SAILBOAT SUPPORT DEVICE

Abstract

A sailboat support includes a keel support platform, a mechanical linkage assembly, and rotating support arms to proportionally distribute the weight of the sailboat between the keel and the hull. The support is designed so that the keel bears the majority of the load while the hull receives proportional support through a flexible cradle. The system is self-adjusting, thus reducing the need for manual adjustments and improving ease of use and safety.

Claims

1. A support for a sailboat, comprising: a support frame; a side rail coupled to the support frame; a keel bunk coupled to the side rail; a torsion link coupled to the side rail; a lift bar coupled to the torsion link; and a hull bunk coupled to the link bar, wherein the torsion link is configured to move downward in response to a force on the keel bunk to rotate the lift bar and bring the hull bunk into contact with a hull of the sailboat.

2. The support of claim 1, wherein the torsion link includes a pair of torsion links on opposite sides of center of a bunk support coupled to the side rail.

3. The support of claim 1, wherein the support frame includes a forward frame and a rear frame, and the side rail is directly coupled to only the rear frame to allow for movement of the side rail.

4. The support of claim 1, wherein the torsion link is rotatably coupled to an end of the torsion link.

5. The support of claim 4, where the lift bar is a first lift bar, the support further comprising: a second lift bar rotatably coupled to the support frame; and a torsion bar coupled between the first lift bar and the second lift bar, a front end of the torsion bar positioned further from a center of the support frame than a rear end of the torsion bar.

6. The support of claim 1, further comprising: a pair of pivot plates rotatably coupled to the support frame and to the torsion link, the pair of pivot plates having a respective cutout that receives the torsion bar.

7. The support of claim 6, wherein the pair of pivot plates include extensions that extend along a shorter side of the torsion bar with a longer side of the torsion bar received in the cutout.

8. A system, comprising: a support for a sailboat, including: a support frame; a platform coupled to the support frame; a torsion link coupled to the platform; a pair of lift bars coupled to the torsion link; a torsion bar coupled between the pair of lift bars; a locking arm coupled to at least one of the support frame, the torsion link, the pair of lift bars, and the torsion bar, wherein the locking arm is configured to lock the support in an engaged position; and a hull bunk coupled to the pair of lift bars.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the torsion link is a first torsion link, the support further comprising: a second torsion link coupled to the platform on an opposite side of the platform from the first torsion link.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the torsion bar includes a front end positioned further from a center of the support frame than a rear end of the torsion bar, or wherein the torsion bar is positioned at outermost ends of the pair of lift bars.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the torsion link is coupled to outer ends of the pair of lift bars.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the support further comprises: a pair of spaced apart pivot plates coupled to the support frame and the torsion link with the torsion link positioned between the pair of spaced apart pivot plates.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the pair of spaced apart pivot plates have a cutout that receives the torsion bar.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the torsion bar has a shorter side and a longer side, and the torsion link is configured to act on the shorter side of the torsion bar to raise the pair of lift bars in response to downward movement of the platform.

15. A support for a sailboat, comprising: a support frame including a movable platform; a load distribution assembly coupled to the movable platform including: a torsion link coupled to the movable platform; a lift bar rotatably coupled to the torsion link; and a hull bunk coupled to the lift bar, wherein the load distribution assembly is configured to distribute a majority of a load of the sailboat to the support frame and a minority of the load of the sailboat to the hull bunk.

16. The support of claim 15, wherein the load distribution assembly is configured to distribute 70-75% of the load to the support frame and 25-30% of the load to the hull bunk.

17. The support of claim 15, wherein the load distribution assembly includes a further lift bar rotatably coupled to the torsion link on an opposite side of the support frame and a further hull bunk coupled to the further lift bar, wherein the load distribution assembly is configured to distribute an equal part of the minority of the load to each of the hull bunk and the further hull bunk.

18. The support of claim 15, wherein the load distribution assembly is configured to distribute the majority and the minority of the load in response to a downward movement of the movable platform.

19. The support of claim 15, wherein the support frame includes a forward frame, a rear frame, a side rail coupled between the forward frame and the rear frame, and a diagonal brace coupled between the forward frame and the rear frame.

20. The support of claim 15, wherein the torsion link is rotatably coupled to an outer end of the lift bar or the torsion link is rotatably coupled to a torsion bar coupled to the lift bar.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] The present disclosure will be more fully understood by reference to the following figures, which are for illustrative purposes only. The non-limiting and non-exhaustive implementations of the disclosure are described with reference to the following figures, wherein like labels refer to like parts throughout the various views unless otherwise specified. The figures do not describe every aspect of the teachings disclosed herein and do not limit the scope of the claims.

[0008] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a sailboat support with a sailboat received on the support according to the present disclosure.

[0009] FIGS. 2A and 2B are views of the sailboat support of FIG. 1 with arms of the support in a raised positioned.

[0010] FIGS. 3A and 3B are views of the sailboat support of FIG. 1 with the arms in a lowered position.

