Patent ID: 8821066

Claim:
A shock mitigating universal launch and recovery ramp system for launching and recovering a water vessel having a hull with a bow and a stern, comprising: a pivotable ramp having a forward edge, a pivot edge, a portside edge, and a starboard edge, with the forward and the pivot edges substantially perpendicular to the portside and starboard edges, the pivotable ramp pivotable at the pivot edge so that the ramp moves between a stowed position and deployed position for launching and receiving a water vessel, the pivotable ramp comprising: a receiving region extending from the forward edge of the ramp, the receiving region having plurality of receiving bumpers arranged substantially parallel to the forward and pivot edges of the ramp; an aligning region extending from a central portion of the ramp to the pivot edge, the aligning region having portside and starboard fender rails for centrally aligning the water vessel on the pivotable ramp; and a projecting mount at the pivot edge of the ramp, the projecting mount comprising portside and starboard rails extending forwardly over the pivot edge to form a bow stopping guard that overhangs the pivot edge of the ramp wherein the portside and starboard fender rails comprise; a first pair of fenders having a portside fender and a starboard fender; and a second pair of fenders having an elongated portside fender and an elongated starboard fender, wherein a distance D between the first pair of fenders is greater than a distance d between the second pair of fenders, and wherein during a recovery the first pair of pivotable fenders initially contact a bow portion of the water vessel thereby performing an initial alignment of the water vessel, then guiding the water vessel towards the second pair of elongated fenders where the alignment is completed by the second pair of fenders, and wherein the second pair of fenders receive and support substantially the entire water vessel thereon, and wherein the pivotable ramp further comprises a pair of elongated support rails having a portside rail support and a starboard rail support each of the pair of elongated rail supports having a flat upper surface, and wherein the portside elongated fender is mounted on the portside rail support, and the starboard elongated bumper is mounted on the starboard rail support, and wherein the each of the elongated portside and starboard fenders comprise: a flat bottom plate portion attached to the flat upper surface of the respective elongated rail; and a substantially C-shaped upper plate portion connected to the flat bottom plate portion forming a continuous resilient bumper, wherein the hull of the water vessel is resiliently supported on the substantially C-shaped upper plate portion of each of the elongated portside and starboard fenders.