Ensuring installation of drain plug when launching aquatic vessel

• US 7,946,238 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2009
• Issued: 05/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Safe Launch LLC
• Original Assignee: Safe Launch LLC
• Inventors: Haber, Raymond G., Colsher, Steven J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Olson; Lars A
• Application Number:
  US12/419,024
• Publication Number:
  US 20090260557A1
• Time in Patent Office: 778 Days
• Field of Search: 114/197, 114/198, 116/28.R
• US Class Current: 114/197
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 13/02 Ports for passing water through vessels' sides jet propulsors with clogging prevention means B63H11/01

Abstract

An auxiliary strap, connected to a tie-down strap for securing a boat to a trailer, is removably anchored to a drain opening in the boat, by being connected to a tethered drain plug, or by being connected to a spring clip that extends into the drain opening. The connection of the tie-down strap to the drain opening reminds the boater to reinstall the drain plug before launching the boat.

Claims

1. A method of transporting and launching an aquatic vessel having a drain opening with inner and outer ends, and a drain plug insertable into the drain opening, the plug being connected to a tether that extends from the plug into the drain opening, the tether including an anchoring part that moves with the tether and limits separation of the plug from the drain opening by engagement with a part of the vessel adjacent the inner end of the drain opening, the method comprising the steps of:

positioning the aquatic vessel on a trailer;

securing the aquatic vessel to the trailer by connecting the vessel to the trailer by means of at least one tie-down strap having a flexible auxiliary strap having first and second ends, the first end being connected to the tie-down strap;

anchoring the second end of the flexible auxiliary strap to the drain opening while the drain plug is not inserted in the drain opening by connecting the second end of the flexible auxiliary strap to the drain plug;

transporting the vessel, on the trailer, to a launch site;

releasing the vessel from the trailer by releasing a connection of the tie-down strap from at least one of the vessel and the trailer, and releasing the second end of the flexible auxiliary strap from its anchoring relationship with the drain opening;

inserting the drain plug in the drain opening; and

launching the vessel at the launch site.

2. A method of transporting and launching an aquatic vessel having a drain opening and a drain plug insertable into the drain opening comprising the steps of:

positioning the aquatic vessel on a trailer;

securing the aquatic vessel to the trailer by connecting the vessel to the trailer by means of at least one tie-down strap having a flexible auxiliary strap having first and second ends, the first end being connected to the tie-down strap;

anchoring the second end of the flexible auxiliary strap to the drain opening while the drain plug is not inserted in the drain opening;

transporting the vessel, on the trailer, to a launch site;

releasing the vessel from the trailer by releasing a connection of the tie-down strap from at least one of the vessel and the trailer, and releasing the second end of the flexible auxiliary strap from its anchoring relationship with the drain opening;

inserting the drain plug in the drain opening; and

launching the vessel at the launch site;

in which the drain opening extends from an inside surface of the vessel to an outside surface of the vessel, and in which the second end of the flexible auxiliary strap is connected to an expansible spring clip comprising a spring at a first end of the clip, a pair of opposed elongated elements extending from the spring toward an opposite end of the spring clip and resiliently urged apart from each other by a force exerted by the spring, said elements being insertable through the drain opening when pressed toward each other in opposition to the force exerted by the spring, each elongated element having, at its end opposite from the spring, a prong extending laterally relative to its direction of elongation, the prongs extending in opposite directions and being engageable with the inside surface of the vessel to secure the spring clip against removal from the drain opening when the opposed elongated elements extend through the drain opening and are not pressed toward each other.

3. A combination of an aquatic vessel having an open drain opening with inner and outer ends, and a drain plug insertable into the drain opening, the plug being connected to a tether that extends from the plug into the drain opening, the tether including an anchoring part that moves with the tether and limits separation of the plug from the drain opening by engagement with a part of the vessel adjacent the inner end of the drain opening, and a trailer on which the aquatic vessel is supported for transportation, the combination including:

means for securing the vessel to the trailer, said securing means including a tie-down strap, connected to the vessel and the trailer, and

a flexible auxiliary strap having first and second ends, the first end being connected to the tie-down strap, and the second end being connected to the drain plug.

4. The combination according to claim 3, in which the anchoring part is a T-shaped end part of the tether.

5. The combination according to claim 3, in which the drain plug is formed with a loop, and in which the second end of the auxiliary strap is connected to the drain plug by engagement of a snap hook on the second end of the auxiliary strap with said loop of formed on the drain plug.

6. A combination of an aquatic vessel having an open drain opening closable by a drain plug, and a trailer on which the aquatic vessel is supported for transportation, the combination including:

means for securing the vessel to the trailer, said securing means including a tie-down strap, connected to the vessel and the trailer, and

a flexible auxiliary strap having first and second ends, the first end being connected to the tie-down strap, and the second end being anchored to the open drain opening;

in which the vessel has an inside surface and an outside surface, in which the drain opening has an inner circumferential surface and extends from the inside surface of the vessel to the outside surface of the vessel, and including an expansible spring clip connected to the second end of the flexible auxiliary strap, the expansible spring clip comprising a spring at a first end of the clip, a pair of opposed elongated elements extending from the spring toward an opposite end of the spring clip and resiliently urged apart from each other by a force exerted by the spring, said elements extending through the drain opening and being resiliently urged apart from each other into engagement with the inner circumferential surface of the drain opening by a force exerted by the spring, the spring clip having, at said opposite end, a pair of prongs extending laterally relative to the direction of elongation of said opposed elements, the prongs being engageable with the inside surface of the vessel when the opposed elongated elements of the clip are in engagement with the inner circumferential surface of the drain opening and securing the spring clip against removal from the drain opening, but being sufficiently short that the spring clip can be released from the drain opening by pressing the elongated elements toward each other.

7. The combination according to claim 6, in which the auxiliary strap is sufficiently short that the vessel cannot be removed from the trailer while the auxiliary strap is intact, the first end of the auxiliary strap is connected to the tie-down strap, and the second end of the auxiliary strap is anchored to the drain opening.