Abstract:
A small boat stabilizer is formed by a pair of elongated tubular buoys secured in laterally spaced parallel relation to respective end portions of the boat by spars extending transversely of respective ends of the boat and secured thereto by adapters.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
         [0001]    Not applicable.  
         STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
         [0002]    Not applicable.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    This invention relates to small boats and more particularly to outrigger stabilizers for a kayak or canoe.  
           [0004]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0005]    It is well known that canoes or kayaks and other small watercraft are easily upset by sudden movement of an occupant or rough water in which waves against the boat side, tilt it over in an upsetting fashion.  
           [0006]    This invention stabilizes such small boats by providing an outrigger on each side of the boat easily connected with or removed from the boat.  
           [0007]    2. Description of the Prior Art  
           [0008]    Prior art generally discloses a plurality of different designs and apparatus for stabilizing small water craft.  
           [0009]    U.S. Pat. No. 3,763,813, issued Oct. 9, 1973 to Holtz for Inflatable Canoe And Outrigger for small boats of the inflatable type which illuminates the use of metallic connections and uses fixer fit between adjacent components to rigidly support an outrigger laterally of the boat.  
           [0010]    This invention is believed distinctive over this and similar patents by providing outriggers overlying and projecting laterally of a small boat for quickly and easily removably connecting a pair of floatation members to respective ends of the outriggers laterally of a boat and rigidly positioned relative to the boat.  
           [0011]    U.S. Pat. No. 1,369,670, issued Feb. 22, 1921 to Kauffman for Boat and Design Patent No. 271,095, issued Oct. 25, 1983 to Paster for Commando Landing Craft are believed good examples of the further state-of-the-art for outriggers, pivotally connected to opposite sides of the boat and the rigid positioning of outriggers adjacent the sides of a boat.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0012]    A pair of adapters, transversely overlie respective end portions of a small boat, such as a kayak or canoe and are clamp connected thereto for supporting a pair of outriggers or spars extending transversely of the boat. The remote ends of the spars support respective ends of cylindrical floatation members or buoys having upwardly curved closed end portions by brackets depending from the respective end of each of spar for maintaining the buoys in laterally spaced parallel relation with the boat for dampening lateral tipping motion of the boat.  
           [0013]    The principal object of this invention is to provide outriggers connecting buoys with a small boat, such as a kayak or canoe.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1 is a top view;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 2 is a front end elevational view;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 3 is a side elevational view;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view, to a larger scale, looking upward at the bottom surfaces of a boat surrounding clamp bracket, per se; and,  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view, to a different scale, of the area enclosed by the arrow  5  of FIG. 1. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0019]    The reference numeral  10  indicates the apparatus as a whole comprising a small boat such as a kayak or canoe  12  having a pair of spars or outriggers  18  and  20  extending transversely of the respective end portions  14  and  16  of the boat and connected thereto intermediate their ends by a pair of clamp means or adapters  22  and  24 , as presently explained. The respective end portions of the spars projecting beyond the respective sides of the boat support floatation means such as a pair of buoyant tubes  26  and  27 , by a plurality of brackets four (4), in the example shown, of forward and rearward pairs of brackets  28 - 30  and  32 - 34 , respectively. Since the adapters  22 - 24  and pairs of brackets  28 - 34  are respectively identical, only one of each is described in detail in the interest of brevity.  
         [0020]    Referring more particularly to FIGS. 2 and 4 the reference numeral  22  indicates the adapter which is U-shaped strap-like in general configuration having an arcuately bowed upwardly bight portion  36  as viewed in FIG. 4, for transverse contiguous contact with the arcuate peripheral surface at respective end portions of the boat  12  and having relatively short upstanding legs  38  and  40  at respective end portions of the bight portion  36  respectively terminating laterally in horizontal wings  42 - 44 . A length of tubular material, such as a sleeve  46 , extends between and overlies the wings  44  and  42  and is rigidly secured thereto as by welding. The sleeve  46  is centrally provided with a transverse aperture  48 , for the purposes presently explained. A short length of box tubing is secured to the adapter at the juncture of the respective leg and wing to form horizontal sleeves  50  and  52  which longitudinally support the respective end portions of elongated bars  54  and  56  at respective sides of the boat to enable tying equipment, not shown, to the boat. The adapter  22  is secured to the forward end portion of the boat  12  by a flexible buckle equipped band or strap  57 , such as a ratchet tie down, overlying the bight portion  36  and extending through apertures  53  in the respective end portion of the bight portion  36 , and transversely of the boat peripheral surface. The spars  18  and  20  are longitudinally inserted into the respective adapter tube  46  and fastened intermediate their ends by a pin  49 , not shown, extending through the sleeve aperture  48  and a cooperating aperture in the respective spar.  
         [0021]    The buoyant tubes  26 - 27  are identical and only one is described in the interest of brevity. Tube  26  is substantially equal in length with the boat and of a selected diameter and is characterized by arcuately upturned end portions  60  and  62 . Each end of the tube  26  is provided with an expansion plug  72  contacting the inner periphery of the tube to form a water tight tube, which may be used for storing equipment.  
         [0022]    Referring now to FIG. 5, the bracket  28  is generally inverted U-shape having a horizontal bight portion  64  extending transversely of the buoyant tube and includes a pair of legs  66  and  68  having tabs  70  at their depending ends which are apertured and secured to the wall forming the buoyant tube  26 . Each end portion of each spar is slideably received in a tube  75  longitudinally overlying the bight portion  64 . Each tube  75  is transversely apertured as at  77  for similarly securing the spar end portions within the respective tube  75 .  
         [0023]    Obviously the invention is susceptible to changes or alterations without defeating its practicability. Therefore, I do not wish to be confined to the preferred embodiment(s) shown in the drawing(s) and described herein.