Transport and carrying device for transporting and carrying a watercraft

Abstract

The invention relates to a transport and carrying device (2) for transporting and carrying a watercraft (4). In order to provide a device (2) for a watercraft (4), in particular for a motor-driven watercraft (4), which allows an easy and fast launch of the watercraft (4) even without a special launching device, it is proposed that the device (2) comprises: two lateral floats (6) spaced at a predetermined distance from each other, a connecting front element (8), which interconnects the two lateral floats (6) and keeps them at the predetermined distance from each other, a surface-like support structure (10) attached laterally to the lateral floats (6) and preferably also at the front to the connecting element (8), wherein the support structure (10) has openings through which water can pass, a receiving area (12) for the watercraft (4), between the lateral floats (6) and the connecting front element (8) and above the surface-like support structure (10), and lifting elements (14), for attaching the transport and carrying device (2) to an external lifting device (22) and for lifting and lowering the transport and carrying device (2) by means of the lifting device (22).

Description

This invention relates to a transport and carrying device for transporting and carrying a watercraft.

Transporting and carrying a watercraft comprises, in particular, launching the watercraft, i.e., launching the watercraft into the water and retrieving it from the water. The watercraft can be launched from another, preferably larger, watercraft or from dry land, such as a pier, quay wall or private waterfront property. The transport and carrying device is preferably gripped by a lifting device, e.g., a crane, a forklift truck or the like, and lifted or lowered by the latter in conjunction with the watercraft. The lifting device can be stationary or mobile. The lifting device can raise or lower the gripped transport and carrying device hydraulically, pneumatically, via a cable winch or by other means.

Various kinds of watercraft, in particular for leisure purposes, are known from the state of the art. Such watercraft are, for instance, Seabobs®, jet skis, kayaks, canoes, small motor boats, in particular tenders, or the like. They are often carried along in yachts for recreational purposes or as tenders. For this purpose, in particular larger yachts and boats often have a storage room (so-called tender garage) for the watercraft, integrated into the hull or superstructure of the yacht. In addition, larger yachts and boats usually have suitable launching devices for launching (i.e., launching and retrieving) watercraft. These launching devices are usually pneumatically, hydraulically or motor-driven and can be designed, for instance, as a bathing platform that can be lowered into the water and raised, as a crane or as a roller ramp from the storage room into the water including a cable winch. In this respect, it is usually not a big problem in larger yachts and boats to launch the watercraft they carry.

However, when using an on-board crane or an on-board launching device (known as a davit) to launch the watercraft being carried, it may be problematic to find suitable (i.e., sufficiently stable) suspension points on the watercraft for attachment to the crane. For this reason, lifting straps attached to a crane hook are usually used, which are looped around the underside of the hull of the watercraft on the bow side and aft side, forming loops in which the hull of the watercraft rests. Such slings can be used to launch the watercraft by means of a crane even without suitable attachment points. However, attaching the slings to the correct location on the hull of the watercraft is difficult and requires experience. In addition, unintentional slipping of one or both slings may occur during transport of the watercraft, causing the watercraft to slip out of the loops and crash.

In smaller yachts and boats without suitable launching devices, it can also be a problem to launch the watercraft carried along on board. In such yachts and boats, launching usually has to be performed manually, i.e., using muscle power. However, the frequently motor-driven watercraft have a relatively high weight (due to the motor, accumulator, carried fuel, etc.), which can hardly be carried by one person alone. In addition, the problem arises that the watercraft may hit the superstructure or hull of the yacht or boat during manual launching and damage the former. The watercraft itself can also be affected. This is particularly problematic if the yacht, boat and/or watercraft is rented and has to be returned to the hirer undamaged after use.

Based on the described prior art, this invention addresses the problem of creating a transport and carrying device for a watercraft, in particular for a motor-driven watercraft, which allows an easy and fast launch of the watercraft even without a special launching device.

To solve this problem, a transport and carrying device having the features of claim 1 is proposed. In particular, it is proposed that the transport and carrying device of the type mentioned above comprises the items listed below:

• • two lateral floats spaced apart from each other at a predetermined distance,
  • a connecting front element, which interconnects the two lateral floats and keeps them at the predetermined distance from each other,
  • a surface-like support structure attached laterally to the lateral floats and preferably also to the connecting element at the front, wherein the support structure has openings through which water can pass,
  • a receiving area for the watercraft, between the lateral floats and the connecting front connecting front element and above the surface-like support structure, and
  • lifting elements, for attaching the transport and carrying device to an external lifting device and for lifting and lowering the transport and carrying device by means of the lifting device.

The transport and carrying device proposed according to the invention has the advantage of rendering the easy and fast launch of a watercraft, in particular a motor-driven watercraft, possible, even if the yacht or boat from which it is to be launched does not have a special launching device. The particular advantages of the invention result from various aspects.