[0011] FIGS. 4A and 4B are cross-sectional views of the sailboat support with the arms lowered and raised, respectively, to illustrate operation of the sailboat support.

[0012] FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional view of the sailboat support of FIG. 3B along line A-A in FIG. 3B.

[0013] FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view of the sailboat support of FIG. 3B along line B-B in FIG. 2B.

[0014] FIG. 6A is a cross-sectional view of the sailboat support of FIG. 2B along line C-C in FIG. 3B.

[0015] FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional view of the sailboat support of FIG. 2B along line D-D in FIG. 2B.

[0016] FIGS. 7A and 7B are views of an implementation of a sailboat support according to the present disclosure.

[0017] FIGS. 8A and 8B are views of an implementation of a sailboat support according to the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] Persons of ordinary skill in the relevant art will understand that the present disclosure is illustrative only and not in any way limiting. Other implementations of the presently disclosed systems and methods readily suggest themselves to such skilled persons having the assistance of this disclosure.

[0019] Each of the features and teachings disclosed herein can be utilized separately or in conjunction with other features and teachings to provide sailboat support devices, systems, and methods. Representative examples utilizing many of these additional features and teachings, both separately and in combination, are described in further detail with reference to the attached figures. This detailed description is merely intended to teach a person of skill in the art further details for practicing aspects of the present teachings and is not intended to limit the scope of the claims. Therefore, combinations of features disclosed in the detailed description may not be necessary to practice the teachings in the broadest sense and are instead taught merely to describe particularly representative examples of the present teachings.

[0020] Moreover, the various features of the representative examples and the dependent claims may be combined in ways that are not specifically and explicitly enumerated to provide additional useful implementations of the present teachings. It is also expressly noted that all value ranges or indications of groups of entities disclose every possible intermediate value or intermediate entity for the purpose of original disclosure, as well as for the purpose of restricting the claimed subject matter. It is also expressly noted that the dimensions and the shapes of the components shown in the figures are designed to help understand how the present teachings are practiced but are not intended to limit the dimensions and the shapes shown in the examples in some implementations. In some implementations, the dimensions and the shapes of the components shown in the figures are exactly to scale and intended to limit the dimensions and the shapes of the components.

[0021] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a sailboat support 100 with a sailboat 102 received on the support 100 according to the present disclosure. In an implementation, the support 100 includes an outer frame 104 designed to be affixed either to the lifting structure of a boat lift or the frame of a boat trailer, among other support structures. The frame 104 houses and supports a lower platform 106, which is connected near the top of the frame 104 with a series of linkages that are described further below. The platform 106 is a support platform that receives and supports a keel 108 of the boat 102. As the weight of the boat 102 applies vertical force on the platform 106, preferably in a downward direction, the linkages cause arms 110 of the support 100 to rotate to bring cradles 112 attached to the arms into engagement with a hull 114 of the boat 102. The arms 110 and cradles 112 cooperate to support the hull 114 of the boat 102.

[0022] FIGS. 2A and 2B are views of the sailboat support 100 with the arms 110 of the support 100 in a raised positioned similar to FIG. 1. FIGS. 3A and 3B are views of the sailboat support 100 with the arms 110 in a lowered position. FIGS. 4A and 4B are cross-sectional views of the front of the sailboat support 100 with the arms 110 lowered and raised, respectively, to illustrate operation of the linkages of the sailboat support 110. With reference to FIGS. 2A-4B, when the keel 108 makes contact with the platform 106, the weight of the boat 102 pushes down on the platform 106, causing the platform 106 to lower. The platform 106 may be supported by the frame 104. For example, the platform 106 may be coupled to the frame 104 on only one end and the other end may not be coupled to the frame 104. Alternatively, both ends or sides of the platform 106 may be coupled to the frame 104, with at least one of the couplings (such as a rear coupling) being a rotatable coupling. Many other alternative arrangements are contemplated so long as the frame 104 allows the platform 106 to move to enable the functionality described herein.

[0023] The downward motion of the platform 106 is transmitted through linkages 116 (best shown in FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B) to the top of the outer frame 104 where the frame 104 engages the arms 110. In particular, the linkages 116 may include at least a torsion bar 118, a platform link 120, and a torsion link 122. The downward motion is represented schematically by arrow 107 in FIG. 3A and FIG. 4A. As shown in FIG. 3A, the front end of the platform 106 may be connected to the frame 104 by the platform link 120, which is adapted to move upwards and downwards via the connections to the frame 104. Thus, the platform 107 is also adapted to move upward and downward. The rear end of the platform 106 may be rotatably coupled to a rear end of the frame 104. Thus, the movement of the platform 106 is enabled by a pivoted connection. Many other configurations are contemplated herein so long as the platform 106 is able to move, preferably vertically, but potentially in any direction. The platform link 120 is coupled to the platform 106 and may be a vertical or relatively vertical support member. The torsion bar 118 is rotatably coupled to the platform link 120 such that the downward motion of the keel 108 on the platform 106 causes the platform link 120 to move downward, which in turn rotates the torsion bar 118. For example, FIG. 4A, which shows the support 100 in the unengaged or rest position and FIG. 4B, which shows the support 100 in an engaged position, illustrate the different angular orientation of the torsion bar 118 once the keel 108 contacts and pushes the platform 106 downward. The arms 110 are rotatably coupled to the torsion bar 118 through torsion links 122. Thus, when the platform link 120 is drawn downward by the platform 106, the torsion bar 118 rotates clockwise, which draws the torsion links 122 downward. The downward movement of the torsion links 122 causes rotation of the arms 110 and the cradles 114 toward and into engagement with the hull 114 of the boat 102 on the support 100 as shown in FIG. 1.

