Suspended boat cover and suspended boat cover system

• US 8,601,971 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2009
• Issued: 12/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marine Concepts Acquisition LLC
• Original Assignee: Marine Concepts LLC (Kanbrick LLC)
• Inventors: Kent, Randy
• Primary Examiner(s): Olson, Lars A
• Assistant Examiner(s): WIEST, ANTHONY D
• Application Number:
  US12/426,241
• Publication Number:
  US 20090293797A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,697 Days
• Field of Search: 114/361, 135/88.01, 135/90, 135/96, 135/156, 135/152, 135/153, 248/276.1, 248/282.1, 248/284.1, 248/323, 248/324, 248/341
• US Class Current: 114/361
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 17/02 Awnings , including rigid weather protection structures, e.g. sunroofs; Tarpaulins; Accessories for awnings or tarpaulins

Abstract

A boat cover for a suspended cover system that is configured to fit a boat in a manner that prevents relative movement therebetween minimizing wear. The cover has at least one fitting seam that follows part of the top of the boat. An integral cover cinching arrangement enables tightening the bottom of the cover against the hull hugging it. Vents overlying a passenger section minimize wind force by reducing cover pressure differential. The cover can be equipped with a second fitting seam that extends along the gunwale of the boat and can have a downwardly extending fitting seam section that extends below the gunwale toward the bow to help fit the cover to the front portion of the hull of the boat. Stretchable straps used to hang the cover from a track of the boat cover system can be used to minimize force on the cover caused by wave action.

Claims

1. A suspended boat cover for a suspended boat cover system for covering a boat, the suspended boat cover formed of flexible material and comprising:

an elongate track attachment region formed in the flexible material, the track attachment region extending along a top portion of the suspended boat cover and configured for attachment to an elongate track from which the suspended boat cover is suspended over a boat covered by the suspended boat cover;

a first seam formed in the flexible material is disposed below the track attachment region, the first seam extends along and adjacent a front portion of a top of the boat covered by the suspended boat cover; and

a perforate wind passage region formed in the flexible material that allows wind passage completely through the suspended boat cover, the perforate wind passage region disposed between the track attachment region and the first seam extending along the first seam disposed above the front portion of the boat covered by the suspended boat cover from adjacent the first seam upwardly toward the track attachment region.

2. The suspended boat cover of claim 1 wherein the first seam formed in the flexible material extends along and adjacent a foredeck of the boat covered by the suspended boat cover, the first seam overlying the front portion of the boat.

3. The boat cover of claim 1 wherein the first seam formed in the flexible material extends at an upward angle relative to horizontal along a foredeck of the boat covered by the suspended boat cover from adjacent a front of the boat upwardly toward the track attachment region, wherein the track attachment region formed in the flexible material extends generally horizontally, and wherein the perforate wind passage region formed in the flexible material is disposed above a foredeck of the boat and extends upwardly from adjacent the first seam to adjacent the track attachment region defining a generally triangular perforate wind passage region.

4. The suspended boat cover of claim 1 wherein (a) the boat cover is comprised of a first section of the flexible material disposed above and extending downwardly along one side of the boat covered by the suspended boat cover and a second section of the flexible material disposed above and extending downwardly along the other side of the boat covered by the suspended boat cover, (b) the track attachment region extends generally horizontally and comprises an elongate generally horizontally extending reinforcing seam formed in the flexible material that joins the first and second sections of the flexible material together above the boat covered by the suspended boat cover, (c) the first seam joins the first and second sections of the flexible material together above the boat covered by the suspended boat cover and below at least a portion of the track attachment region extending above the front portion of the top of the boat covered by the suspended boat cover, and (d) the perforate wind passage region is formed in the first and second sections of the flexible material disposed above the boat covered by the suspended boat cover between the first seam and the track attachment region.

5. The suspended boat cover of claim 4 wherein the flexible material the boat cover is formed of is comprised of a single piece of fabric.