The buoyant lateral floats provide sufficient buoyancy for the transport and carrying device to float on the water. Preferably, the floats have a longitudinal extension in parallel to a longitudinal axis of the transport and carrying device. The longitudinal axis preferably extends exactly between the two floats. When the transport and carrying device floats on the surface of the water, the surface-like support structure is preferably underwater at least in part, in particular along the longitudinal axis of the transport and carrying device. In this way, the watercraft in the water can easily enter the receiving area. In so doing, even the propulsion of the watercraft, either due to momentum from a previous propulsive motion or due to activation of the watercraft's motor drive, may be used. Even without using the propulsion of the watercraft, it can be maneuvered into the receiving area of the transport and carrying device without much effort when it is floating on water. The surface-like support structure is preferably flexible and can adapt to the shape of the hull of the watercraft. This ensures—at least on the underside of the hull—that the hull is fully in contact with the support structure. In this way, any forces occurring during transport or carrying of the watercraft are distributed as evenly as possible over the entire underside of the hull and do not just act locally on the hull.

Then an external lifting device, attached to the yacht or boat, for instance, is connected to the lifting elements of the transport and carrying device. The lifting device may be a launching device already present in the yacht or boat anyway. Likewise, it would be conceivable that the lifting device is not a launching device already provided in the yacht or boat anyway, but a lifting device temporarily (during the launch process) or permanently attached to the yacht or boat. For instance, it would be conceivable for the lifting device to take the form of a manually (or electrically) operated crane. Preferably, the lifting device is a manually (or electromotively) operated launching device (so-called davit). If the lifting device is permanently attached to the yacht or boat, it can preferably be folded away or stowed when not in use. If the lifting device is only temporarily attached to the yacht or boat, it can, for instance, be attached to an existing mount on the yacht or boat (e.g., for a plug-in table or for a removable railing or for an awning). However, it would also be conceivable to attach the lifting device to or in the yacht or boat by means of an additional fastening device. This could be done, for instance, by plugging, screwing, bracing, clamping or the like. To raise or lower the transport and carrying device together with the watercraft located in the receiving area, the lifting device is operated, for instance manually or by an electric motor.

When the watercraft is lifted out of the water, the excess water can easily drain through the openings in the surface-like support structure. This has the advantage that the weight to be lifted is reduced and hardly any water can reach the deck of the yacht or boat. When the watercraft is lifted, the surface-like support structure can bulge downwards under the weight of the watercraft in a trough-like manner, i.e., at least the underside of the watercraft is received in the trough. In this way, any unintentional launching of the watercraft out of the receiving area during transport and carrying can be prevented. This is in particular true if the rear of the surface-like support structure has a reinforcement that is less expandable than the rest of the surface-like support structure. In this case, the rear reinforcement would then be positioned higher than the rest of the surface-like support structure and would effectively prevent the watercraft from sliding out. Additional safety can be gained by additional retaining elements, e.g., in the form of retaining straps, retaining nets or the like, which secure the watercraft to the transport and carrying device.

The proposed transport and carrying device replaces the previously used lifting straps that were looped around the hull of the watercraft. In contrast to the slings, the transport and carrying device has the advantage of having a stabilizing structure in the form of the lateral floats and the connecting front connecting front element, which always keeps the surface-like support structure, which together with the lateral floats and the connecting front connecting front element defines the receiving area, in shape, in particular when not in use, i.e., when the watercraft is not (yet) received. This results in a receiving area that is always ready for receiving, which, together with the fact that the transport and carrying device floats on the water, ensures that the watercraft can be disposed in the receiving area in a particularly easy, quick and safe manner.

According to an advantageous further embodiment of the invention, it is proposed that the transport and carrying device comprises detachable retaining elements, for retaining a watercraft disposed in the receiving area when the retaining elements are engaged. The retaining elements preferably extend laterally along the receiving area where there are no other boundaries, for instance in the form of the lateral floats and/or the connecting front connecting front element and/or the surface-like support structure. To this effect, it is advantageous if the retaining elements delimit the rear and/or the top end of the receiving area and, in the attached state, extend along at least part of the rear or the top of the received watercraft. The retaining elements can, for instance, take the form of one or more retaining straps, a retaining net, a retaining bar or the like. The retaining elements ensure that the watercraft is securely and reliably held in the receiving area of the transport and carrying device, even in rough seas or if the transport and carrying device bumps against the yacht, boat, quay wall, pier or similar when transporting or carrying a watercraft.

The retaining elements are preferably detachably secured to the lateral floats and/or to the connecting front connecting front element. The retaining elements are preferably detachably secured to both ends of the transport and carrying device to be able to be attached and detached equally from starboard and portside. This facilitates the handling of the proposed transport and carrying device by people on the yacht or boat.

The design and arrangement of the lateral floats usually depends on the type, size and weight of the watercraft to be accommodated. According to a preferred design of the invention, it is proposed that the lateral floats are oriented sectionwise largely in parallel to each other. It is equally preferred that the connecting front element is disposed at a front end of the transport and carrying device and extends transversely to the lateral floats.

According to a further preferred design of the invention, it is proposed that the connecting front element—similar to the lateral floats—is implemented by a front float. The front float can provide additional buoyancy, i.e., the lateral floats may be designed having smaller dimensions or volume. The floats can, for instance, be made of a buoyant material (e.g., Styrofoam) or a hollow body filled with air or a buoyant material.