[0024] The arms 110 also include extensions 124 that project outward from the frame 104 and have pivots that are offsetcreating a mechanical advantage. In a preferred implementation, the inner part of each arm 110, which is connected to the platform 106 via the linkages 116, has a shorter length than the outer part of the arm, which holds the cradle 112 that supports the boat hull. The pivot positioning of the support arms 110 ensures a controlled force distribution. For example, when the keel 108 exerts 1600 lbs. of force on the platform 106, the support arms 110 apply only 200 lbs. of force to the hull 114 per side for a total of 400 lbs. of force on the hull 114. This results in a defined ratio of force (in this implementation, 4:1), ensuring that the majority of the load is carried by the keel 108, as intended, with the hull 114 receiving just enough support to maintain stability. This ratio can be adjusted by modifying the lengths of the support arms 110, modifying the position of the cradles 112 relative to the extensions 124, the positioning and/or offset of the pivots, or the configuration of the linkages 116. The present disclosure contemplates any ratio of force that is suitable for supporting and securing a sailboat on the support 100 and is not limited to the 4:1 example above. In the illustrated implementation, the ratio may be about 15% or 3:20 such that for 1600 lbs. of load, the support arms 110 apply 120 lbs. of force to the hull 114 per side for a total of 240 lbs. of force on the hull 114 while the remaining load of 1,360 lbs. is carried by the platform 106.

[0025] At the ends of the support arms 110 are supports or brackets that hold the cradles 112, and more specifically, hold the extensions 124 that support the cradles 112. The cradles 112 are a flexible member designed to contour to the shape of the hull 114. The cradle 112 spreads the load applied by the arms 110 and extensions 124 over a large surface area on the hull 114, thus minimizing point contact and reducing the risk of damage to the hull 114. When no load is applied by the keel 108, the support arms 110 naturally rotate down and away from the hull 114 (i.e., a reverse of the process described above) under the force of gravity acting on the platform 106, allowing the sailboat 102 to be positioned easily without obstruction. As the keel 108 begins to apply load, the arms rotate inward, as described above, cradling the hull and self-centering the boat 102 in the support 100.

[0026] In alternative implementations, the height, length, and other characteristics and arrangements of the support arms 110, the extensions 124, the linkages 116, and the support frame 104 can be adjusted to accommodate different keel and hull shapes and sizes. Further, the linkages 116 could be locked after loading the boat 102 to further enhance stability in the stored or raised position. In other implementations, there may be additional load guides to help direct the hull 114 and the keel 108 into proper position to pre-center the boat on the support 100 either before or during the closing operation described above. Further, the linkages 116 may be created so that a downward force on the keel platform 106 creates an upward force on the outside of the support arms 110 instead of a downward force on the inside of the support arms 110. The ratio of force on the keel 108 could be less than the force on the hull 114. The concepts of the disclosure are not limited to boat lifts and boat trailers, but may also be applicable to other contexts, including at least for dry docking or as a sailboat stand in a maintenance or production facility.

[0027] In sum, the implementations of the disclosure provided for the ability to define and maintain a specific ratio of load distribution between the keel 108 and the hull 114 of a sailboat 102, with the keel load automatically actuating the support arms 110 to apply proportional, and preferably less, force to the hull 114 via the platform 106 and linkages 116.

[0028] FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional view of the sailboat support 100 along line A-A in FIG. 3B. FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view of the sailboat support 100 along line B-B in FIG. 3B. FIG. 6A is a cross-sectional view of the sailboat support along line C-C in FIG. 2B. FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional view of the sailboat support of FIG. 2B along line D-D in FIG. 2B. FIGS. 5A-6B are provided to illustrate movement of the various components of the sailboat support 100 described above between the disengaged position with the arms 110 lowered (FIGS. 5A and 5B) and the engaged position with the arms 110 raised (FIGS. 6A and 6B) when a boat is received in the support 100.