6. The suspended boat cover of claim 5 wherein the boat cover fabric is comprised of polyester or woven acrylic.

7. The suspended boat cover of claim 5 wherein the boat cover fabric is comprised of a canvas, a polyester-cotton blend or vinyl with denim backing.

8. The suspended boat cover of claim 4 further comprising a second seam formed in each one of the first and second sections of flexible material with each second seam extending along a corresponding gunwale of the boat covered by the suspended boat cover on opposite sides of the boat without joining the first and second sections together.

9. The suspended boat cover of claim 8 wherein the first seam and second seam comprise fitting seams fitting the cover to the boat.

10. The suspended boat cover of claim 8 further comprising a wind pressure differential reducing vent formed in the flexible material, the vent overlying a portion of an interior of a boat covered by the suspended boat cover and reducing a difference in pressure between outside the suspended boat cover and inside the suspended boat cover when the wind blows against the suspended boat cover, the vent (i) is disposed rearwardly of the perforate wind passage region, (ii) is disposed below the track attachment region formed in the flexible material, and (iii) is disposed above the gunwale of the boat on each side of the boat when the boat is covered by the suspended boat cover.

11. The suspended boat cover of claim 1 further comprising a cinching arrangement extending along a bottom portion of the boat cover releasably cinching the bottom portion of the boat cover against a hull of the boat.

12. The suspended boat cover of claim 11 wherein the cinching arrangement comprises a line received in a sleeve formed in the boat cover extending around the periphery of the hull of the boat and a ratchet operatively connected to the line that releasably tightens the line around the hull of the boat when releasably cinching the bottom portion of the boat cover against the hull of the boat.

13. The suspended boat cover of claim 1 wherein the boat cover is comprised of a first section of flexible material disposed above and extending downwardly along a port side of the boat covered by the suspended boat cover and a second section of flexible material extending downwardly along a starboard side of the boat covered by the boat cover, the first and second sections of flexible material joined together at one end of the boat cover fitting around a portion of a bow of the boat at one end of the boat, and the first and second sections of flexible material releasably joined together at an opposite end of the boat cover by a generally vertically extending elongate fastener fitting around a portion of a stern of the boat at an opposite end of the boat.

14. The suspended boat cover of claim 1 further comprising a stretchable suspension arrangement disposed between the track and the track attachment region formed in the flexible material that is releasably attached to the track attachment region.

15. The suspended boat cover of claim 14 wherein the stretchable suspension arrangement is comprised of a plurality of spaced apart elastic or elastomeric straps.

16. The suspended boat cover of claim 15 wherein each elastic or elastomeric strap comprises a generally vertically extending elongate bungee cord.

17. A suspended boat cover for a suspended boat cover system for covering a boat, the boat cover formed of a flexible material and comprising:

a pair of generally rectangular panels of the flexible material with one of the panels of the flexible material hanging downwardly extending along one side of a boat covered by the suspended boat cover and the other one of the panels of the flexible material hanging downwardly extending along the other side of the boat covered by the suspended boat cover;

an elongate suspended boat cover attachment region formed in the flexible material from which the boat cover is suspended, the a suspended boat cover attachment region overlying the boat covered by the suspended boat cover and joining the first and second panels of the flexible material together along a top portion of the suspended boat cover along substantially the entire length of the suspended boat cover;

an elongate seam formed in the flexible material extending along a foredeck of the boat covered by the suspended boat cover, the seam joining the first and second panels of the flexible material below the attachment region;

a perforate wind passage region formed in the joined first and second panels of the flexible material enabling passage of wind therethrough through the joined panels, the perforate wind passage region disposed above the foredeck of the boat covered by the suspended boat cover and extending from the seam upwardly to the suspended boat cover attachment region; and

an arrangement extending along a bottom portion of the suspended boat cover configured for releasably securing the bottom portion of the suspended boat cover against a hull of the boat covered by the suspended boat cover.