Particularly preferably, the lateral floats and/or the front float are designed to be inflatable. In this case, the floats are preferably made of a flexible, airtight material having one or more float chambers and have one or more valves, which can be used to inflate the float chambers. This has the advantage that when the transport and carrying device is not in use, air can simply be detached from the floats or the float chambers and the flexible material can be folded. As a result, the transport and carrying device requires a minimum of storage space when not in use. In addition, the floats made of the flexible material, which surround the received watercraft on at least three sides, can act as a kind of fender that prevent the watercraft from hitting the hull or superstructure of the yacht or boat during boarding and causing damage. In particular, it is proposed that the floats are made of a so-called drop-stitch material, which has a particularly high stability and torsional stiffness due to stiffeners formed in the interior after inflation.

A particularly simple and cost-effective production of the transport and carrying device can be implemented if the front float and the lateral floats are integrally formed as a joint float assembly. In addition, this can provide additional stability and stiffening of the parts of the transport and carrying device that form the stabilizing structure. Preferably, the floats have at least one inflatable float chamber extending across a plurality of floats. Several float chambers of the floating arrangement can engage with each other such that that the various floats, in a sense, mesh with each other, which can further improve stability and stiffening.

The surface-like support structure can be, for instance, a single web of material or a mesh of belts, straps, tapes or the like. The design of the surface-like support structure depends on the type, size and weight of the watercraft to be supported. Advantageously, the support structure comprises a net. The net may comprise a plurality of interwoven, hooked, and/or knotted straps, belts, tapes, or the like. The surface-like support structure is preferably made of a plastic material that is resistant to salt water, UV radiation, temperature fluctuations, etc. For instance, it would be conceivable to implement the support structure as a polyester net, polyamide net, polypropylene net or similar.

According to another advantageous further embodiment of the invention, it is proposed that the retaining elements comprise at least one rear retaining strap, which, in the case of a watercraft disposed in the receiving area, extends along a part of the watercraft directed towards the rear of the transport and carrying device and can be attached to at least one of the lateral floats and/or the connecting front element and/or the surface-like support structure. The at least one rear retaining strap delimits the receiving area rearwards and preferably extends along at least a part of the rear of the received watercraft. In this way, the watercraft is prevented from unintentionally sliding out of the receiving area to the rear.

According to another advantageous further embodiment of the invention, it is proposed that the retaining elements comprise at least one top-end retaining strap, which, when the watercraft is disposed in the receiving area, extends along a top end of the watercraft and can be attached to the two lateral floats. The at least one top-end retaining strap delimits the receiving area upwards and preferably extends along at least a part of the top end of the received watercraft. In this way, the watercraft is prevented from inadvertently jumping up out of the receiving area.

According to another preferred embodiment, it is proposed that the at least one rear retaining strap can be attached on the one hand to the surface-like support structure, preferably to a rear end (e.g., a rear reinforcement) of the support structure, and on the other hand to a top retaining strap. This embodiment combines the advantages of securing the watercraft in the receiving area to the rear as well as to the top.

It is particularly preferred if the transport and carrying device has two rear retaining straps, which, in their fastened state, extend laterally to either side of a central propulsion unit of the watercraft. The central propulsion unit may comprise, for instance, an outboard motor, a marine propeller, or an outlet nozzle of a water jet propulsion system. These typically extend beyond the rear of the watercraft's hull. Securing the watercraft with rear retaining straps to the right and left of the central propulsion unit provides additional lateral stabilization of the watercraft in the receiving area. Any unintentional sliding of the watercraft out of the receiving area is almost impossible.

The detachable attachment of the retaining straps to at least one of the lateral floats and/or the connecting front element and/or the surface-like support structure can be implemented in any which way. It is particularly advantageous if buckles, push-in fasteners, snap-in fasteners or Velcro fasteners are provided to detachably attach the retaining straps to at least one of the lateral floats and/or the connecting front element and/or the surface-like support structure. These ensure that the retaining straps are securely attached and, on the other hand, can be detached quickly and easily if necessary. A retaining strap can be held in a buckle by means of frictional locking or by means of positive locking (e.g., with the aid of a mandrel). In a plug-in fastener, the retaining strap has a first (e.g., male) plug-in element at one end that interacts with a second (e.g., female) plug-in element attached, e.g., to the at least one lateral float and/or the connecting front element and/or the surface-like support structure. The two plug-in elements can be plugged into each other so that spring snap elements of the first plug-in element interact with indentations or recesses in the second snap element and releasably fasten the retaining strap. The attachment can be released again by pressing on the snap elements for them to emerge from the indentations or recesses. In a snap fastener, for instance, the retaining strap has several, for instance, sawtooth-shaped snap elements at its end, which form a snap surface. The retaining strap is inserted with the snap elements first into a snap receptacle that is attached to the at least one lateral float and/or the connecting front element and/or the surface-like support structure. In this way, the snap surface engages with one or more matching snap elements of the snap receptacle and the retaining strap is detachably secured. By actuating the snap receptacle, the snap elements can be released from their mutual engagement and the retaining strap can be released. In the case of a hook-and-loop fastener, hooks and loops distributed across an area engage with one another on the one hand on the retaining strap and on the other hand on the at least one lateral float and/or the connecting front element and/or the surface-like support structure. This results in a stable attachment of the retaining strap in the surface extension of the Velcro connection. To disengage the hook-and-loop connection, the hooks and loops are simply detached from each other in a direction transverse to the surface extension of the hook-and-loop connection.