[0029] Starting with FIGS. 5A and 5B, in the disengaged position where a boat is not on the support 100 and the arms 110 are lowered, a plane that extends through the extensions 124 and the arms 110 (i.e., a plane through a center of the arms 110 that is parallel to the top and bottom surface of the arms 110) is below horizontal. The platform 106 is raised such that the platform link 120 and torsion links 122 are raised. This in turn rotates the torsion bar 118 upward such that a plane through a center of the torsion bar 118 that is parallel to top and bottom surfaces of the torsion bar 118 lies above horizontal, as best shown in FIG. 5A. The torsion links 122 are coupled to respective inner faces 111 of the arms 110. The inner face 111 is a minor surface of the arms 110 with a thickness or height 113 that is less than a width 115 of a major surface 117. In an implementation, the arms 110 are rectangular metal tubes such that the inner face or minor surface 111 is a shorter side of the rectangle and the major surface 117 is a longer side of the rectangle. Because the torsion links 122 are coupled to the inner faces 111 with a shorter dimension than the major surface 117, the torsion links 122 being in the raised position lowers the arms 110, extensions 124, and cradles 112 to the disengaged position shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B.

[0030] Turning to FIGS. 6A and 6B, when the boat is received on the support 100, the keel contacts the platform 106 and the weight of the boat on the platform 106 moves the platform 106 downward relative to the position of FIGS. 5A and 5B. The downward movement of the platform 106 pulls the platform link 120 downward, which rotates the torsion bar 118 downward, as best shown in FIG. 6A. The movement or rotation of the torsion bar 118 pulls the torsion links 122 downward. As the torsion links 122 move downward, force is applied to the inner faces 111 of the arms 110 to cam the arms 110 and cause them to rotate to a position where a plane through a center of the arms 110 that is parallel to the top and bottom surfaces of the arms 110 lies above horizontal, as best shown in FIG. 6B. This creates the mechanical advantage described above to rotate the extensions 124 and cradles 112 to the engaged position where the same are raised relative to the positions of FIGS. 5A and 5B. As noted above, the characteristics of the support arms 110, the position of the cradles 112 relative to the extensions, the positioning and/or offset of the pivots for the support arms 110, and the configuration of the various links are selected to define a ratio of force such that a majority of the load of the boat is carried by the platform 106 and a minority of the load of the boat is applied to the hull.

[0031] FIGS. 7A and 7B are views of an implementation of a sailboat support 200. FIG. 7A is a side isometric view of the support 200 and FIG. 7B is an aft or rear isometric view of the support 200. Starting with FIG. 7A, the support 200 includes a fore or forward frame 202 and an aft or rear frame 204. Each of the frames 202, 204 may be U-frames. The forward frame 202 includes two vertical supports 206 that are spaced from each other in a width direction of the support 200. A forward cross bar 208 is coupled to the two forward vertical supports 206 between the vertical supports 206 and proximate a top of the vertical supports 206, such that the forward frame 202 has a downward or inverted U shape that is open at the bottom.

[0032] The rear frame 204 likewise includes two spaced apart vertical supports 210 that are coupled together by a rear cross bar 212. Notably, however, the rear cross bar 212 is coupled to a bottom of the rear vertical supports 210 such that the rear frame 204 has a U shape that is open at the top. Thus, the forward frame 202 is inverted relative to the rear frame 204. Side rails 214 are coupled to the rear frame 204 only on both sides of the frame 204 proximate a bottom of the rear frame 204. Specifically, the side rails 214 are coupled to the rear vertical supports 210 above the rear cross bar 212. The side rails 214 extend in a length direction of the support 200 and are coupled to torsion links 216 that will be described further below. The frames 202, 204 are coupled together by diagonal braces 218 that extend from a top of the rear vertical supports 210 toward a bottom of the front vertical supports 206. The braces 218 also provide support to the frames 202, 204 and help resist various forces when load is applied to the support 200 by a boat.

[0033] Bunk supports 220 are coupled to and extend under the side rails 214. Keel bunks 222 are coupled to the bunk supports 220 and extend in a length direction of the support 200 to support the keel. In an implementation, the side rails 214, the bunk supports 220, and optionally the keel bunks 222 define a platform for receiving the keel that is adapted to move relative to the front and rear frames 202, 204, as described herein. The support 200 further includes keel guides 224 coupled to the rear vertical supports 210 and/or the bunk supports 220. As shown in FIG. 7B, the keel guides 224 are angled inward toward a center of the support 200 from the rear end toward the front end of the support 200 to help guide the keel toward the keel bunks 222 and center the keel in the support 200. Each of the keel bunks 222 and keel guides 224 may have a protective cover to prevent damage to the keel when loading and unloading the boat on the support 200.

[0034] The sailboat support 200 further includes mounting brackets 226 coupled to each of the forward and rear vertical supports 206, 210 to enable the support 200 to be coupled to a boat lift, trailer, or some other support structure of the type described herein. The mounting brackets 226 are preferably aligned with each other in a common horizontal plane so that the support 200 is level when coupled to an external support or aligned with the plane of the external support if the external support is at an angle. The sailboat support 200 also includes lift bars 228, torsion bars 230, locking arms 232, and hull bunks 234 that are described further with reference to FIG. 7B.

