Boat buoyancy aid

Abstract

A dinghy has a hull with gunwales supporting a Bimini top. The Bimini top includes a primary bow supporting secondary and intermediate bows. A UV stabilized polyester Bimini canvas is supported on the bows by fore, aft, and intermediate sleeve portions. The underside of the Bimini canvas supports port and starboard buoyancy aid assemblies each comprising a bladder which is inflatable by an inflation mechanism and CO.sub.2 cartridge, and is maintained in its collapsed state by tape loop assemblies adjustable by hook-pile self-fastenings which are frangible on inflation. A protective cover is stitched to the Bimini canvas and is provided with hook-pile fastening means frangible on inflation. A toggle handle pulls a lanyard which passes into the primary bow to operate the mechanism to inflate the bladder.

Claims

1. A boat buoyancy aid including a fabric cover member supported on a Bimini and/or Targa bar structure above respective gunwales of a boat hull, one or more inflatable buoyancy chambers formed in said fabric cover member, and an inflation gas supply selectively operable to inflate said buoyancy chambers, wherein said one or more inflatable buoyancy chambers include an open celled, self-inflating foam core in a compressed state, and wherein said inflation gas supply comprises self-inflation valves selectively operable to open the interior of a respective said buoyancy chamber to atmosphere to expand said foam core.

2. The boat buoyancy aid according to claim 1, wherein said fabric cover member is supported on a folding Bimini/Targa top including a Targa bar pivotally supported on a pair of Targa mounts and selectively secured upright, the fabric cover member having a rear edge supported on the Targa bar and being foldably spread and supported by at least a forward bow pivoted to the Targa bar.

3. A boat buoyancy aid including a fabric cover member supported on a Bimini and/or Targa bar structure above respective gunwales of a boat hull, one or more inflatable buoyancy chambers formed in said fabric cover member, and an inflation gas supply selectively operable to inflate said buoyancy chambers, wherein said fabric cover member is supported on and forms part of a Bimini top and is supported on two or more tubular bows by integral bow sleeves spaced fore and aft in said fabric cover member, the tubular bows each having a substantially central bow sleeve supporting portion bounded by respective strut portions adapted to elevate the fabric cover member above respective gunwales of a boat hull, said bows in assembly being pivoted to said gunwales to permit folding and having stays to secure the Bimini top in a deployed position.

4. The boat buoyancy aid according to claim 3, wherein said inflation gas supply comprises an explosive gas supply or a compressed gas supply, and is selectively operable by a trigger.

5. The boat buoyancy aid according to claim 4, wherein the trigger is selected from one or more of mechanical, immersion or hydrostatic triggers.

6. The boat buoyancy aid according to claim 3, wherein the Bimini top comprises a primary bow having a pair of spaced strut portions each extending from a pivot point on each gunwale and an upper portion forming the aft edge of the Bimini top, the strut portions of the primary bow supporting respective ends of pivotally mounted forward and intermediate bow.

7. The boat buoyancy aid according to claim 3, wherein the inflatable buoyancy chambers comprise a pair of spaced chambers each adapted to locate on the fabric cover member at respective port and starboard sides thereof.

8. The boat buoyancy aid according to claim 3, wherein the one or more inflatable buoyancy chambers are located transverse the boat hull adjacent the aft edge of the Bimini top.

9. The boat buoyancy aid according to claim 3, wherein the buoyancy chamber is formed from a material selected from inflatable personal flotation device material, fabric-reinforced vinyl materials, HYPALON®, woven NYLON® or polyester material coated with a polyurethane or polyolefin heat bonding/gas seal layer.

10. The boat buoyancy aid according to claim 9, wherein the material is selected from high tensile or standard woven NYLON®, having a coating selected from flame-retardant or standard thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU).

11. The boat buoyancy aid according to claim 9, wherein the material is selected from silicone coated rip stop NYLON®, HD Polyester and TPU ether film.

12. A boat buoyancy aid including a fabric cover member supported on a Bimini and/or Targa bar structure above respective gunwales of a boat hull, one or more inflatable buoyancy chambers formed in said fabric cover member, an inflation gas supply selectively operable to inflate said buoyancy chambers, and a hydrostatic trigger activated by submergence of the trigger to an activation depth corresponding to an expected depth of submergence on capsize of the boat hull, wherein the inflation gas supply comprises CO.sub.2 delivered from a CO.sub.2 cartridge.

