Watercraft beaching device

Abstract

A watercraft beaching device which includes a base member and a pair of upright supports attached to the base member and positioned in spaced apart relationship. Each upright may also include a cushioned hull engagement surface. Advantageously, the hull engagement surfaces are elongated to engage more than a single point along the side of the boat hull to prevent the watercraft from pivoting about the beaching device on the shoreline and yet still require a relatively small area of surface contact with the hull of the watercraft. The upright supports are configured to hold the hull of the craft such that the keel of the craft does not come into contact with the base member of the watercraft beaching device or shoreline thereby eliminating abrasive wear to the keel of the craft while moored using the watercraft beaching device of the present invention.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A watercraft beaching device comprising: 
 a body including a base member; and    a first upright support attached to the base member including a hull engagement surface positioned at an elevation above the base member for preventing contact between the watercraft and an upper surface of the base member; and    a second upright support attached to the base member, the second upright support including a hull engagement surface positioned at an elevation above the base member for preventing contact between the watercraft and the surface of the base member.    
     
     
         2 . The watercraft beaching device of  claim 1  wherein the pair of upright supports each further comprise a hull engagement surface attached to each of the pair of upright supports.  
     
     
         3 . The watercraft beaching device of  claim 1  wherein the base member further comprises a low profile upper surface for preventing contact between the watercraft and the upper surface of the base member.  
     
     
         4 . The watercraft beaching device of  claim 1  further comprising a height from the upper surface of the base member to a plane in which the first hull engagement surface and the second engagement surface lie, said distance being substantially equal to 8 to 16 inches.  
     
     
         5 . The watercraft beaching device of  claim 1  further comprising a distance between the first hull engagement surface and the second hull engagement surface, said distance being substantially equal to 8 to 16 inches.  
     
     
         6 . The watercraft beaching device of  claim 1  further comprising a ratio between and a distance between the first hull engagement surface and the second hull engagement surface and a height of the first and second hull engagement surfaces relative to the upper surface of the base member, said ratio being substantially equal to 1:1.  
     
     
         7 . The watercraft beaching device of  claim 1  further comprising a ratio between and a distance between the first hull engagement surface and the second hull and a height from the upper surface of the base member to a plane in which the first hull engagement surface and the second hull engagement surface, said ratio being in a range of less than 2:1 and greater than 1:2.  
     
     
         8 . The watercraft beaching device of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 the first upright support integrally formed and rigidly attached to the base member including a hull engagement surface positioned at an elevation above the base member for preventing contact between the watercraft and upper surface the base member; and  
 the second upright support integrally formed and rigidly attached to the base member, the second upright support including a hull engagement surface positioned at an elevation above the base member for preventing contact between the watercraft and upper surface the base member.  
 
     
     
         9 . A watercraft beaching device comprising: 
 a base member having a low profile to prevent contact with the watercraft;    a pair of collapsible upright supports each pivotally attached to the base member;    a first extension limiting device interacting between the base member and the upright supports;    a second extension limiting device interacting with each of the upright supports to limit their expansion to a predefined range; and    a pair of hull engagement surfaces positionable in spaced apart relationship one to the other and at an elevation above the base member, the hull engagement surfaces each being attached to one of the upright supports.    
     
     
         10 . The watercraft beaching device of  claim 9  wherein the collapsible supports each comprise: 
 a hinge leg pivotally attached to the base member; and  
 a free leg pivotally attached to the hinge leg.  
 
     
     
         11 . The watercraft beaching device of  claim 9  wherein the first extension limiting device is attached between the base member and each hinge leg.  
     
     
         12 . The watercraft beaching device of  claim 9  wherein the second extension limiting member is attached between each hinge leg and its respective free leg.  
     
     
         13 . The watercraft beaching device of  claim 9  wherein the base member further comprises a low profile upper surface for preventing contact between the watercraft and the upper surface of the base member.  
     
     
         14 . The watercraft beaching device of  claim 9  further comprising a height from the upper surface of the base member to a plane in which the first hull engagement surface and the second hull engagement surface lie, said distance being substantially equal to 8 to 16 inches.  
     
     
         15 . The watercraft beaching device of  claim 9  further comprising a distance between the first hull engagement surface and the second hull engagement surface, said distance being substantially equal to 8 to 16 inches.  
     
     
         16 . The watercraft beaching device of  claim 9  further comprising a ratio between and a distance between the first hull engagement surface and the second hull engagement surface and a height from the upper surface of the base member to a plane in which the first hull engagement surface and the second hull engagement surface, said ratio being substantially equal to a ratio of 1:1.  
     
     
         17 . The watercraft beaching device of  claim 9  further comprising a ratio between and a distance between the first hull engagement surface and the second hull engagement surface and a height from the upper surface of the base member to a plane in which the first hull engagement surface and the second hull engagement surface, said ratio being in a range of less than 2:1 and greater than 1:2.