[0035] FIG. 7B is a rear end isometric view of the support 200 to provide additional detail about certain aspects of the support 200. A keel stop 236 is coupled to the forward cross bar 208 of the forward frame 202 to prevent the keel from moving too far forward in the support 200 and assist in positioning the keel in the support 200. The keel stop 236 may include a protective cover to prevent damage to the keel. The lift bars 228 are rotatably coupled to corresponding ones of the vertical supports 206, 210 proximate a top of the vertical supports 206, 210. The torsion links 216 are coupled at a top end of the torsion links 216 to an inner end of the of the lift bars 228. The forward vertical supports 206 are not directly coupled to the torsion links 216 to allow for movement of the torsion links 216, as described below. Rather, the forward verticals supports 206 and torsion links 216 are mechanically coupled by the lift bars 228. The torsion links 216 are coupled at a bottom of the torsion links 216 to the forward end of the side rails 214. The side rails 214 are positioned on opposite sides of the support 200 and are spaced across the bunk supports 220 such that the torsion links 216 are likewise positioned on opposite sides of the support 200 and spaced apart by a distance that approximates a width of the bunk supports 220 less a thickness of the side rails 214. In an implementation, the torsion links 216 are coupled to an inside surface of the side rails 214.

[0036] The torsion bars 230 are coupled to respective ones of the lift bars 228 on opposite sides of the support 200. For example, as shown in FIG. 7B, there is one torsion bar 230 coupled between the left lift bars 228 and one torsion bar coupled between the right lift bars 228. The torsion bars 230 are angled relative to the lift bars 228 meaning that the forward end of the torsion bars 230 is closer to a center of the forward lift bars 228 and thus further from a center of the support 200 than the rear end of the torsion bars 230 at the rear lift bars 230. The angular position of the torsion bars 230 helps distribute load (i.e., the torsion bars 230 act as a brace) evenly between the forward and rear lift bars 228 and the torsion bars 230 more generally assist with lifting the lift bars 228 and preventing uneven rotation of the same about the torsion links 216. The hull bunks 234 are coupled to the lift bars 228 at outer ends of the lift bars 228 by hull bunk supports 238 and brackets 240. The brackets 240 and hull bunk supports 230 allow for adjustment of the height or vertical position of the hull bunks 234 relative to the lift bars 228 to improve alignment with the hull of the boat. Further, the hull bunks 234 may likewise include a protective cover and may be flexible to some degree to assist with aligning the bunks 234 with the contour of the hull of the boat.

[0037] The support 200 further includes locking arms 232 at the rear end of the support 200. The locking arms 232 are coupled at a bottom end to the rear vertical supports 210 and at an upper end to outer ends of the lift bars 228. The locking arms 232 are coupled to an outer surface (i.e., away from the forward end) of the outer ends of the lift bars 228 inside or toward a center of the lift bars 228 from the brackets 240. Notably, the locking arms 232 are rotatably coupled at their bottom ends to the rear vertical supports 210 by a plate or bracket, as shown in FIG. 7B. .

[0038] In operation, the top end of the locking arms 232 are coupled to the lift bars 228, while the bottom end of the locking arms 232 are unlocked by leaving the plates or brackets untightened. Then, a boat is loaded on the support 200 according to the process described herein. Once the boat is in position and any desired adjustments have been made, the locking arms 232 are locked in position by tightening the bolts that clamp the plates at the bottom of the locking arms 232 to the rear vertical supports 210. Between repeated uses of the support 200, the locking arms 232 are not disengaged or uncoupled from their respective supports 210, 228. Rather, the entire support 200 is moved under the boat via a trailer, boat lift, or some other device, with the support 200 held in the proper position to support the boat via the locking arms 232 holding the lift bars 228 and hull bunks 234 in the proper position with the appropriate weight distribution, as described herein.

[0039] The locking arms 232 may also be at the front end of the support 200 and coupled to or otherwise configured to support the front vertical supports 206 and the forward lift bars 228 in a similar manner to the implementation described herein where the locking arms 232 are coupled to the rear lift bars 228 and rear vertical supports 210. Further, the locking arms 232 may be positioned anywhere else in the overall linkage assembly (i.e., torsion link 216, lift arms 228, torsion bar 230, etc.) or in any other suitable position to allow for locking in any fashion or location of the support 200 that can handle the corresponding load and/or prevent movement of the various aspects of the support 200. In some non-limiting examples, the locking arms 232 may be coupled between the forward vertical supports 206 and the forward lift bars 228, between the torsion links 216 and any part of the forward frame 202, between the torsion links 216 and the forward lift bars 228, between the torsion links 216 and the torsion bars 230, between the side rails 214 and the torsion links 216, between the rear vertical supports 210 and the torsion bars 230, and others.

