Watercraft coupling system

Abstract

Systems for coupling two or more watercrafts, and assemblies comprised of systems and watercrafts. A watercraft coupling system includes a forward connector rod and an aft connector rod that are configured to be attached to forward and aft portions of adjacent first and second watercrafts, and may include additional components such as stabilization straps, nets, and rod cushions for safety and comfort. The system may be used to stably couple two or more watercrafts, such as recreational watercrafts, in a side-by-side arrangement to form a watercraft assembly that may be used by two or more users cooperatively.

The following is claimed: 
     
         1 . A system for coupling a plurality of watercrafts, the system comprising:
 a forward connector rod comprising a first forward strap connectable to a first portion thereof and a second forward strap connectable to a second portion thereof, and   an aft connector rod comprising a first aft strap connectable to a first portion thereof and a second aft strap connectable to a second portion thereof,   wherein the forward connector rod is coupled to a forward portion of a first watercraft via the first forward strap and a forward portion of a second watercraft via the second forward strap, and wherein the aft connector rod is coupled to an aft portion of the first watercraft via the first aft strap and an aft portion of the second watercraft via the second aft strap, the first and second watercrafts are coupled.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , the system further comprising a first stabilization strap that is securable to the forward connector rod and the aft connector rod to occupy a first segment between the forward connector rod and the aft connector rod, and a second stabilization strap that is securable to the forward connector rod and the aft connector rod to occupy a second segment between the forward connector rod and the aft connector rod. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the first stabilization strap, the second stabilization strap, or both, is adjustable. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first forward strap, the second forward strap, the first aft strap, the second aft strap, or any combination thereof, is adjustable. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , the system further comprising a rod cushion that is configured to encompass an area of the forward connector rod or an area of the aft connector rod. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the area is positioned between the forward connector rod and the first watercraft, the forward connector rod and the second watercraft, the aft connector rod and the first watercraft, or the aft connector rod and the second watercraft. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , the system further comprising a net that is couplable to the forward connector rod and the aft connector rod and spans a space between the first watercraft and the second watercraft when the first watercraft and the second watercraft are coupled by the system. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the net is couplable to the first forward strap, the second forward strap, the first aft strap, the second aft strap, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the net includes a storage compartment. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein a size or a shape of the net is adjustable. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the first and second segments are perpendicular to the forward and aft connector rods. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the first segment is adjacent to a port side of the first watercraft, and wherein the second segment is adjacent to a starboard side of the second watercraft. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the first segment is adjacent to a starboard side of the first watercraft, and wherein the second segment is adjacent to a port side of the second watercraft. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the first and second segments are non-perpendicular to the forward and aft connector rods and are configured as a cross-type arrangement. 
     
     
         15 . A system for coupling a plurality of watercrafts, the system comprising:
 a forward connector rod comprising a first forward strap connectable to a first portion thereof and a second forward strap connectable to a second portion thereof, an aft connector rod comprising a first aft strap connectable to a first portion thereof and a second aft strap connectable to a second portion thereof, a first stabilization strap that is securable to the forward connector rod and the aft connector rod to span a first segment between the forward connector rod and the aft connector rod, and a second stabilization strap that is securable to the forward connector rod and the aft connector rod to span a second segment between the forward connector rod and the aft connector rod;   wherein the forward connector rod is coupled to a forward portion of a first watercraft via the first forward strap and a forward portion of a second watercraft via the second forward strap, the aft connector rod is coupled to an aft portion of the first watercraft via the first aft strap and an aft portion of the second watercraft via the second aft strap, the first stabilization strap is secured to the forward connector rod at a first forward position and is secured to the aft connector rod at a first aft position, and the second stabilization strap is secured to the forward connector rod at a second forward position and is secured to the aft connector rod at a second aft position, the first and second watercrafts are stably coupled.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the first and second segments are perpendicular to the forward and aft connector rods. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the first segment is adjacent to a port side of the first watercraft, and wherein the second segment is adjacent to a starboard side of the second watercraft. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the first segment is adjacent to a starboard side of the first watercraft, and wherein the second segment is adjacent to a port side of the second watercraft. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the first and second segments are non-perpendicular to the forward and aft connector rods. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the first and second segments are configured as a cross-type arrangement.