Abstract
A floating wading aid provides stability and support to a wader walking between pontoons at about the center of buoyancy of those pontoons, with suitable frame structure provided. The pontoons may be fillable with air or floating objects, and a movable platform may be provided.
Claims
1. A floating wading aid comprising two pontoons each having a forward end, a rearward end, and a center of buoyancy between said ends and a frame attachable to the pontoons maintaining the spacing of the pontoons but not interfering with the movement of a wader between the pontoons at said center of buoyancy.
2. The floating wading aid of claim 1 wherein said pontoons are fillable sleeves.
3. The floating wading aid of claim 2 wherein said fillable sleeve pontoons are configured to contain multiple floating decoys.
4. The floating wading aid of claim 2 wherein said fillable sleeve pontoons are configured to be filled with air.
5. The floating wading aid of claim 1 further comprising a platform extending between said pontoons and in one position forward of the center of buoyancy.
6. The floating wading aid of claim 3 further comprising support straps on the bottom of said pontoons for receiving portions of said frame.
7. The floating wading aid of claim 5 with said platform rotatable from said position forward of the center of buoyancy to a position substantially at said center of buoyancy.
8. The floating wading aid of claim 1 further comprising handles on said pontoons substantially at said center of buoyancy.
9. The floating wading aid of claim 1 further comprising frame portions substantially at said center of buoyancy serving as handles.
10. The floating wading aid of claim 7 further comprising a second platform in a fixed position forward of said center of buoyancy.
11. A floating wading aid comprising a U-shaped pontoon comprising a fillable sleeve and having a forward end at the front portion of the U-shaped pontoon, a rearward end, and a center of buoyancy between said ends and a frame attachable to the pontoon not interfering with the movement of a wader at said center of buoyancy.
12. The floating wading aid of claim 11 wherein said fillable sleeve pontoon is configured to contain multiple floating decoys.
13. The floating wading aid of claim 11 wherein said fillable sleeve pontoon is configured to be filled with air.
14. The floating wading aid of claim 11 further comprising a platform in one position extending over said pontoon forward of said center of buoyancy.
15. The floating wading aid of claim 11 further comprising support straps on the bottom of said pontoon for receiving portions of said frame.
16. The floating wading aid of claim 14 with said platform rotatable from said position forward of the center of buoyancy to a position substantially at said center of buoyancy.
17. The floating wading aid of claim 11 further comprising handles on said pontoon substantially at said center of buoyancy.
18. The floating wading aid of claim 11 further comprising frame portions at said center of buoyancy serving as handles.
19. The floating wading aid of claim 16 further comprising a second platform in a fixed position forward of said center of buoyancy.
Description
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 shows a top view of one configuration of the invention.
[0007] FIG. 2 shows a top view of another configuration of the invention.
[0008] FIG. 3 shows a side view of a configuration of the invention.
[0009] FIG. 4 shows a frame configuration for the invention with pontoons omitted.
[0010] FIG. 5 shows a side view of a configuration of the invention with fillable sleeve pontoons filled with duck decoys.
[0011] FIG. 6 shows an end view of a configuration of the invention with fillable sleeve pontoons filled with duck decoys.
[0012] FIG. 7 shows a side view of another configuration of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0013] This invention comprises pontoonseither two pontoons 2, 4 as shown in FIG. 1 or a single U-shaped pontoon 3, as shown in FIG. 2. For purposes of this description and for convenience, pontoons refer to either or both of the double pontoons 2, 4 or the single U-shaped pontoon 3. The term U-shaped means a pontoon with portions at the front and on both sides of the wader, with the front portion being flat, rounded or even a point (in which case the U is more of a V). The pontoons have a forward and a rearward end (as seen by a forward facing wader in the wading position), with a center of buoyancy (C/B) between the forward and rearward ends. As shown in FIG. 1, a frame 6 is supported by the pontoons 2, 4 and provides rigidity to keep the pontoons properly spaced when in use. The frame may contact the pontoons on their upper surface, with the buoyancy of the pontoons applied at the upper surface of the pontoon against the frame. Alternatively, the frame may be in contact with the lower surface of the pontoons. The frame should have the minimum amount of structure necessary to maintain the pontoons in position and support the other elements of this invention. No portion of the frame should interfere with a wader standing between the pontoons in wading position and no portion of the frame should obstruct a wader from moving into wading position between the pontoons.
