Carrier Vessel with Tender Boat Storage
A watercraft includes a cavity on the front upper deck for storage and transport of a tender boat. The cavity conforms to a hull of the tender boat, accepting the tender boat such that the tender boat shifts minimally with movement of the watercraft. In some embodiments, a retractable crane deploys from beneath the front upper deck for deploying and retrieving the tender boat. When the tender boat is absent, optionally, a solid cover is placed over the cavity. When the crane is retracted, a cover covers the crane boom and crane mast.
This application is a non-provisional utility application taking priority from U.S. provisional patent application 63/319,619 filed Mar. 14, 2022, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThis invention relates to the field of watercraft and more particularly to a system for dinghy storage on the deck of a watercraft.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONOften, larger watercraft such as fishing boats and yachts carry a smaller boat for various reasons such as visiting areas that are too shallow for the larger watercraft, for transporting passengers to/from shore, for fishing, etc. For transportation of this dinghy or tender boat, it is desired that the dinghy/tender be secured to the larger watercraft. This is often performed using chocks on which the tender boat sits, with tie-downs to keep the tender boat from moving or causing damage to itself or damage to the larger watercraft.
As many such larger watercraft have large forward decks, this space offers ample room for a dinghy to be stored on chocks and space for a crane to raise and lower the tender boat in and out of the water. As the tender boat, the chocks, and the crane are heavy, the forward deck is often preferred for weight distribution reasons.
Unfortunately, when the tender boat is not present, the chocks and the crane remain on the forward deck and many large watercraft owners do not like the look of the chocks and crane. Additionally, the chocks and crane create a tripping hazard and add wind resistance. Further, the chocks and crane consume valuable deck space making it difficult to lounge on the deck, as many people often enjoy.
What is needed is a storage and deployment system for a tender boat that will hide when the tender boat is not present.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONA watercraft has a cavity on the front upper deck for storage and transport of a tender boat. The cavity conforms to a hull of the tender boat, accepting the tender boat such that the tender boat shifts minimally with movement of the watercraft. A retractable crane deploys from beneath the front upper deck for deploying and retrieving the tender boat. When the tender boat is absent, optionally, a solid cover is placed over the cavity. Likewise, when the crane is retracted, a cover covers the crane arm and crane mast.
In one embodiment, a watercraft is disclosed including a hull having a front upper deck. The watercraft includes a crane having a telescoping crane mast and a crane arm. A base of the telescoping crane mast is mounted to the watercraft (e.g., to the substructure of the watercraft) below the front upper deck and a mast of the crane extends through the front upper deck. The crane boom telescopes between a retracted position in which the crane boom rests within a crane cavity formed in the front upper deck and an extended position in which the crane boom is above the front upper deck. A cradle that is sized and shaped for accepting a tender boat is formed in the front upper deck. The crane is used for moving the tender boat from the cradle and into a body of water on which the watercraft floats and is used for moving the tender boat from the body of water and back into the cradle.
The invention can be best understood by those having ordinary skill in the art by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Throughout the following detailed description, the same reference numerals refer to the same elements in all figures.
Throughout this description, the term watercraft is used to denote any vessel that is large enough to carry a dinghy/tender thereon, for example, larger fishing boats, yachts, etc. The term tender boat is used to denote any smaller boat that is carried by the watercraft irrespective of how and where this smaller boat is carried. Examples of tender boats include smaller fishing boats, flats boats, row boats, and lifeboats. There is no restriction as to the sizes of the watercraft and tender boat so long as the watercraft is large enough to carry the dinghy.
Referring to
As can be seen in
To resolve the above noted issues, the present invention includes a novel system for securing and deploying/retrieving the tender boat 104.
As shown in
The first feature is a cradle 250 formed as a cavity in the front upper deck 200 of the watercraft 201 in which the tender boat 104 rests when the tender boat 104 is present. In some embodiments, the cradle 250 conforms to the shape of the hull of the tender boat 104 to provide a snug fit between the hull of the tender boat 104 and the cradle 250 so that the tender boat 104 does not shift within the cradle 250. In some embodiments, the cradle 250 mirrors the hull of the tender boat 104. By forming the cradle 250 to conform to the shape of the hull of the tender boat 104, motion of the tender boat 104 with respect to the watercraft 201 is limited, though it is still anticipated that tie-downs or cleats 252 (e.g., pop-up cleats) be provided to secure the tender boat 104 to the front upper deck 200 of the watercraft 201 as in
To deploy and return the tender boat 104 from/to the cradle 250, a crane 260 is provided, and in a preferred embodiment, the crane 260 is secured to the substructure of the watercraft 201 as shown in
As can be seen in
In some embodiments, when the tender boat 104 is not in the cradle 250 (e.g., in storage or deployed), a cover 254 is inserted over the cradle 250 for safety, reduced wind resistance, and appearance reasons. This is shown in
In some embodiments, when the tender boat 104 is not in the cradle 250 (e.g., in storage or deployed), the cradle 250 is lined with an insert 292 made of a soft material or cushion for lounging within the cradle 250. In some such embodiments, a Bimini 290 is also provided to shade a person lounging within the cradle 250. This is shown in
In some embodiments, when the crane 260 is retracted, a crane cover 266 covers the opening in which the crane 260 is stored for safety, reduced wind resistance, and appearance reasons.