[0040] FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrate the support 200 in an engaged position with the lift bars 228 and hull bunks 234 in a raised position. The support 200 is capable of moving to a disengaged position with the lift bars 228 and hull bunks 234 lowered, but such lowered position is not shown here as the overall movement of the support 200 is generally similar to the support 100. In other words, the movement aspects of the support 200 are the same as the support 100, except as noted below.

[0041] In operation, and with reference to FIG. 7A and FIG. 7B, the side rails 214 and torsion links 216 are not directly coupled to the forward vertical supports 206, but rather, are supported by the lift bars 228, which are configured to rotate. As a result, the side rails 214 and torsion links 216 can move up and down at the forward end of the support 200. At the rear of the support 200, the rear frame 204 is configured to rotate and move via the side rails 214 and torsion links 216. As a result, in the disengaged position, the side rails 214 and keel bunks 222 are at a relatively higher position than that shown in FIG. 7A and FIG. 7B.

[0042] When load is applied to the keel bunks 222 by a keel of a boat, the keel bunks 222 and side rail 214 move downward, as described herein. The downward movement of the side rail 214 pulls the torsion links 216 downward, which rotates the lift bars 228 upward to rotate the hull bunks 234 toward and into contact with the hull of the boat in the engaged and raised position shown in FIG. 7A and FIG. 7B. The locking arms 232 remain disengaged during the above process to allow the lift bars 228 to be raised to bring the hull bunks 234 into contact with the hull of the boat. Once the boat is in proper position with the load distributed as described herein, a user can manually couple or lock the locking arms 232 to the lift bars 228, as described above, to improve stability in inclement weather.

[0043] The tall masts on sailboats can create a large amount of tipping force in windy conditions, which can cause the lift bars 228 or other components of the support 200 to incrementally move and shift the boat over time. The locking arms 232 prevent movement of the lift bars 228 or other aspects of the support 200 to prevent the boat from shifting in windy conditions. As a result, the locking arms 232, when engaged by the user, prevent the link bars 228, torsion links 216, and other movable aspects of the support 200 from rotating or moving down under the force of gravity and/or the tipping force from the sailboat. Instead, the locking arms 232 prevent such movement to ensure the components of the support 200 stay in a locked position to prevent movement of the boat on the support 200.

[0044] As alluded to above, the support 200 remains in the engaged and locked position between repeated uses for the same boat. The boat is initially loaded onto the support 200, the load is distributed, and adjustments are made before locking the locking arms 232. Once the locking arms 232 are locked, no part of the locking system is loosened or unlocked. Rather, the external support or device that the support 200 is coupled to manipulates the support 200 between various positions that allow for loading or unloading of the boat. For example, when the support 200 is coupled to a boat lift and the support 200 is in the engaged and locked position, the boat is aligned with the support 200 and the boat lift provides the force and movement to raise the support 200 into engagement with the boat and to lift the boat out of the water on the support 200 (i.e., the boat lift raises the support 200 from under the boat). In reverse, the boat lift lowers the support 200 into the water to disengage the same with the boat and allow the boat to be moved off of the support 200. A similar process is used when the support 200 is coupled to a trailer, except a car, SUV, or truck manipulates the trailer into position and provides the force and movement to raise the boat out of the water and into engagement with the support 200.

[0045] In some cases, it may be desirable to adjust the support 200 for use with a different boat, for example, when the support 200 is sold to a new user or when the same user purchases a new boat. In such cases, the process described above will generally be followed to fit the support 200 to the new boat. Briefly, the locking arms 232 are disengaged by loosening the fasteners associated with the plates at the bottom of the arms 232, the lift bars 228 are allowed to rotate down, and then the new boat is loaded onto the support 200 and adjusted according to the above before the locking arms 232 are again locked in position with the support 200 custom fit to the new boat. From there, the process of using the support 200 is similar to that described above. Thus, the support 200 differs from the support 100 described above in that with the support 100, the extensions 124 and arms 110 may move between each repeated use of the support 100 by repeatedly loading and unloading the support 100. The support 200 is loaded and adjusted once before being locked in position by the locking arms 232. Then, for future uses, an external device provides the force and movement to bring the support 200 into engagement with the boat. The locking assembly is adjusted for the support 200 and the support 200 more generally will rotate and move when it is being re-fit to a new boat, instead of between each use.

[0046] FIGS. 8A and 8B are views of an implementation of a sailboat support 300. The support 300 has the same features and functionality as the support 200, except as otherwise described below. Thus, repetitive features and parts of the support 300 relative to support 200 are not described. Relative to support 200, the support 300 may be designed to handle a higher amount of load (i.e., a heavier boat) relative to support 200. For example, the support 200 is designed to have a load capacity of 5,000 lbs. while the support 300 is designed to have a load capacity of 10,000 lbs. Thus, while operation of the supports 200, 300 may generally be similar, certain features and aspects are different to account for the increased maximum load of the support 300.

