Portable flotation platform for shallow bodies of water

Abstract

A portable flotation platform is disclosed for use in supporting a load of equipment, hunting dogs, or personnel above the level of a body of water. The platform includes a deck constructed to be of an overall density less than that of water and sized so as to support the load above the level of the water. An anchor device extends down to the bottom of the water and up to the deck to hold the deck on station in the water. The deck and anchor device are sized and shaped to nest together, so that platform has a carrying mode in which the deck and anchor device are held together to facilitate a user carrying the platform to and from a point of deployment at a body of water, and a deployment mode in which the deck and anchor device are spaced apart from each other to enable the deck to be positioned at the surface of the body of water and the anchor device positioned at the bottom of the body of water.

1 . A portable flotation platform for supporting a load above the level of a body of water, the platform comprising: 
 a deck having an overall density less than that of water and presenting a generally planar upper surface for supporting the load;    an anchor device which when deployed and connected to the deck holds the deck against horizontal movement;    the deck having at least one connector for detachably securing the deck to the anchor device for vertical movement of the deck relative to the anchor device, with the anchor device comprising a frame, anchor legs extending down from the frame and engageable with a bottom of the body of water, and an anchor arm extending up from the frame toward and engageable with the deck; and    a carrying attachment on the platform for enabling the user to carry the platform to a point of deployment.    
   
   
       2 . The platform of  claim 1  wherein the platform has a carrying mode in which the deck and frame are held in engagement, and a deployment mode in which the deck and frame are spaced apart from each other.  
   
   
       3 . The platform of  claim 2  wherein the deck and frame are shaped to enable the deck and the frame to nest together when the platform is in the carrying mode.  
   
   
       4 . The platform of  claim 1  wherein the anchor legs are pivotally mounted to the frame.  
   
   
       5 . The platform of  claim 1  wherein the anchor legs are of telescoping construction to enable them to moved between a retracted configuration to facilitate carrying the platform and an extended configuration for deployment of the deck.  
   
   
       6 . The platform of  claim 1  wherein the carrying attachment comprises a pair of carrying straps.  
   
   
       7 . The platform of  claim 1  wherein the carrying attachment is attached to the frame.  
   
   
       8 . The platform of  claim 1  wherein the deck comprises an upper member of generally rigid sheet material, a lower member of generally rigid sheet material and foam material between the upper and lower members.  
   
   
       9 . The platform of  claim 1  wherein the anchor arm comprises a pole detachably secured to the frame.  
   
   
       10 . The platform of  claim 9  wherein the frame comprises an anchor support stand to which the pole is detachably secured.  
   
   
       11 . The platform of  claim 1  wherein the anchor device comprises a plurality of anchor arms.  
   
   
       12 . The platform of  claim 1  wherein the anchor connector comprises an opening in the deck to receive the anchor arm.  
   
   
       13 . The platform of  claim 2  wherein the deck includes a housing for receiving the anchor arm when the platform is in its carrying mode.  
   
   
       14 . The platform of  claim 13  wherein the housing comprises a channel formed at the lower side of the frame, with an opening at the upper side of the channel.  
   
   
       15 . The platform of  claim 14  wherein the deck closes the opening in the channel to hold the anchor arms in the housing when the platform is in its carrying mode.  
   
   
       16 . A portable flotation platform for supporting a load above the level of a body of water, the platform comprising: 
 a deck having an overall density less than that of water and presenting a generally planar upper surface for supporting the load;    an anchor device which when deployed and connected to the deck holds the deck against horizontal movement;    the deck having at least one connector for detachably securing the deck to the anchor device for vertical movement of the deck relative to the anchor device, with the anchor device comprising a frame, anchor legs extending down from the frame and engageable with a bottom of the body of water, and an anchor arm extending up from the frame toward and engageable with the deck; and    the platform having a carrying mode in which the deck and frame are held in engagement to enable a user to carry the platform to and from a point of deployment, and a deployment mode in which the deck and the frame are spaced apart from each other with the deck floating at the surface of the body of water and the frame adjacent the bottom of the body of water for holding the deck in horizontal position in the body of water.    
   
   
       17 . The platform of  claim 16  wherein the deck and frame are shaped to enable the deck and the frame to nest together when the platform is in the carrying mode.  
   
   
       18 . The platform of  claim 16  wherein the anchor legs are pivotally mounted to the frame.  
   
   
       19 . The platform of  claim 16  wherein the anchor arm comprises a pole detachably secured to the frame.  
   
   
       20 . The platform of  claim 19  wherein the frame comprises an anchor support stand to which the pole is detachably secured.