Referring to
Note that in some embodiments, the mechanism 270 also rotates the crane mast 264 with respect to the stationary portion 265, causing the crane boom 262 to change position (e.g., rotating the crane mast 264 to aim the crane boom 262 forward or towards the starboard side). It is also anticipated that, in some embodiments, the crane mast 264 is rotatably connected to the stationary portion 265 allowing a user to manually reposition the crane boom 262 and, likewise, to reposition the tender boat 104 for stowing or for deploying.
It should be noted that the cradle 250 is formed in the front upper deck 200 to the watercraft 201 to match the hull dimensions of a particular tender boat 104. The exact shape shown is for a particular tender boat 104 and the present invention is in no way limited to any hull shape or hull size of the tender boat 104. Further, the tender boat 104 used as an example in the drawings is without an outboard motor, having a jet drive like that of a jet ski. If a tender boat 104 having a lower unit and propeller is desired, the cradle 250 is formed with a recess area for the lower unit and propeller.
Note that during construction of the watercraft 201, there often is a need/desire to produce various configurations of watercraft 201. For example, one version of the watercraft 201 will have the cradle 250 formed in the front upper deck 200, another version of the watercraft 201 will have a cradle 250 for a different tender boat formed in the front upper deck 200, and still another version of the watercraft 201 will have the front upper deck 200 formed without the cradle 250. It is anticipated that such be performed with an exchangeable mold insert such that, in absence of the insert, the front upper deck 200 is without any cradle 250 and with the presence of the insert, the cradle 250 conforms to the shape and size of the insert, matching the selected tender boat 104. It is also anticipated that manufacturing be performed with a cradle 250 that is added after manufacture of the hull and front upper deck 200, donning the cover 254 when the cradle 250 is not desired.
Referring to
Equivalent elements can be substituted for the ones set forth above such that they perform in substantially the same manner in substantially the same way for achieving substantially the same result.
It is believed that the system and method as described and many of its attendant advantages will be understood by the foregoing description. It is also believed that it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction, and arrangement of the components thereof without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention or without sacrificing all of its material advantages. The form herein before described being merely exemplary and explanatory embodiment thereof. It is the intention of the following claims to encompass and include such changes.
Claims
1. A watercraft comprising:
- a front upper deck;
- a crane comprising a telescoping crane mast and a crane boom, a base of the telescoping crane mast is mounted to the watercraft below the front upper deck and the crane boom is arranged to telescope between a retracted position in which the crane boom rests within a crane cavity that is formed in the front upper deck and an extended position in which the crane boom is positioned above the front upper deck and supported by the telescoping crane mast;
- a cradle formed in the front upper deck, the cradle sized and shaped for accepting a tender boat; and
- whereas the crane is used for moving the tender boat from the cradle and into a body of water on which the watercraft is floating and is used for moving the tender boat from the body of water and back into the cradle.
2. The watercraft of claim 1, further comprising a crane cover, the crane cover is arranged to cover and hide the crane when the crane is retracted into the crane cavity.
3. The watercraft of claim 1, wherein the base of the telescoping crane mast is secured to a substructure of the watercraft.
4. The watercraft of claim 1, further comprising a cover, the cover is arranged to cover and hide the cradle when the tender boat is absent.
5. The watercraft of claim 1, wherein the cradle is shaped to match a horizontal cross-section of a hull of the tender boat.
6. A method of transporting a tender boat by a watercraft, the watercraft having a front upper deck, the method comprising:
- forming a cavity in the front upper deck of the watercraft, the cavity matching an outline of a hull of the tender boat;
- hoisting the tender boat;
- positioning the tender boat over the cavity; and
- lowering the tender boat onto the cavity whereas the tender boat resting within the cavity for transportation of the tender boat.
7. The method of claim 6, further comprising deploying the tender boat comprising:
- hoisting the tender boat from the cavity;
- positioning the tender boat past an edge of the front upper deck and over a target location; and
- lowering the tender boat onto the target location for use of the tender boat.
8. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of hoisting of the tender boat is performed by a crane.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises:
- before hoisting the tender boat, a crane cover on the front upper deck is opened and extending the crane from below the front upper deck; and
- after lowering the tender boat onto the cavity, retracting the crane and then closing the crane cover.
10. A system for transporting a tender boat by a watercraft, the watercraft having a front upper deck, the system comprising:
- a cradle formed in the front upper deck, the cradle sized and shaped for accepting the tender boat such that when the tender boat is within the cradle, the tender boat fits snugly within the cradle; and
- means for deploying the tender boat from the cradle and for returning the tender boat back to the cradle.
11. The system of claim 10, wherein the means for deploying comprises a crane.
12. The system of claim 11, further comprising a crane cover, the crane cover is arranged to cover and hide the crane when the crane is retracted below the front upper deck into a crane cavity.
13. The system of claim 12, further comprising a crane mast cover, the crane mast cover is arranged to cover and hide a crane mast of the crane when the crane is retracted below the front upper deck and the crane mast cover is arranged to remain open when the crane is deployed, allowing for the crane cover to close and cover the crane cavity.
14. The system of claim 11, wherein a base of the crane is affixed to a substructure of the watercraft.
15. The system of claim 10, further comprising a cover, the cover is arranged to cover and hide the cradle when the tender boat is absent.
16. The system of claim 15, further comprising a bimini that provides shade to an area of the front upper deck above the cover.
17. The system of claim 10, wherein the cradle is shaped to match a horizontal cross-section of a hull of the tender boat.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 23, 2023
Publication Date: Sep 14, 2023
Applicant: Fly Boatworks LLC (Albany, MN)
Inventors: Mark Fisher (Belleair, FL), Dan Gilk (Belleair, FL), Sam Gilk (Belleair, FL)
Application Number: 18/158,325