Multi-segment recreational boards

Abstract

Recreational board such as paddleboards and surfboards, and methods of assembling and disassembling the recreational boards, the boards including a front portion, a back portion, and a plurality of elongated supports extending between the front portion and the back portion and located within, and removable from, recesses in the front portion and/or the back portion. The recreational board may further include a releasable fastening element securing connecting the front portion to the back portion.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A recreational board comprising:
 a front portion having a top surface, a bottom surface, an outer edge, and an inner side, the inner side comprising a plurality of recesses;   a back portion having a top surface, a bottom surface, an outer edge, and an inner side, the inner side comprising a plurality of recesses, wherein the inner side of the front portion abuts the inner side of the back portion; and   a plurality of elongated supports extending between the recesses of the front portion and the recesses of the back portion; and   a releasable securing element holding the front portion and back portion together.   
     
     
         2 . The recreational board of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of supports are enclosed within the board. 
     
     
         3 . The recreational board of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of supports comprises at least three supports. 
     
     
         4 . The recreational board of  claim 1  wherein the board comprises a paddleboard or a surfboard. 
     
     
         5 . The recreational board of  claim 1  wherein the releasable securing element spans a location at which the inner side of the front portion abuts the inner side of the back portion. 
     
     
         6 . The recreational board of  claim 5  wherein the releasable securing element is located within a recess. 
     
     
         7 . The releasable securing element of  claim 6  wherein the recess is locating in the outer edge of the front portion and the back portion. 
     
     
         8 . The recreational board of  claim 1  wherein the releasable securing element comprises a fastener having an inner cavity configured to hold beverages, wherein the fastener is insertable and removable through an aperture in the top surface of the front portion or the top surface of the back portion and secures one of the plurality of supports in place when the board is in an assembled configuration 
     
     
         9 . The recreational board of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of elongated supports are removable from the recesses of the front portion or the back portion. 
     
     
         10 . The recreational board of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of elongated supports are removable and replaceable within the recesses of both the front and back portions. 
     
     
         11 . A recreational board comprising:
 a front portion having a top surface, a bottom surface, an outer edge, and an inner side, the inner side comprising a plurality of recesses;   a back portion having a top surface, a bottom surface, an outer edge, and an inner side, the inner side comprising a plurality of recesses, wherein the side of the front portion abuts the inner side of the back portion; and   a plurality of elongated supports extending between the recesses of the front portion and the recesses of the back portion, wherein the elongated supports are removable from the recesses when the front and back portions are separated; and   a recessed cavity within the outer edge of the front and back portions, spanning a location of abutment between the front portion and the back portion;   a releasable locking connector within the cavity, the releasable locking connector comprising a front component attached to the front portion and a back component attached to the back portion.   
     
     
         12 . The recreational board of  claim 11  wherein the releasable locking connector automatically locks when the front component slides into the back component or when the back component slides into the front component. 
     
     
         13 . The recreational board of  claim 11  wherein the plurality of elongated supports comprises four supports. 
     
     
         14 . A method of assembling a multipiece recreational board, the method comprising the steps of:
 a) positioning a front portion of the board on a surface, the front portion comprising: a top surface, a bottom surface, an outer edge, and an inner side, the inner side comprising a plurality of recesses;   b) positioning a back portion of the board on the surface, the back portion comprising: a top surface, a bottom surface, an outer edge, and an inner side, the inner side comprising a plurality of recesses;   c) inserting a plurality of elongated supports into the plurality of recesses of the front portion and/or of the back portion; and then   d) sliding the front portion and the back portion together, with the inner side of the front portion abutting the inner side of the back portion and with the elongated supports extending from the front portion to the back portion within the recesses of the front portion and the back portion.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising, during or after step d), engaging a fastening element to releasably secure the front portion to the back portion. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the fastening element comprises a pair of connectors are located on the outer edge of the board and extending across a location of abutment between the front portion and the pack portion. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  wherein engaging a connector comprises automatically engaging a connector while sliding the front portion and the back portion together in step d). 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15  wherein one or more of the supports are affixed to the front portion or the back portion and have a free end which includes an aperture. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the fastening element comprises a cup holder inserted through the top surface of the front portion or the top surface of the back portion to engage the aperture of the free end of the support. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising, prior to step a), removing the front portion, the back portion, and the plurality of supports from a container, wherein the front portion and back portion are stacked on top of each other within the container.