Abstract: A warning flag for skiers includes a flexible mast attached to the skier's life jacket at the approximate center of the jacket's rear portion. The flexible mast extends upwardly from the life jacket for a substantial distance beyond the highest point of the skiers head and terminates in a high visibility warning flag at its upper end.

Abstract: An inflatable sailboat which may be constructed principally of plastic sheet stock and plastic tubing and be easily assembled for use and disassembled for storage and shipping. A sailboat with an inflatable hull having a plurality of tubing anchors mounted thereon for slidingly receiving anchor rods to locate and support a mast fitting on the upper side, a keel at the bow and a rudder at the stern. A mast and sail which are readily assembled and mounted on the hull and which are readily disassembled for storage and shipping.

Abstract: My invention is directed to a means and method for positioning a stabilizer on a boat such as a small pleasure boat and a fishing boat. There is a boom on the deck of the fishing boat. The guide on the end of the boom assists in positioning the line and the stabilizer on the end of the line away from the hull of the boat.

Abstract: A granular product to be dosed is introduced at the same time as a transfer liquid into a dosing chamber below a retaining grid, provided in the upper part thereof. The measurement of the pressure upstream of the dosing chamber makes it possible to detect the arrival of the product level with the grid and to stop the introduction thereof. An inverted U-shaped pipe forming a syphon then ensures the transfer of the dosed product into a tank, when the compressed air is injected into the dosing chamber above the grid.

Abstract: A sail maneuverable through the rotation of a rolling and unrolling structure to which the sail is anchored along an anchorage edge. A sheath surrounds the rolling structure and engages the sail at opposite sides along a coupling line spaced from the anchorage edge. The sheath and that intermediate portion of the sail between the coupling line and the anchorage edge being shaped so that when the sail is unrolled the sheath stretches out, retaining the intermediate portion within the end zones unstretched, causing the sail to take a bellying or fat-sail arrangement. At the beginning of rolling, the sail is pulled back into the intermediate portion and progressively also into the end zones, thereby assuming a flat-sail arrangement.

Abstract: A marine propulsion device comprising a propulsion unit adapted to be mounted on the transom of a boat for pivotal movement relative to the transom about a steering axis, the propulsion unit including a rotatably mounted propeller, and an engine drivingly connected to the propeller and including a water jacket, a water pump connected to the water jacket for forcing cooling water through the water jacket to cool the engine, a fluid pump driven by the engine, a conduit communicating between the water jacket and the atmosphere, and a fluid cooler communicating with the conduit to receive cooling water from the water jacket and communicating with the fluid pump for cooling the fluid pumped thereby.

Abstract: Several embodiments of coupling devices for marine outboard drives for providing a coupling between an engine output shaft and the outboard drive, drive shaft. Each embodiment employs as the coupling a first portion that provides a relatively resilient driving connection for absorbing low speed torque vibrations and a second more rigid driving connection for providing a more positive power transmission at high speeds and high loads. In some embodiments, the more resilient connection is provided by a spring which may comprise either a torsional spring or a torsional coil spring. In other embodiments, elastomeric elements provide the driving connection.

Abstract: An improved steering arrangement for a small watercraft wherein the steering device is supported on a rigid supported mast that extends upwardly and forwardly over the engine and hatch cover for ease of access. The mast is also buoyant so that the watercraft cannot become accidentally inverted.

Abstract: A horizontally elongated panel constructed of dielectric material is provided including front and rear ends. The panel is provided with a longitudinal slot closed at its forward end and open at its rear end and the front end of the panel is forwardly and upwardly curved. The lower unit of an outboard motor is forwardly, snugly seatable within the slot and the panel is mountable from the opposite side outwardly projecting cavitation plate portions of the lower unit. The panel functions as a water confining panel for disposition substantially at the surface of an associated body of water for sealing the area in which the outboard motor propeller turns against the entrance of ambient air into the water from above the water surface.

Abstract: A hull for a boat includes a lower hull having a bottom below a static waterline and freeboard sides above the waterline. An aft passenger cockpit has a floor above the waterline and a lower stern extends across the rear of the lower hull at least partially below the waterline and is adjoined with the bottom and freeboard sides. An upper stern extends aft of the lower stern at least partially above the waterline and defines a passageway therethrough from the passenger cockpit to aft of the hull. A gate is provided aft of the passenger cockpit in the passageway and hinges connect the gate to the boat to pivot about a horizontal axis. The gate is pivotable from an open position in which it is folded down horizontally where it provides access to the cockpit from aft of the hull to a closed position in which the gate is folded up to close off the passageway and form an inside wall of the passenger cockpit. Thereby, the boat can be backed up to a dock for easy boarding or unboarding.