It is particularly preferred if the retaining straps are detachably secured to the at least one lateral float and/or the forward connecting element and/or the surface-like support structure on both sides, i.e., portside and starboard. In this way, the watercraft received in the receiving area can be secured from both ends and the handling of the transport and carrying device is greatly facilitated.

In order to prevent the loosened retaining straps from floating uncontrollably in the water and obstructing the intake of a watercraft in the receiving area of the transport and carrying device, e.g. because the loosened retaining straps come into conflict with the running propulsion unit of the watercraft, it is advantageous if securing elements are disposed on the lateral floats and/or on the rear end of the surface-like support structure, which are designed to retain the at least one rear retaining strap and/or the at least one top retaining strap in its state detached from the at least one lateral float and/or the connecting front element and/or the surface-like support structure. In this way, the loosened retaining straps can be safely and reliably held in a home position that does not interfere with the pickup of the watercraft. In particular, this can prevent the retaining straps from getting into a propeller of the watercraft and from being sucked in by a waterjet drive of the watercraft. In addition, once the watercraft has been picked up, the retaining straps can be quickly grasped at any time to secure the picked-up watercraft in the receiving area.

Finally, it is proposed that eyelets disposed on atop end of the lateral floats and/or the connecting front element are provided as lifting elements. The eyelets are preferably attached to particularly reinforced points of the transport and carrying device. They are preferably made of metal or a hard plastic. A hook, in particular a snap hook, of an external lifting device can be detachably secured in these eyelets. The eyelets can be designed as so-called D-rings, for instance. Preferably, the transport and carrying device has three lifting elements, two laterally on the floats and one centrally on the connecting front element. A so-called painter line can be attached to the front lifting element to—when a rotatable lifting device is used—swivel the transport and carrying device with the watercraft accommodated therein onto the yacht, boat, quay wall, pier or similar after it has been lifted by the lifting device.

The proposed transport and carrying device is also ideal for storing the watercraft, for instance, on board a yacht or boat. The device ensures a stable position of the watercraft on deck, in particular in strong waves and/or wind. In addition, the lateral floats and—if present—the front float form a safe protection of the watercraft from damage and of passing persons from injury by the watercraft.

Further features and advantages of this invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the Figures. It is noted that the features shown in the figures and/or described below can also each be essential features of the invention on their own, even if this is not expressly mentioned. It is further emphasized that the features shown in the various figures may be combined in any manner, even if such combination is not specifically mentioned. In the figures:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view from above of a transport and carrying device according to the invention in accordance with a first preferred exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 2 shows the transport and carrying device of FIG. 1 with a watercraft received therein;

FIG. 3 shows an example of a lifting device for lifting and lowering the transport and carrying device;

FIG. 4 shows a further example of a lifting device with transport and carrying device attached thereto;

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view from above of a transport and carrying device according to the invention in accordance with a further exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 6 shows the transport and carrying device of FIG. 5 with a watercraft received therein;

FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of the transport and carrying device of FIG. 6 from the top and from the front; and

FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of the transport and carrying device of FIG. 5 from below.

A transport and carrying device according to a first exemplary embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and designated in its entirety by the reference numeral 2. The device 2 is used for transporting and carrying, in particular for launching, a watercraft 4 (cf. FIG. 2). In the example shown, the vehicle 4 is designed as a Seabob® as known, for instance, from DE 10 2004 049 615 A1. However, the vehicle 4 could also be designed as any other watercraft, in particular for recreational purposes, for instance a jet ski, kayak, canoe or a small motorboat, in particular a tender.

The device 2 comprises:

• • two lateral floats 6 spaced at a predetermined distance from each other,
  • a connecting front element 8, which interconnects the two lateral floats 6 and keeps them at the predetermined distance from each other,
  • a surface-like support structure 10 attached laterally to the lateral floats 6 and preferably also at the front to the connecting element 8, wherein the support structure 10 has openings through which water can pass,
  • a receiving area 12 for the watercraft 4, between the lateral floats 6 and the connecting front element 8 and above the surface-like support structure 10,
  • lifting elements 14, for attaching the transport and carrying device 2 to an external lifting (cf. FIGS. 3 and 4) device and for lifting and lowering the transport and carrying device by 2 means of the lifting device.