13. The boat buoyancy aid according to claim 12, wherein the hydrostatic trigger is associated or co-located with the inflation gas supply under the fabric cover member.

14. A boat buoyancy aid including a fabric cover member supported on a Bimini and/or Targa bar structure above respective gunwales of a boat hull, one or more inflatable buoyancy chambers formed in said fabric cover member, and an inflation gas supply selectively operable by trigger means to inflate said buoyancy chambers, wherein the trigger means is mechanical and operated remotely by means of a cable terminated by a remote pull handle or toggle protected from accidental deployment by a cover, wherein said fabric cover is supported by a Bimini top and said cable is laid internally of a bow thereof and led there through to adjacent a gunwale through a lead.

15. A boat buoyancy aid including a fabric cover member supported on a Bimini and/or Targa bar structure above respective gunwales of a boat hull, one or more inflatable buoyancy chambers formed in said fabric cover member, and an inflation gas supply selectively operable to inflate said buoyancy chambers, wherein said each said buoyancy chamber comprises an inflatable bladder enclosed by a fabric closure portion frangibly secured to said fabric cover portion and adapted to retain and protect each said inflatable buoyancy chamber in its deflated state, wherein said fabric closure portion frangibly secured to said fabric cover member comprises a low stretch canvas cover closed by a closure such as a clip-together means or hook-pile fastening, selected to be frangible to release the inflating inflatable buoyancy chamber.

16. The boat buoyancy aid according to claim 15, wherein said inflation gas supply comprises an explosive gas supply or a compressed gas supply, and is selectively operable by a trigger.

17. The boat buoyancy aid according to claim 16, wherein the trigger is selected from one or more of mechanical, immersion or hydrostatic triggers.

18. The boat buoyancy aid according to claim 15, wherein the buoyancy chamber is formed from a material selected from inflatable personal flotation device material, fabric-reinforced vinyl materials, fabric-reinforced chlorosulfonated polyethylene synthetic rubber, a woven nylon polyamide or polyester material coated with a polyurethane or polyolefin heat bonding/gas seal layer.

19. The boat buoyancy aid according to claim 18, wherein the material is selected from high tensile or standard woven nylon polyamide, having a coating selected from flame-retardant or standard thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU).

20. The boat buoyancy aid according to claim 19, wherein the material is selected from silicone coated rip stop nylon material, HD Polyester and TPU ether film.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention will be described with reference to the following non-limiting embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the drawings and wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the relevant portions of a dinghy suitable for use with one embodiment of the present invention;

(3) FIG. 2 is an exposed perspective view of a boat buoyancy aid when used in the dinghy of FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 is a covered-up perspective view of the boat buoyancy aid of FIG. 2;

(5) FIG. 4 is a covered-up, partially sectioned side view of a second embodiment of the present invention;

(6) FIG. 5 is a rear closed view of the apparatus of FIG. 4;

(7) FIG. 6 is an exposed perspective view of a boat buoyancy aid according to the embodiment of FIG. 4;

(8) FIG. 7 is a side view of an alternative, self-inflating embodiment of the present invention, operatively deflated; and

(9) FIG. 8 is a side view of the self-inflating embodiment of FIG. 7, operatively inflated.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(10) In the figures there is provided a dinghy 10 having an aluminium hull 11 bounded by a transom 12 bearing an outboard motor 13 and port 14 and starboard 15 gunwales. The gunwales 14, 15 support a Bimini top assembly 16 via pivot mounts 20 supporting the respective ends of a primary bow 21. The primary bow 21 is the aft bow of the Bimini top 16 and pivotally supports a secondary bow 22, and an intermediate bow 23. The bows 21, 22 and 23 are assembled to a UV stabilized polyester Bimini canvas 24 by threading pre-assembly into fore 25, aft 26 and intermediate 28 sleeve portions. In the example illustrated the Bimini top assembly 16 is tensioned aft by tension struts 27 and tensioned forward by tensioning straps 30, which are selectively detached from the gunwales 14, 15 to allow the Bimini top assembly 16 to fold.

