Trolling Motor Direction Guide and Method
First Claim
1. A visual direction guide useable with a steerable trolling motor apparatus, mountable on a fishing boat, to enable an operator, positioned remotely in the boat from the trolling motor, to visually determine the direction of propulsion of the trolling motor when the operator'"'"'s view of the trolling motor is visually obstructed, the visual direction guide comprising:
- an elongated indicator support shaft;
a visual indicator securable to an upper portion of the elongated indicator support shaft; and
a support shaft mounting apparatus securable to a lower portion of the elongated indicator support shaft and securable to a portion of the trolling motor apparatus;
wherein, when the visual indicator is secured to the indicator support shaft and the shaft mounting apparatus is secured to the indicator support shaft and to the trolling motor apparatus, the visual indicator is oriented with respect to the trolling motor apparatus so that the operator can determine the direction of propulsion of the trolling motor apparatus by viewing the orientation of the visual indicator, even when the trolling motor apparatus is not visible to the operator.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A visual direction guide for a fishing boat trolling motor to enable a fisherman or other operator positioned remotely in the boat from the trolling motor to visually determine the direction of propulsion of the trolling motor so the operator can steer the motor even when the view from the operator of the trolling motor is visually obstructed by another fisherman, chair, or other object. The visual direction guide has a support shaft, a visual indicator located at the top of the support shaft, and mounting apparatus to secure the support shaft to the trolling motor, so that the visual indicator can be seen by the operator above any visual obstruction to determine the direction of propulsion of the trolling motor to remotely steer the trolling motor. The visual indicator can include a vane, and can include lights. The support shaft can telescope, fold down, or be removed for storage.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A visual direction guide useable with a steerable trolling motor apparatus, mountable on a fishing boat, to enable an operator, positioned remotely in the boat from the trolling motor, to visually determine the direction of propulsion of the trolling motor when the operator'"'"'s view of the trolling motor is visually obstructed, the visual direction guide comprising:
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an elongated indicator support shaft; a visual indicator securable to an upper portion of the elongated indicator support shaft; and a support shaft mounting apparatus securable to a lower portion of the elongated indicator support shaft and securable to a portion of the trolling motor apparatus; wherein, when the visual indicator is secured to the indicator support shaft and the shaft mounting apparatus is secured to the indicator support shaft and to the trolling motor apparatus, the visual indicator is oriented with respect to the trolling motor apparatus so that the operator can determine the direction of propulsion of the trolling motor apparatus by viewing the orientation of the visual indicator, even when the trolling motor apparatus is not visible to the operator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A steerable trolling motor apparatus, the steerable trolling motor apparatus mountable on a fishing boat having a bow to enable an operator positioned remotely in the fishing boat from the bow to visually determine a direction of propulsion of the trolling motor apparatus so as to effectively steer when the operator'"'"'s view of the trolling motor apparatus is visually obstructed, the steerable trolling motor apparatus comprising:
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a trolling motor attachable to the bow of the fishing boat, the trolling motor having a trolling motor head and a trolling motor shaft; a remote controller capable of turning the trolling motor with respect to the trolling motor shaft; and a visual direction guide including an elongated indicator support shaft, a visual indicator securable to an upper portion of the elongated indicator support shaft, and a shaft mounting apparatus securable to a lower portion of the elongated indicator support shaft and securable to a portion of the trolling motor apparatus; wherein, when the visual indicator is secured to the indicator support shaft and the shaft mounting apparatus is secured to the indicator support shaft and to the trolling motor, the visual indicator is oriented with respect to the trolling motor so that the operator can determine the direction of propulsion of the trolling motor by viewing the orientation of the visual indicator, even when the trolling motor is not visible to the operator. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of determining a direction of propulsion of a trolling motor attached to a bow of a boat, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a visual direction guide, the visual direction guide including an elongated indicator support shaft, a visual indicator securable to an upper portion of the elongated indicator support shaft, and a shaft mounting apparatus securable to a lower portion of the elongated indicator support shaft and securable to a portion of the trolling motor; securing the visual indicator to the indicator support shaft and securing the shaft mounting apparatus to the indicator support shaft and to the trolling motor so that the visual indicator is oriented with respect to the trolling motor apparatus so as to visually indicate the orientation of the direction of propulsion of the trolling motor. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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24. A method of steering a fishing boat having a trolling motor apparatus attached to a bow of the fishing boat, the trolling motor apparatus including a remote controller, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a visual direction guide, the visual direction guide including an elongated indicator support shaft, a visual indicator securable to an upper portion of the elongated indicator support shaft, and a support shaft mounting apparatus securable to a lower portion of the elongated indicator support shaft and securable to a portion of the trolling motor; securing the visual direction guide to the trolling motor apparatus; observing the orientation of the visual indicator to determine the direction of propulsion of the trolling motor apparatus; and steering the fishing boat with the remote controller.
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Specification