[0047] The support 300 has additional bunk supports 302 under the side rail 304 to support a heavier keel relative to support 200. The bunk supports 302 include a forward pair of supports 302F that are coupled to either side of torsion links 306. Specifically, one of the pair of supports 302F is in front of the torsion links 306 and one of the pair of supports 302F is behind or at the rear of the torsion links 306 relative to a front end of the support 300. The torsion links 306 are coupled to and between the pair of supports 302F to support the torsion links 306 and provide additional load bearing capacity at the front end of the support 300. In addition, the support 300 includes a diagonal brace 308 that is inverted relative to the diagonal brace 218 of support 200. Specifically, the brace 308 extends from a lower end of rear vertical supports 310 to an upper end of forward vertical supports 312. Torsion bars 314 of the support 300 are also positioned at an innermost end of lift arms 316 toward a center of the support 300 instead of being coupled at an angle between the lift bars 228 along the span of the lift bars 228 as with support 200. There are additional differences with respect to how the torsion bars 314 are actuated and where locking arms 318 are coupled to the lift arms 316 that are described with reference to FIG. 8B.

[0048] Turning to FIG. 8B, the torsion links 306 are coupled at their bottom ends to the pair of bunk supports 302F proximate a center of the bunk supports 302F and a keel stop 320 is coupled on opposite sides to the torsion links 306. Thus, the torsion links 306 are spaced from each other by a distance that approximates a width of the keel stop 320, which is less than the distance between the torsion links 216 of the support 200. The torsion links 306 are rotatably coupled at the top ends to respective pairs of pivot plates 322 with one pair of plates 322 for each link 306. The pivot plates 322 are arranged similarly to the pair of bunk supports 302F in the sense that one plate of each pair of pivot plates 322 is in front of the corresponding torsion link 306 and one plate is behind or to the rear of the corresponding torsion link 306 relative to a front end of the support 300.

[0049] The rotatable coupling can be achieved by a pin or fastener inserted through holes on one side the pairs of spaced apart pivot plates 322, such as an inner side relative to a center of the support 300, and the corresponding torsion link 306 inserted into the space between the pair of pivot plates 322. An opposite side or outer side of the pair of pivot plates 322 is rotatably coupled to the forward vertical supports 312, as best shown in FIG. 8A. The pivot plates 322 have a cutout 324 that corresponds in size and shape to the torsion bars 314 and specifically to a width or largest dimension of the torsion bars 314 such that the torsion bars 314 are received with the largest dimension in the cutouts 324 and extensions 326 of the pivot plates 322 extending along the height or smallest dimension of the torsion bars 314 on both opposite shorter sides of the torsion bars 314. The locking arms 318 are likewise coupled to the rear vertical supports 310 at their bottom end, but the top end of the locking arms 318 is coupled to an inside surface of the lift bars 316 relative to a center of the support 300 instead of an outside surface as with support 200.

[0050] FIGS. 8A and 8B again illustrate the support 300 in the engaged and raised position with the overall movement of the support 300 being similar to the supports 100, 200 such that various phases of movement of the support 300 are not shown. In operation, and with reference to FIG. 8A and FIG. 8B, a downward force on keel bunks 328 moves the torsion links 306 and side rails 304 downward. The downward movement of the torsion links 306 rotates the pairs of pivot plates 322 about the forward vertical supports 312 such that the left pair of pivot plates 322 rotates clockwise and the right pair of pivot plates 322 rotates counterclockwise in the orientation of FIG. 8B. This rotation moves the ends or sides of the pivot plates 322 coupled to the torsion links 306 downwards as a result of the downward movement of the torsion links 306. The rotation of the pivot plates 322 and the torsion bars 314 received in the cutouts 324 of the pivot plates 322 results in rotation of the torsion bars 314 via the extensions 326 of the pivot plates acting on the shorter sides of the torsion bars 314 to provide the mechanical advantage described herein. The rotation of the torsion bars 314 raises the lift bars 316 upward to bring hull bunks 330 into contact with the hull of the boat, as described herein. The locking arms 318 again can be coupled to the lift bars 316 by a user or installer during the initial fitting of the support 300 to the boat to improve stability in inclement weather. When the load is to be removed from the keel bunks 328, the locking arms 318 hold the lift bars 326 and the overall linkage assembly in the engaged position with an external device (i.e., boat lift or trailer) providing the force to move the support 300 downward to lower the same into the water until the boat can be disengaged from the support 300.

[0051] Both the support 200 and support 300 are designed with a different distribution of load relative to the support 100. Specifically, the supports 200 and 300 are designed such that about 25-30% of the load is applied to the hull bunks 234, 330 and the remainder of the load is applied to the keel bunks 222, 328 (and other supporting structures associated with the keel bunks 222, 328). Expressed as a ratio, this results in a 4:1 ratio between the keel bunks 222, 328 and hull bunks 234, 330 corresponding to the 25% load distribution at the lower end of the range and a 10:3 ratio between the keel bunks 222, 328 and hull bunks 234, 330 corresponding to the 30% load distribution at the upper end of the range. As noted above, the configuration of the supports 200, 300 can be adjusted to provide for different load distributions than the approximately 25-30% distribution described above.

