Rotatable wakeboard support

Abstract

A wakeboard support includes a clamp fixed a substantially vertical standard on a boat. The clamp has an outside surface that is substantially rotationally symmetric about an axis aligned with the standard. A collar surrounds the clamp. The collar has an inside surface reflecting the clamp outside surface allowing rotation of the collar around the clamp and standard. The collar outside surface has support members adapted to carry a wakeboard. A lock is coupled to the collar and engaged with the clamp to fix the collar at selected positions around the standard.

1 . A wakeboard support for use on a boat having a substantially vertical standard, the wakeboard support comprising: 
 a clamp adapted to be fixed to a standard, the clamp having an outside surface rotationally symmetric about an axis aligned with the standard,    a collar adapted to surround the clamp, the collar having an outside surface adapted to receive support members adapted to carry a wakeboard, the collar having an inside surface, adapted to confront the outside surface of the clamp, reflecting the geometry of the clamp outside surface allowing rotation of the collar around the clamp and standard, and    a lock adapted to be coupled to the collar and engaged with the clamp to fix the collar at selected positions around the clamp.    
   
   
       2 . The wakeboard support of  claim 1  wherein the clamp outer surface comprises an upper protruding ring and a lower protruding ring separated by an indented cylindrical surface.  
   
   
       3 . The wakeboard support of  claim 1  wherein the clamp outer surface includes a plurality of spaced holes for engagement by the lock.  
   
   
       4 . The wakeboard support of  claim 1  wherein the clamp comprises a pair of semi-cylindrical segments and coupling elements coupling the pair of segments together at a selected fixed position on the standard.  
   
   
       5 . The wakeboard support of  claim 1  wherein the collar outside surface comprises a planar segment, the support members being coupled to the planar segment.  
   
   
       6 . The wakeboard support of  claim 1  wherein the clamp outside surface includes at least one substantially horizontal portion, and the collar inside surface includes at least one substantially horizontal portion engaging the corresponding portion on the clamp for supporting the collar against downward displacement due to gravity.  
   
   
       7 . The wakeboard support of  claim 1  wherein the collar includes an opening between the outside surface and the inside surface of the collar, said lock being aligned to penetrate the opening to contact the clamp.  
   
   
       8 . The wakeboard support of  claim 1  wherein the lock comprises a biasing member providing a force between the lock and the collar urging the lock into engagement with the clamp.  
   
   
       9 . The wakeboard support of  claim 1  wherein the lock includes a handle for manipulation of the lock and collar.  
   
   
       10 . The wakeboard support of  claim 1  wherein the support members on the collar outside surface are upward inclined to provide a gravitational force toward the standard on any wakeboard placed thereon.  
   
   
       11 . The wakeboard support of  claim 1  wherein the support members on the collar outside surface comprise two unitary forks having tines vertically spaced from each other, the unitary forks being fixed to the collar outside surface.  
   
   
       12 . The wakeboard support of  claim 1  further comprising a back board coupled to the outside surface of the collar including said support members.  
   
   
       13 . The wakeboard support of  claim 12  further comprising coupling elements coupling the back board and the collar together while allowing some limited pivotal movement between the back board and collar.  
   
   
       14 . A wakeboard support for use on a boat having a substantially vertical standard, the wakeboard support comprising: 
 a clamp fixed to the standard, the clamp having an outside surface rotationally symmetric about an axis aligned with the standard,    a collar surrounding the clamp, the collar having an outside surface including a substantially vertical planar segment, and two unitary forks having tines vertically spaced from each other, the unitary forks being fixed to the planar segment of the collar outside surface so that the tines are upward inclined to provide a gravitational force toward the standard on any wakeboard placed thereon,    the collar having an inside surface confronting the outside surface of the clamp reflecting the geometry thereof allowing rotation of the collar around the clamp and standard, and    a lock coupled to the collar and engagable with the clamp to fix the collar at selected positions around the clamp.    
   
   
       15 . The wakeboard support of  claim 14  wherein the clamp outer surface comprises an upper protruding ring and a lower protruding ring separated by an indented cylindrical surface, the clamp comprising a pair of semi-cylindrical segments, and coupling elements within the upper and lower protruding rings coupling the pair of segments together at a selected fixed position on the standard.  
   
   
       16 . The wakeboard support of  claim 15  wherein each of the protruding rings includes a substantially horizontal surface portion, and the collar inside surface includes at least two substantially horizontal portions engaging the corresponding portions on the clamp for supporting the collar against downward displacement due to gravity.  
   
   
       17 . The wakeboard support of  claim 14  wherein the clamp outer surface includes a plurality of spaced holes lying in a common horizontal plane, and wherein the collar includes an opening between the outside surface and the inside surface of the collar, the opening in the collar lying in the same common horizontal plane as the holes in the clamp outer surface, said lock being aligned to penetrate the opening in the collar to contact any of the holes in the clamp.  
   
   
       18 . The wakeboard support of  claim 17  wherein the lock comprises a pin projecting into the opening in the collar and a biasing member coupled between the collar and the lock providing a force urging the pin into engagement with the clamp, and a handle for withdrawing the pin from any hole in the collar.  
   
   
       19 . The wakeboard support of  claim 14  further comprising a back board imposed between the unitary forks and the planar segment of the collar.  
   
   
       20 . The wakeboard support of  claim 19  further comprising coupling elements coupling the back board and planar segment of the collar together while allowing some limited pivotal movement between the back board and planar segment.