The buoyant lateral floats 6 provide sufficient buoyancy for the transport and carrying device 2 to float on the water. At least in a rear section 6a, the floats 6 have a longitudinal extension in parallel to a longitudinal axis 20 of the device 2 and in parallel to each other. The longitudinal axis 20 preferably extends exactly between the rear sections 6a of the two floats 6. Parallel rear sections 6a of the floats 6 are joined by front sections 6b of the floats 6, which converge toward the connecting front element 8. Starting from the rear sections 6a of the floats 6, a distance between the two floats 6 continuously decreases in the front sections 6b of the floats 6 up to the connecting front element 8. An imaginary separation between the front and rear sections 6a, 6b of the floats 6 is shown in FIG. 1 by a dashed line 6c. The shape and arrangement of the floats 6 depends on the shape and dimensions of the watercraft 4 to be received in the receiving area 12. It would therefore be conceivable to offer different devices 2 with differently shaped and disposed floats 6 for different watercraft 4. In the example shown, the floats 6 have a rectangular cross-section (with rounded corners). Of course, the cross-section can also be arbitrarily different, for instance, oval or round. The floats 6 are preferably made of an inflatable material. A closable opening 16 is provided for inflating the floats 6. In the example shown, the floats 6 are made of a so-called drop stitch material.

When the device 2 floats on the surface of the water, the surface-like support structure is 10 preferably at least in part underwater, in particular along the longitudinal axis 20 of the transport and carrying device 2. In this way, the watercraft 4 in the water can easily enter the receiving area 12. In so doing, even the propulsion of the watercraft 4 can be used, either due to momentum from a previous propulsion movement or due to an activation of the motor drive of the watercraft 4. Even without using the propulsion of the watercraft 4, it can be maneuvered into the receiving area 12 of the device 2 without much effort when it is floating on the water. The surface-like support structure 10 is preferably flexible and can adapt to the shape of a hull of the watercraft 4. This ensures—at least on the underside of the hull—that the support structure 10 is fully in contact with the watercraft 4. In this way, any forces 4 occurring during transport or carrying of the watercraft are distributed as evenly as possible across the entire underside of the hull and do not just act locally.

In the example shown, the surface-like support structure 10 is attached to the lateral floats 6 and the forward connecting element 8 across the entire lateral and forward extent. However, it would also be conceivable for the support structure 10 to be attached to the floats 6 only along its lateral extent. Likewise, it would be conceivable for the support structure 10 to be attached to the lateral floats 6 or the connecting front element 8 only at points or in sections. The surface-like support 10 may be reinforced by one or more support straps 18. In the example, support straps 18 are provided along the rear and in a central area of the support structure 10, approximately at the transition between the rear section 6a and the front section 6b of the floats 6. The support straps 18 have the effect of reinforcing the surface-like support structure 10.

The lifting elements 14 are designed, for instance, as eyelets, D-rings or loops. An external lifting device 22 (cf. FIGS. 3 and 4), which is attached to a yacht 24 or a boat, for instance, can be connected to the lifting elements 14 of the transport and carrying device 2 (cf. FIG. 4). The lifting device 22 may be a launching device already present in the yacht 24 or boat anyway. The launching device is a manually or electromotively operated crane or—as in the example shown—a manually (or electromotively) operated launching device (so-called davit). Likewise, it would be conceivable that the lifting device 22 is not a launching device already provided in the yacht 24 or the boat anyway, but a lifting device temporarily (during the launch process) or permanently attached to the yacht 24 or the boat (cf. FIG. 3). If the lifting device 22 is permanently attached to the yacht 24 or boat, it can preferably be folded away or stowed when not in use. If the lifting device is 22 only temporarily attached to the yacht 24 or boat, it can, for instance, be attached to an existing mount on the yacht 24 or boat (e.g., for a plug-in table or for a removable railing or for an awning). However, it would also be conceivable to attach the lifting device 22 to or in the yacht 24 or boat by means of an additional fastening device. This could be done, for instance, by plugging, screwing, bracing, clamping or the like. To raise or lower the transport and carrying device 2 together with the watercraft 4 located in the receiving area 12, the lifting device 22 is operated, for instance manually or by an electric motor.

The lifting device 22 comprises an angled arm 26 that can be swiveled about a largely vertical swivel axis 28. The lifting device 22 may comprise guide elements or passages 30 for a rope or cable 32. In the example of FIG. 3, the lifting device 22 has a pulley 34 to reduce the force to be applied to lift the device 2. A hook 38 is attached to a loose pulley 36 of the hoist 34, to which a rope or cable 39 to the lifting elements 14 can be hooked or to which a lifting element 14 can be hooked directly. Further, the lifting device 22 comprises a device 40 for securing the rope or cable 32. In the example of FIG. 3, the device 40 is designed as a cleat. In FIG. 4, the device 40 is designed as a rope/cable clamp. Other designs of the device 40 are also conceivable. The lifting device 22 of FIG. 3 shows an insertion stub 42, which is delimited at the top by a collar 44 from the rest of the device 22. The stub 42 may be inserted into any receptacle on the yacht 24 or boat to retain the lifting device 22 in a swiveling manner to the yacht 24 or boat. The lifting device 22 is manually operated after the rope or cable 32 is detached from the securing device 40 by pulling on the rope or cable 32 (to raise the device 2) or releasing a handle around the rope or cable 32 (to lower the device 2 by gravity). Alternatively, a motorized drive of the lifting device 22 would also be conceivable.

