Patent ID: 8166905

Claim:
A mounting apparatus for selectively securing one of a plurality of accessories to a structural portion of a boat, comprising: a housing configured for coupling to the structural portion of the boat; a mounting element at least partially disposed in said housing and movable relative thereto along an axis between a retracted position and an extended position above the structural portion, said mounting element being rotatable about said axis relative to said housing and including a first engaging portion for selectively coupling thereto a cooperating second engaging portion of the accessory, said mounting element including a top face and said housing including a flange for coupling said housing to the structural portion of the boat and positioned relative to a remainder of said housing so as to make said top face substantially flush with a top surface of the boat when said flange is coupled to the structural portion of the boat; a pin associated with one of said mounting element or said housing; a plurality of slots in the other of said mounting element or said housing and adapted to receive said pin; rotation of said mounting element about said axis defining a plurality of available angular positions of the mounting element relative to said housing; and selective engagement of the pin with one of said slots being effective to lock said mounting element in a predetermined one of said available angular positions thereof.