Patent ID: 8327786

Claim:
A personal watercraft system comprising: a personal watercraft including a deck and a hull, the personal watercraft defining a hatch through the deck, the hatch providing access to a cargo hold inside the personal watercraft; a frame coupled with the personal watercraft and defining: an elongated channel on a first side of the hatch, the elongated channel having a first channel end and a second channel end opposite the first channel end, a first cavity extending away from the first channel end of, substantially axially aligned with, and in communication with the elongated channel, the first cavity having a first cavity opening facing the elongated channel, and a second cavity extending away from a second channel end of, substantially axially aligned with, and in communication with the elongated channel, the second cavity having a second cavity opening facing the elongated channel; a cover including a flexible fabric portion and a rod extending along and coupled with a side margin of the flexible fabric portion, the rod having a first rod end and a second rod end opposite the first rod end; wherein: the cover is configured to be secured to the personal watercraft on a second side of the hatch opposite the first side of the hatch, when a compressive force is applied to the rod, the rod flexes to align the first rod end with the first cavity and the second rod end with the second cavity, and when the compressive force is subsequently removed from the rod, the rod returns to its original length and the first rod end slides into the first cavity, the second rod end slides into the second cavity, and a portion of the rod between the first rod end and the second rod end is selectively maintained within the elongated channel in a manner securing the cover to the personal watercraft to entirely cover the hatch.