The eyelets, D-rings 14 are preferably made of metal or a hard plastic. The hook 38, in particular a snap hook, of the external lifting device 22 can be detachably secured in the lifting elements 14, for instance. Preferably, the transport and carrying device 2 has three lifting elements 14, two laterally on the floats 6 and one centrally on the connecting front element 8. A so-called painter line 62 can be attached to the front lifting element 8—when using a lifting device 22 that can be pivoted about the vertical axis 28—in order to swivel the device 2 with the watercraft 4 accommodated therein onto the yacht, boat, quay wall, pier or the like after it has been lifted by the lifting device 22.

When the watercraft 4 is lifted out of the water by the device 2, excess water can easily drain through openings in the surface-like support structure 10. This has the advantage that the weight to be lifted is reduced and hardly any water can reach the deck of the yacht 24 or boat. When the watercraft 4 is lifted, the surface-like support structure 10 can bulge downward under the weight of the watercraft 4 in a trough-like manner, i.e., at least the underside of the watercraft 4 is received in the trough. In this way, any unintentional launching of the watercraft 4 out of the receiving area 12 during transport and carrying can be prevented. This is in particular true if the back end of the surface-like support structure 10 has a reinforcement, for instance in the form of a support strap 16, which is less stretchable than the remaining part of the surface-like support structure 10. In this case, the rear reinforcement would then be positioned (e.g., support straps 16) higher than the rest of the surface-like support structure 10 and would effectively prevent the watercraft 4 from sliding out. Additional safety can be gained by additional retaining elements, for instance in the form of retaining straps, retaining nets or the like, which secure the watercraft 4 to the transport and carrying device 2. The retaining elements ensure that the watercraft 4 is securely and reliably held in the receiving area 12 of the device 2, even in rough seas or if the device 2 bumps against the yacht 24, boat, quay wall, pier or the similar when transporting or carrying a watercraft 4.

In the example shown, the transport and carrying device 2 comprises detachable retaining elements to retain the watercraft 4 disposed in the receiving area 12 when the retaining elements are attached. The retaining elements preferably extend along the sides of the receiving area 12 where there are no other boundaries, for instance in the form of the lateral floats 6 and/or the connecting front element 8 and/or the surface-like support structure 10. To this effect, it is advantageous if the retaining elements 12 delimit the rear end and/or the top end of the receiving area and, in the attached state, 4 extend along at least part of the rear or the top of the received watercraft (cf. FIG. 2). The retaining elements can, for instance, take the form of one or more retaining straps, a retaining net, a retaining bar or the like.

The retaining elements are preferably detachably attached to the lateral floats 6 and/or to the connecting front element 8. The retaining elements are preferably detachably secured to both sides of the transport and carrying device 2 to be able to be attached and detached equally from starboard and portside. This facilitates the handling of the proposed transport and carrying device 2 by people on the yacht 24 or boat.

The flat support structure 10 can be, for instance, a single (water permeable or equipped with openings) sheet of material or a mesh of belts, straps, tapes or the like. The design of the surface-like support structure 10 depends on the type, size and weight of the watercraft 4 to be accommodated. Preferably, the support structure 10 comprises a net. The net may comprise a plurality of interwoven, knotted and/or knotted straps, belts, tapes or the like. The surface-like support structure 10 is preferably made of a plastic material that is particularly resistant to salt water, UV radiation, temperature fluctuations, etc. It would be conceivable, for instance, to implement the support structure 10 as a polyester net, polyamide net, polypropylene nets or the like.

Preferably, the connecting front element 8—similar to the lateral floats 6—is implemented by a front float. The front float 8 can provide additional buoyancy, i.e., the side floats 6 may be designed having smaller dimensions or volume. The floats 6, 8 can, for instance, be made of a buoyant material (e.g., Styrofoam) or a hollow body filled with air or a buoyant material. Particularly preferably, the floats 6, 8 are made of a drop stitch material. The front float 8 and the lateral floats 6 are preferably formed integrally as a joint float assembly. The floats 6, 8 made of the flexible material, which encompass the received watercraft 4 on at least three sides (right, left, front), act as fenders that prevent the watercraft 4 from hitting the hull or superstructure of the yacht 24 or boat during boarding and causing damage.

The retaining elements preferably comprise at least one, in the example two are shown, rear retaining straps 46, which delimit the receiving area 12 to the rear. With the watercraft 4 disposed in the receiving area 12, the rear retaining straps 46 extend along at least a part of the rear of the received watercraft 4 and may be attached to at least one of the lateral floats 6 and/or the connecting front element 8 and/or the surface-like support structure 10. In this way, the watercraft is prevented from unintentionally sliding out of the receiving area to the rear.

