Floating tow harness device and method

Abstract

A floating tow harness device includes a center member, a float body including an outer surface, the float body rotatably coupled around the center member, a tow member, and a boat couple. The tow member includes a towing end connector, a tow item couple, and a harness extension spanning between the towing end connector and the tow item couple. The boat couple includes a boat end connector, a boat mounting couple, and a boat couple extension spanning between the boat end connector and the boat mounting couple. The device is useful for removably joining a load to a boat while keeping the tow harness away from the boat motor.

What is claimed is new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims: 
     
         1 . A floating tow harness for a tensile tow load between a boat and a water-towable item, the boat having a boat tow mount, the floating tow harness comprising:
 a center member having a boat end and a towing end, the center member configured to transfer the tensile tow load between the boat end and the towing end;   a float body including an outer surface, the float body rotatably coupled around the center member, the float body configured to buoy the center member and to rotate about the center member;   a tow member including a towing end connector, a tow item couple, and a harness extension spanning between the towing end connector and the tow item couple, the tow member configured to transfer the tensile tow load between the towing end connector and the tow item couple via the harness extension, the towing end connector configured to affix to the towing end of the center member, the tow item couple configured to couple with the water-towable item; and   a boat couple including a boat end connector, a boat mounting couple, and a boat couple extension spanning between the boat end connector and the boat mounting couple, the boat end connector configured to affix to the boat end of the center member, and the boat mounting couple configured to removably couple with the boat tow mount of the boat.   
     
     
         2 . The floating tow harness of  claim 1 , wherein the float body is rounded. 
     
     
         3 . The floating tow harness of  claim 1 , wherein the tow item couple includes a tow hook and a clip release, the tow item couple configured to removably couple with the water-towable item. 
     
     
         4 . The floating tow harness of  claim 1 , wherein the water-towable item is an inflatable tube. 
     
     
         5 . The floating tow harness of  claim 1 , wherein the boat mounting couple includes a dual-couple configured to couple with the boat at two separated locations. 
     
     
         6 . The floating tow harness of  claim 1 , wherein the float body includes a screw-type groove circumscribing the outer surface. 
     
     
         7 . The floating tow harness of  claim 6 , wherein the screw-type groove is configured to rotate the float body around the center member when the floating tow harness is pulled by the boat in a body of water. 
     
     
         8 . The floating tow harness of  claim 1 , wherein the float body is made of plastic. 
     
     
         9 . The floating tow harness of  claim 1 , wherein the float body is sized and dimensioned to provide at least 10 pounds of buoyancy force in water. 
     
     
         10 . The floating tow harness of  claim 1 , wherein the float body includes a signaling indicia. 
     
     
         11 . The floating tow harness of  claim 9 , wherein the signaling indicia includes at least one fluorescent color. 
     
     
         12 . The floating tow harness of  claim 1 , wherein the boat mounting couple includes a carabiner. 
     
     
         13 . The floating tow harness of  claim 1 , wherein the center member has a hollow core. 
     
     
         14 . The floating tow harness of  claim 1 , wherein the boat couple extension is at least 5 feet in length. 
     
     
         15 . The floating tow harness of  claim 1 , wherein the harness extension is at least 10 feet in length. 
     
     
         16 . The floating tow harness of  claim 1 , wherein the tensile tow load between the boat and the water-towable item is at least 50 pounds. 
     
     
         17 . A floating tow harness for a boat and a water-towable item, the floating tow harness comprising:
 a center member having a boat end and a towing end, the center member configured to transfer the tensile tow load between the boat end and the towing end;   a float body including an outer surface, the float body rotatably coupled around the center member, the float body configured to buoy the center member and to rotate about the center member;   a tow member including a towing end connector, a tow item couple, and a harness extension spanning between the towing end connector and the tow item couple, the tow member configured to transfer the tensile tow load between the towing end connector and the tow item couple via the harness extension, the towing end connector configured to affix to the towing end of the center member, the tow item couple configured to couple with the water-towable item; and   a boat couple including a boat end connector, a boat mounting couple, and a boat couple extension spanning between the boat end connector and the boat mounting couple, the boat end connector configured to affix to the boat end of the center member, and the boat mounting couple configured to removably couple with the boat tow mount of the boat; and   wherein the float body is rounded;   wherein the tow item couple includes a tow hook and a clip release, the tow item couple configured to removably couple with the water-towable item;   wherein the water-towable item is an inflatable tube;   wherein the boat mounting couple includes a dual-couple configured to couple with the boat at two separated locations;   wherein the float body includes a screw-type groove circumscribing the outer surface;   wherein the screw-type groove is configured to rotate the float body around the center member when the floating tow harness is pulled by the boat in a body of water;   wherein the float body is made of plastic;   wherein the float body is sized and dimensioned to provide at least 10 pounds of buoyancy force in water;   wherein the float body includes a signaling indicia;   wherein the signaling indicia includes at least one fluorescent color;   wherein the boat mounting couple includes a carabiner;   wherein the center member has a hollow core;   wherein the harness extension is at least 10 feet in length; and   wherein the tensile tow load between the boat and the water-towable item is at least 50 pounds.   
     
     
         18 . The floating tow harness of  claim 17 , further comprising set of instructions; and
 wherein the floating tow harness is arranged as a kit.   
     
     
         19 . A method of coupling a water-towable item to a boat, the boat having a boat tow mount, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a floating tow harness including a center member having a boat end and a towing end, the center member configured to transfer the tensile tow load between the boat end and the towing end;   a float body including an outer surface, the float body rotatably coupled around the center member, the float body configured to buoy the center member and to rotate about the center member,   a tow member including a towing end connector, a tow item couple, and a harness extension spanning between the towing end connector and the tow item couple, the tow member configured to transfer the tensile tow load between the towing end connector and the tow item couple via the harness extension, the towing end connector configured to affix to the towing end of the center member, the tow item couple configured to couple with the water-towable item, and   a boat couple including a boat end connector, a boat mounting couple, and a boat couple extension spanning between the boat end connector and the boat mounting couple, the boat end connector configured to affix to the boat end of the center member, and the boat mounting couple configured to removably couple with the boat tow mount of the boat;   coupling the boat mounting couple with the boat tow mount of the boat; and,   attaching the tow member to the water-towable item.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising the step of removing the tow member from the water-towable item.