Abstract: A one-piece hard and slippery plastic cover mounts to the bottom of a body board. The cover forms a faster sliding surface and protective shield for the body board.

Abstract: A swim fin provided with a canal-like member for conveying and controlling the fluid flow produced during each swimming stroke. The fin comprises at least at the central portion of its blade a section which, by dynamical deformation, gives rise to a canal-like fluid flow conveying member on that side of the fin opposed to the side under active stroke. The canal-like member is inverted as soon as the swimming stroke is reversed, so as to perform its fluid flow conveying action during both swimming strokes.

Abstract: A rope anchor for use in situations in which frequent attachment and removal of the rope is required. The anchor has a U-shaped bracket which is secured to a support such as the transom of a boat. The bracket has a central finger midway between and parallel to the bracket legs. The portion of the finger adjacent its attachment to the closed end of the bracket is in the same plane as the bracket legs but the inner end of the finger is bent out of this plane at a minor angle. The legs have stops which position the bracket such that the end of the finger is so spaced from the surface of the bracket support as to create a passage for the rope less than the normal diameter of the rope but large enough to permit the rope to be passed through it when the rope has been diametrically squeezed in one direction. This prevents inadvertent release of the rope when it is slack.

Abstract: An outboard motor drive shaft housing attachment apparatus includes at least one extended fin plate, having a raised front portion and a pair of angled side portion and an attachment bar shaped to fit an opening in the outboard motor shaft housing. The attachment bar is passed through the opening in the shaft housing and removably attached to the fin plate with fasteners. Additional fasteners are used to attach the fin plate to the outboard motor shaft housing. The fin plate can have anti-skid steps formed thereon and a sacrificial anode attached thereto. A method of attaching an outboard motor attachment, comprises the steps of removing the outboard drive shaft housing sacrificial anode to leave an opening through the housing; sliding a shaft through the opening in the housing created by the removal of the sacrificial anode; attaching a fin plate to the shaft extending through the shaft housing opening; and then attaching the fin plate directly to the housing with threaded fasteners.

Abstract: A kit includes apparatus for converting a normally remote controlled trolling motor such that the motor can be directly hand operated. The kit includes a gear mechanism which attaches to and cooperates with a directional control shaft associated with the trolling motor. An elongate transfer shaft is pivotably attachable near a lower end thereof to the trolling motor control shaft and has an outwardly extending handle near an upper end thereof for use by an operator. The transfer shaft cooperates with the gearing mechanism to rotate the directional control shaft of the trolling motor by movement of the handle by an operator. The kit may be quickly and easily retrofitted to a trolling motor after failure of remote control for the trolling motor without a fisherman having to disassemble the trolling motor or to come to shore and remove the trolling motor from the boat to effect repairs.

Abstract: Floating structures, for example, for recreational aquatic activities, comprises a plurality of individual uniquely-constructed modular flotation units constructed to permit any desired freeboard dimension and/or buoyancy characteristics.

Abstract: In a feeder for carrying electronic components in a predetermined sequence such as ICs packed in a cassette, stick or the like in an electronic insertion machine, part of a carrying path is made movable between the two positions; a component passing position in a usual state and a waiting position outside the carrying path, whereby in the case of incorrect insertion of an electronic component, a new identical component can be supplied by leaving behind the components of the sequential order.

Abstract: A rotatable valve member having four ports is provided in a pneumatic conveyor system to permit the smooth docking of a carrier at a station. One port communicates through a branch duct with a main duct for the transport of carriers to the station. The remaining three ports communicate respectively with an exhauster, the docking station and atmosphere. The valve member provides communication between any two adjacent ports and during rotation controls the pressure balance on the carrier to ensure a smooth arrival at the docking station.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for selectively sorting objects which comprises a fixed conveyor table having guide rails thereon and an endless conveyor member movable over the table. The conveyor member is formed of a plurality of connected plates which each have a slot therein and which each include a slidably mounted pushing element. The pushing element includes a throttle planet wheel comprising at least two spaced rollers engageable with the rail to move the slider transversely across the respective plate. Objects are thus discharged from the conveyor at selected stations spaced along the conveyor travel path. Each station is provided with a multi-positioned hopper which can supply the discharge object into one of a plurality of containers.

Abstract: A boat anchor (10) includes three runners (11, 12, 13) having respective rear spikes (18, 19, 20) and front spikes (22, 23) for penetrating bottom material such as hard sand or mud. A bail (30) rolls the anchor onto the hooks. Flukes (32-36) are positioned on the runners (11, 12, 13) and induce drag through the bottom material which limits the movement of the anchor.