In their attached state, the two rear retaining straps 46 extend laterally to either side of a central propulsion unit 48 of the watercraft 4. The central propulsion unit 48 may be, for instance, an outboard motor, a marine propeller, or, as in the example shown, an outlet nozzle of a water jet propulsion system. These typically extend beyond the rear of the hull of the watercraft 4. Securing the watercraft 4 with rear retaining straps 46 to the right and left of the central propulsion unit 48 provides additional lateral stabilization of the watercraft 4 in the receiving area 12.

Further preferably, the retaining elements comprise at least one top retaining strap 50 that extends along a top surface of the watercraft 4 and can be attached to the two lateral floats 6 when the watercraft 4 is disposed in the receiving area 12. Of course, even more top-end retaining straps than the one top-end retaining strap 50 may be provided distributed along the longitudinal axis 20. The top retaining strap 50 delimits the receiving area 12 upwards and extends along at least a part of the top of the received watercraft 4. In this way, the watercraft 4 is prevented from inadvertently popping out of the receiving area 12 in an upward direction.

The rear retaining straps 46 are preferably attached on the one hand to the surface-like support structure 10, preferably to a rear end (e.g., a rear reinforcement 18) of the support structure 10, and on the other hand to the top retaining strap 50. This embodiment combines the advantages of securing the watercraft 4 in the receiving area 12 to the rear as well as to the top. Unintentional sliding of the watercraft 4 out of the receiving area 12 is almost impossible. By loosening the connections on both ends of the top retaining strap 50 to the lateral floats 6, both the top retaining strap 50 and the rear retaining straps 46 can be swiveled downwards away from the rear of the receiving area 12 as a joint retaining element and provide access to the receiving area 12.

The retaining elements may further comprise front retaining straps 52 attached to the lateral floats 6, particularly to the front sections 6b of the floats 6, and can be looped around and/or attached to grab handles 54 of the watercrafts 4. Additional bracing between the individual retaining straps 46, 50, 52 may provide additional dimensional stability and positional accuracy of the retaining straps 46, 50, 52 with respect to the received watercraft 4.

It is particularly preferred if the retaining straps 46, 50, 52 are directly or indirectly detachably secured to the at least one lateral float 6 and/or the forward connecting element 8 and/or the surface-like support structure 10 on both sides, i.e., portside and starboard. In this way, the watercraft 4 received in the receiving area 12 can be secured from both sides (portside and starboard) and the handling of the transport and carrying device 2 is greatly facilitated.

The detachable attachment of the retaining straps 46, 50, 52 to at least one of the lateral floats 6 and/or the connecting front element 8 and/or the surface-like support structure 10 can be implemented in any which way. It is particularly preferred if plug-in fasteners 56 are used to detachably attach the retaining straps 46, 50, 52 to the lateral floats 6. These ensure secure attachment of the retaining straps 46, 50, 52 and, on the other hand, can be detached quickly and easily if required. A plug-in fastener 56 comprises a first (e.g., male) plug-in element attached to one end of the retaining strap 46, 50, 52 and a second (e.g., female) plug-in element attached to a lateral float 6 that interact with each other. The two plug-in elements can be plugged into each other such that spring snap elements of the first plug-in element engage with indentations or recesses in the second plug-in element and detachably secure the retaining strap 46, 50, 52 to the float 6. The attachment can be released again by pressing on the snap elements for them to emerge from the indentations or recesses.

To prevent the loosened rear-end and/or top-end retaining straps 46, 50 from floating uncontrollably in the water and obstructing the intake of a watercraft 4 in the receiving area 12 of the transport and carrying device 2, for example because they come into conflict with the running propulsion unit 48 (or matching water intake openings on the underside) of the watercraft 4, it is advantageous if securing elements 58 (cf. FIGS. 5, 6 and 8) are disposed on the lateral floats 6. These are configured to retain the at least one rear retaining strap 46 and/or the at least one top retaining strap 50 in its disengaged state from the at least one lateral float 6. In this way, the loosened retaining straps 46, 50 can be securely and reliably held in a home position that does not interfere with the intake of the watercraft 4. In addition, once the watercraft 4 has been taken in, the retaining straps 46, 50 can be quickly grasped at any time to secure the received watercraft 4 in the receiving area 12. The securing elements 58 preferably each comprise a second (e.g., female) plug-in element of a plug-in fastener 56 attached to a lateral float 6, with which the first (e.g., male) plug-in element of the plug-in fastener 56 attached to the retaining straps 46, 50 can engage.

Preferably, the lifting elements 14 and/or the retaining straps 50, 52 are disposed on a top end of the lateral floats 6. The lifting elements 14 and/or the retaining straps 50, 52 and/or the securing elements 58 are preferably attached to particularly reinforced points 60 of the transport and carrying device 2.

The exemplary embodiment of the transport and carrying device 2 according to the invention shown in FIGS. 5-8 differs in some details from the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-3. Those parts of the device 2 from FIGS. 5-8, which are identical to those in the first exemplary embodiment, will not be explained separately here. The explanations below are limited to the differences.

