or is attached to the base portion  12 . When present, the key guard  14  provides protection from torque when the boat drain plug  30  is threaded into the boat plug retaining cavity  15 , as without the key guard  14 , a user would hold the boat key  40  while tightening the boat drain plug  30  into the boat plug retaining cavity  15 , possibly bending the boat key  40 . In embodiments having the key guard  14 , it is anticipated that the key guard  14  include a key chain hole  26  for connecting the boat safety device  10  to, for example, a key chain or key ring. 
     In some embodiments, to further protect the boat key  40  from damage, a cushion  13  is inserted within the boat plug retaining cavity  15  such that, the teeth  41  of the boat key  40  rest against the cushion  13  when the boat drain plug is inserted into the boat plug retaining cavity  15 . The cushion  13 , when present, is for cushioning the boat key  40 . 
     Although is anticipated that the boat protection device be made of any suitable material, examples of such materials include, but is not limited to, plastic, polyvinyl chloride, metal, aluminum, stainless steel, etc. In embodiments having the cushion  13 , it is anticipated that the cushion  13  be made of a softer material such as rubber. 
     Equivalent elements can be substituted for the ones set forth above such that they perform in substantially the same manner in substantially the same way for achieving substantially the same result. 
     It is believed that the system and method as described and many of its attendant advantages will be understood by the foregoing description. It is also believed that it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the components thereof without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention or without sacrificing all of its material advantages. The form herein before described being merely exemplary and explanatory embodiment thereof. It is the intention of the following claims to encompass and include such changes.