18. The suspended boat cover of claim 17 wherein the seam joining the first and second panels of the flexible material underlies the perforate wind passage region, the seam extends upwardly at an angle relative to horizontal from adjacent a front of the boat covered by the suspended boat cover toward the suspended boat cover attachment region.

19. The suspended boat cover of claim 17 wherein each one of the first and second panels of the flexible material further comprises a second elongate seam formed in the corresponding panel of the flexible material, the second elongate seam extending generally horizontally along a gunwale of the boat covered by the suspended boat cover without joining the first and second panels.

20. The suspended boat cover of claim 17 wherein the arrangement configured for releasably securing the bottom portion around the hull of the boat covered by the suspended boat cover comprises a cinching arrangement having (a) a line received in a sleeve formed in the flexible material along a bottom of the suspended boat cover that extends around the periphery of the hull of the boat when the boat is covered by the suspended boat cover, and (b) a ratchet operatively connected to the line that releasably tightens the line around the hull of the boat covered by the suspended boat cover when releasably cinching the bottom of the boat cover against the hull of the boat.

21. The suspended boat cover of claim 17 wherein the attachment region comprises a generally horizontally extending reinforced section formed in the first and second panels of the flexible material joined by the suspended boat cover attachment region, the generally horizontally extending reinforced section (a) overlying the boat covered by the suspended boat cover, and (b) overlying the perforate wind passage region.

22. The suspended boat cover of claim 17 wherein the suspended boat cover is suspended from a stretchable suspension arrangement comprised of a plurality of spaced apart elastic or elastomeric straps each having one end attached to the attachment region formed in the first and second panels of the flexible material joined by the attachment region.

23. The suspended boat cover of claim 22 wherein each elastic or elastomeric strap comprises an elongate bungee cord.

24. A suspended boat cover in combination with a suspended boat cover system for covering a boat disposed in a slip adjacent a dock comprising:

a suspended boat cover system comprising a track carrying a stretchable boat cover suspension arrangement;

a removable suspended boat cover formed of a flexible material that is suspended by the stretchable boat cover suspension arrangement from the track, the suspended boat cover comprising (a) a pair of panels of the flexible material joined together along a top section of the suspended boat cover forming an elongate generally horizontally extending suspended boat cover attachment region extending substantially the length of the suspended boat cover that is attached to the track by the stretchable boat cover suspension arrangement, (b) an elongate seam formed in the flexible material extending along a foredeck section of a boat covered by the suspended boat cover having at least a portion extending generally upwardly from adjacent the foredeck section of the boat toward the suspended boat cover attachment region joining the panels of the flexible material together forming a joined panel section disposed above the foredeck section of the boat covered by the suspended boat cover that extends upwardly from adjacent the seam to adjacent the suspended boat cover attachment region, and (c) a plurality of perforations formed in the joined panel section forming a perforate wind passage region in the joined panel section that is disposed above the foredeck section of the boat covered by the suspended boat cover that allows wind flow therethrough.

25. The suspended boat cover and suspended boat cover system combination of claim 24 wherein the stretchable boat cover suspension arrangement comprises a plurality of downwardly hanging elastic or elastomeric straps.

26. The suspended boat cover and suspended boat cover system combination of claim 25 wherein each elastic or elastomeric strap comprises an elongate bungee cord.

27. The suspended boat cover and suspended boat cover system combination of claim 24 further comprising a cinching arrangement disposed along a bottom portion of the panels of the flexible material encircling a hull of the boat covered by the suspended boat cover.

28. The suspended boat cover and suspended boat cover system combination of claim 27 wherein the cinching arrangement comprises (a) a line carried by a sleeve formed in the flexible material extending along or adjacent the bottom portion of the boat cover that extends around the periphery of the hull of the boat when the boat is covered by the suspended boat cover, and (b) a ratchet operatively connected to the line that releasably tightens the line around the hull of the boat covered by the suspended boat cover when releasably cinching the bottom portion of the boat cover against the hull of the boat covered by the suspended boat cover.