In the second exemplary embodiment, two top retaining straps 50 are provided that are connected by a joint surface-like retaining element 64. The surface-like element 64 delimits the receiving area 12 at the top end and comes to rest on the top of the watercraft 4 when the watercraft is received in the receiving area 12. A central lifting element 14 is disposed approximately centrally on the surface-like retaining element 64, which is located approximately above a center of gravity of the device 2 and of the watercraft 4. In this case, practically the entire weight of the device 2 and—if present—of the watercraft 4 is transferred to the central lifting element 14. A further lifting element 14, in particular for attaching a so-called painter's line 62, is attached to the front of the connecting front element 8 (cf. FIG. 7). The rear retaining straps 46 are joined together at the top end and are detachably connected to the surface-like retaining element 64 by a joint plug-in fastener 56. On one end of the surface-like retaining element 64, the top retaining straps 50 are each detachably connected to the surface-like retaining element 64 by means of a plug-in fastener 56. A handle 66 is disposed on the top end of the connecting front element 8.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16: A transport and carrying device for transporting and carrying a watercraft, comprising:

two lateral floats spaced a predetermined distance from each other;

a connecting front element interconnecting the two lateral floats and maintaining the two lateral floats at the predetermined distance from each other;

a sheet or mesh support structure attached laterally to the lateral floats, the support structure having a plurality of openings through which water can pass;

a receiving area for the watercraft defined between the lateral floats and the connecting front element and above the support structure; and

at least one lifting element configured for attaching the transport and carrying device to an external lifting device for lifting and lowering the transport and carrying device.

17: The transport and carrying device for transporting and carrying a watercraft of claim 16, wherein:

the support structure is also attached to the connecting front element.

18: The transport and carrying device for transporting and carrying a watercraft of claim 16, wherein:

the lateral floats are oriented parallel to each other along at least a portion of their lengths.

19: The transport and carrying device for transporting and carrying a watercraft of claim 16, wherein:

the connecting front element is disposed at a front end of the transport and carrying device and extends transversely to the lateral floats.

20: The transport and carrying device for transporting and carrying a watercraft of claim 16, wherein:

the connecting front element includes a front float.

21: The transport and carrying device for transporting and carrying a watercraft of claim 20, wherein:

the front float and the lateral floats are integrally formed as a joint float assembly.

22: The transport and carrying device for transporting and carrying a watercraft of claim 20, wherein:

the lateral floats and/or the front float are inflatable.

23: The transport and carrying device for transporting and carrying a watercraft of claim 16, wherein:

the support structure comprises a net.

24: The transport and carrying device for transporting and carrying a watercraft of claim 16, further comprising:

a plurality of detachable retaining elements configured to retain the watercraft in the receiving area when the retaining elements are attached to the transport and carrying device.

25: The transport and carrying device for transporting and carrying a watercraft of claim 24, wherein:

the plurality of detachable retaining elements includes at least one rear retaining strap configured to extend along a rearwardly directed part of the watercraft when the watercraft is disposed in the receiving area, the rear retaining strap being configured to be attached to at least one of the connecting front element, the support structure and the lateral floats.

26: The transport and carrying device for transporting and carrying a watercraft of claim 24, wherein:

the plurality of detachable retaining elements including at least one top-end retaining strap configured to extend along a top end of the watercraft and to be attached to the two lateral floats when the watercraft is disposed in the receiving area.

27: The transport and carrying device for transporting and carrying a watercraft of claim 24, wherein:

the plurality of detachable retaining elements includes: a top-end retaining strap configured to extend along a top end of the watercraft and to be attached to the two lateral floats when the watercraft is disposed in the receiving area; and at least one rear retaining strap configured to extend along a rearwardly directed part of the watercraft when the watercraft is disposed in the receiving area, the at least one rear retaining strap being configured to be attached to the support structure and to the top-end retaining strap.

28: The transport and carrying device for transporting and carrying a watercraft of claim 27, wherein:

the at least one rear retaining strap includes two rear retaining straps located laterally on either side of a central propulsion unit of the watercraft when the two rear retaining straps are fastened about the watercraft.

29: The transport and carrying device for transporting and carrying a watercraft of claim 27, further comprising:

a plurality of securing elements disposed at a rear end of the lateral floats and/or at a rear end of the support structure, the securing elements being configured to retain the top-end restraining strap and/or the at least one rear retaining strap when the respective retaining strap is detached from a position in which the retaining strap retains the watercraft in the receiving area.

30: The transport and carrying device for transporting and carrying a watercraft of claim 16, further comprising:

a plurality of detachable retaining straps configured to retain the watercraft in the receiving area when the retaining straps are attached to the transport and carrying device, and a plurality of fasteners configured to attach the retaining straps to at least one of the connecting front element, the support structure and the lateral floats, the fasteners being selected from the group consisting of buckles, plug-in fasteners, snap fasteners or Velcro fasteners.

31: The transport and carrying device for transporting and carrying a watercraft of claim 16, wherein:

the at least one lifting element comprises at least one eyelet located on top of one of the lateral floats or on top of the connecting front element.