[0014] A platform 10 may be provided that in at least one position is forward of the center of buoyancy and is supported either directly by the pontoons or by portions of the frame (and in in turn supported by the pontoons). As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the platform may be rotatable from a position forward of the center of buoyancy to a position substantially at the center of buoyancy. In the forward position, the platform is above water level, ideally at about the level of the top of the pontoons, and forward of the center of buoyancy and out of the way of a walking wader in wading position. In the rearward position, the platform may be at the same level as in the forward position (see FIG. 3), or alternatively be below that level, at or slightly below water level (as shown in FIG. 7). Alternate confirmations for a platform could include a platform that slides forward and back to the positions described. A platform is not necessary to use the present invention and the platform could be fully removable. The platform 10 could be a rectangular basket with four low walls, or a flat surface with one, two, three or no walls.
[0015] As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, a hinge 8 allows the platform to rotate on an axis perpendicular to the pontoons, at a location forward of the center of buoyancy. A preferred configuration for this hinge 8 is a cylindrical hinge rod attached to the frame 6 at each end.
[0016] In operation, a wader would rotate the platform to the forward position as shown in FIG. 1, step between the pontoons, grasp handles 20 incorporated in or attached to the pontoons or handle portions 22 incorporated in the frame 6 (See FIG. 5), and wade to the desired location. Once in the desired location, the platform could be rotated to the rearward position and the user could sit on the platform. Ideally the rearward position would put a user's weight at about the center of buoyancy of the pontoons.
[0017] For clarity, most of the figures do not include frame detail. As shown in FIG. 3, the platform 10 rests on the pontoons 2, 4 or, alternatively, on portions of the frame 6 structure with the load ultimately exerted on the upper portion of the pontoons. As shown in FIG. 2, in the forward position of a single U-shaped pontoon configuration the platform would rest on the pontoon 3 or alternatively on the frame 6. Appropriate platform structure and frame structure, and the alignment of the platform with the frame structure to provide the different platform levels, is well known to one skilled in the art. FIG. 4 provides an illustration of a possible frame configuration with the pontoons removed for clarity.
[0018] FIGS. 5 and 6 show the configuration in which the fillable sleeve is configured to be filled with rigid objects, such as duck decoys. Individual decoy pockets may be created with dividers 18 and straps 19ideally with the latter having Velcro closuresto hold the decoys in position. In this configuration preferably the frame 6 is below the pontoon and is attached to the floating pontoons 2, 4 by support straps 9 on the lower surface of the pontoons (under water when in use) that permit removal of the fillable sleeve from the frame. In this configuration the frame is supported by the support straps 9 as the buoyancy of the pontoon exerts upward force by virtue of those straps. FIGS. 5 and 6 also show a configuration in which the handle portions 22 of the frame 6 are extendable at junction 16 in a manner well known in the art to facilitate wading in different depths of water. In the decoy-filled configuration handles 22 incorporated in the frame as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 are preferable to handles Incorporated on the upper surface of the pontoons.
[0019] As shown in FIG. 7, it is also desirable to include a second platform 14 mounted in the forward position with the rotating platform 10 in its forward position on top of the second platform 14. When the rotating platform 10 is rotated to the rearward position, the second platform remains in the forward position and may be used for gear storage or as a place for a dog to sit (out of the water and behind a user sitting on the platform in the rearward position). The platform 10 in the rearward position could also serve as a ramp for a dog to use to climb onto the second platform. The second platform 14 is especially desirable for a single U shaped pontoon configuration where the center of buoyancy is forward of the typical center of buoyancy for a similarly sized double pontoon configuration.
[0020] Other pontoon configurations could be utilized, such as a four pontoon configuration with two sets of two pontoons, all parallel to each other. The single U-shaped pontoon could be replaced with three pontoons, or 2 pontoons could be used in a V configuration. The location of the frame on the pontoons could be adjusted to accommodate a situation where a significant load (like a dog's weight) is expected on the second platform, so that the weight distribution across the pontoons would cause the pontoons to be level (front to back).