[0052] In view of the above, the concepts of the present disclosure provide for sailboat support devices, systems, and methods, that safely and securely support sailboats when sailboats are raised out of the water. The concepts of the disclosure avoid damage to the sailboat by automatically distributing appropriate load to the keel and hull while reducing the amount of adjustment and uncertainty by the user. The technology described herein also secures sailboats and avoids shifting of the boat in the support due to inclement weather. The concepts of the disclosure can be used with boat lifts, boat trailers, dry dock supports, and in other situations to support sailboats out of the water irrespective of the context or external support for the boat.

[0053] The above description of illustrated implementations, including what is described in the Abstract, is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the implementations to the precise forms disclosed. Although specific implementations and examples are described herein for illustrative purposes, various equivalent modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure, as will be recognized by those skilled in the relevant art. The teachings provided herein of the various implementations can be applied outside of the sailboat support context, and are not limited to the example systems, methods, and devices generally described above.

[0054] Many of the methods described herein can be performed with variations. For example, many of the methods may include additional acts, omit some acts, and/or perform acts in a different order than as illustrated or described.

[0055] In the above description, certain specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of various implementations of the disclosure. However, one skilled in the art will understand that the disclosure may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures associated with boat lifts, trailers, and sailboat support devices, systems, and methods have not been described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the descriptions of the implementations of the present disclosure.

[0056] Certain words and phrases used in the specification are set forth as follows. As used throughout this document, including the claims, the singular form a, an, and the include plural references unless indicated otherwise. Any of the features and elements described herein may be singular, e.g., a fastener cap may refer to one fastener cap. The terms include and comprise, as well as derivatives thereof, mean inclusion without limitation. The phrases associated with and associated therewith, as well as derivatives thereof, may mean to include, be included within, interconnect with, contain, be contained within, connect to or with, couple to or with, be communicable with, cooperate with, interleave, juxtapose, be proximate to, be bound to or with, have, have a property of, or the like. Other definitions of certain words and phrases are provided throughout this disclosure.

[0057] The use of ordinals such as first, second, third, etc., does not necessarily imply a ranked sense of order, but rather may only distinguish between multiple instances of an act or a similar structure or material.

[0058] Throughout the specification, claims, and drawings, the following terms take the meaning explicitly associated herein, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. The term herein refers to the specification, claims, and drawings associated with the current application. The phrases in one implementation, in another implementation, in various implementations, in some implementations, in other implementations, and other derivatives thereof refer to one or more features, structures, functions, limitations, or characteristics of the present disclosure, and are not limited to the same or different implementations unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. As used herein, the term or is an inclusive or operator, and is equivalent to the phrases A or B, or both or A or B or C, or any combination thereof, and lists with additional elements are similarly treated.

[0059] Generally, unless otherwise indicated, the materials for making the invention and/or its components may be selected from appropriate materials such as composite materials, plastics, metal, polymers, thermoplastics, elastomers, plastic compounds, biodegradable materials, and the like, either alone or in any combination.

[0060] The foregoing description, for purposes of explanation, uses specific nomenclature and formula to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosed implementations. It should be apparent to those of skill in the art that the specific details are not required in order to practice the invention. The implementations have been chosen and described to best explain the principles of the disclosed implementations and its practical application, thereby enabling others of skill in the art to utilize the disclosed implementations, and various implementations with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Thus, the foregoing disclosure is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and those of skill in the art recognize that many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings.

[0061] The terms top, bottom, upper, lower, up, down, above, below, left, right, and other like derivatives take their common meaning as directions or positional indicators, such as, for example, gravity pulls objects down and left refers to a direction that is to the west when facing north in a Cardinal direction scheme. These terms are not limiting with respect to the possible orientations explicitly disclosed, implicitly disclosed, or inherently disclosed in the present disclosure and unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, any of the aspects of the implementations of the disclosure can be arranged in any orientation.

[0062] As used herein, the term substantially is construed to include an ordinary error range or manufacturing tolerance due to slight differences and variations in manufacturing. Unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, relative terms such as approximately, substantially, and other derivatives, when used to describe a value, amount, quantity, or dimension, generally refer to a value, amount, quantity, or dimension that is within plus or minus 5% of the stated value, amount, quantity, or dimension. It is to be further understood that any specific dimensions of components or features provided herein are for illustrative purposes only with reference to the various implementations described herein, and as such, it is expressly contemplated in the present disclosure to include dimensions that are more or less than the dimensions stated, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0063] These and other changes can be made to the implementations in light of the above-detailed description. In general, in the following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limit the claims to the specific implementations disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should be construed to include all possible implementations along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. Accordingly, the breadth and scope of a disclosed implementation should not be limited by any of the above-described implementations, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.