(11) In the first embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3, the Bimini top assembly 16 has port and starboard lateral turns at each of which, on the underside of the Bimini canvas 24, is located a buoyancy aid assembly 33. The buoyancy aid assembly 33 comprises an elongate bladder 34 of heat sealed woven NYLON®/TPU laminate and secured to the primary bow 21 by a HALKEY-ROBERTS® inflation mechanism 35 adapted to inflate the bladder 34 from CO.sub.2 cartridge 36. The bladder is further maintained in its collapsed state by tape assemblies 37, and is secured to the bows 21, 22 and 23 by ties (not shown). The tape assemblies 37 are adjustable by hook-pile fastenings between a small size retaining the collapsed bladder 34 and a large size retaining the inflated bladder 34.

(12) A protective cover 40 of polyester canvas is stitched to the Bimini canvas 24 side edges and is provided with hook-pile fastening means 41 adapted to rip open as the bladder 34 inflates.

(13) The HALKEY-ROBERTS® inflation mechanism 35 has a threaded aperture adapted to receive and sealingly support the CO.sub.2 cartridge 36 whereby operation of a crank (not shown) drives a hollow pin (not shown) through the metal seal of the cartridge 36 to inflate the bladder 34. The crank is operated by a lanyard 43 which passes through a plastic fairlead into the primary bow 21.

(14) In the illustrated embodiment, the lanyards 43 of the port and starboard buoyancy aid assemblies 33 are both led out of the primary bow 21 through a plastic fairlead 44 adjacent the starboard gunwale 15, and are terminated with respective toggle handles 45. The toggle handles are protected against accidental deployment by, for example, a fabric cover (not shown).

(15) In the embodiment of FIGS. 4 to 6, the structural elements of the dinghy 10 and Bimini top are numbered as per FIGS. 1 to 3.

(16) In this embodiment, the Bimini canvas 24 has an aft sleeve portion 26 formed as before, with a stitched seam portion extending across the canvas 24 adjacent the primary bow 21. An elongate inflatable chamber 50 extends substantially across the Bimini and is formed of heat sealed woven NYLON®/TPU laminate and secured to the Bimini canvas 24 adjacent the primary bow 21 by stitching an edge portion of the inflatable chamber 50 to the stitched seam portion.

(17) A canvas cover portion 51 is attached to the stitched seam portion concurrently with the elongate inflatable chamber 50. The canvas cover portion 51 has a free edge 52 having secured thereto a hook-pile fastening tape 53 adapted to engage a complementary tape associated with the trailing edge 54 of the Bimini canvas 24. The canvas cover portion 51 secures over the deflated elongate inflatable chamber 50 in normal operation of the vessel and the free edge 52 is released by the inflating inflatable chamber 50 in emergency use.

(18) A hydrostatic firing assembly 54 is banjo-bolted to the inflatable chamber 50 to create an operable fluid path from a CO.sub.2 cartridge 55 to the chamber 50. When the hydrostatic firing assembly 54 is lowered more than about 10 cm into water, a hydrostatic valve opens and lets water meet a water sensitive element that in turn releases a stainless steel coil spring. The spring then drives a needle into the end of the CO.sub.2 cartridge 55, which is now punctured so that the gas fills the inflatable chamber 50. Total buoyancy may be reached within 5 to 30 seconds.

(19) Apparatus in accordance with the foregoing embodiments are an integral part of the Bimini top. It is of a compact nature with a gas cartridge incorporated within the package.

(20) In the embodiment of FIGS. 7 and 8, a folding Bimini/Targa top provides additional stiffness in application of a righting moment and consists of pair of Targa mounts 56 pivotally supporting a Targa bar 57 at pivot 58. The Targa bar 57 is secured upright by clevis pins 59. A canvas cover member 24 (shown in transparency for clarity) includes a pair of transverse, integral inflation chambers 60 each including an open celled, self-inflating foam core in a compressed state. The inflation gas supply comprises screw-capped, self-inflation valves 61 selectively operable to open the interior of a respective buoyancy chamber 60 to atmosphere to expand the foam core. The cover member 24 is foldably spread and supported by a forward bow 62 pivoted to the Targa bar 57 and an intermediate bow 63 pivoted to the forward bow 62.

(21) In this embodiment, the self-inflator valves 61 are opened when the Bimini or folding Targa cover is being deployed or stowed, and the self-inflator valves 61 are closed for storage or under way. Optionally, the self-inflation valves 61 may be connected to suction to flatten the foam core for storage.

(22) It will of course be realised that while the above has been given by way of illustrative example of this invention, all such and other modifications and variations thereto as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of this invention as is set forth in the claims appended hereto.