Retractable Boat Cover Assembly

Abstract

A retractable boat cover assembly includes a boat cover for a boat, which preferably includes a windable, retracting mechanism within a housing assembly that allows a flexible boat cover to be wound up and stored in a rolled-up state within the housing assembly when not in use. In one embodiment, the retracting mechanism includes a spring-loaded roller within a housing, so that the retracting mechanism automatically winds the flexible cover around the roller due to the winding force applied by the spring. The retracting mechanism may include a stop assembly, so that the flexible cover may be extended to certain incremental lengths, wherein the stop assembly prevents the spring-loaded roller from winding the cover back into the retracting mechanism housing.

1 . A retractable boat cover assembly comprising:
 a flexible boat cover;   a retracting mechanism having a spring-loaded roller, said retracting mechanism being disposed within a housing assembly, wherein one edge of said flexible boat cover is attached to said spring-loaded roller so that said flexible boat cover may be rolled onto said spring-loaded roller and disposed within said housing assembly; and   attachment means for attaching said flexible boat cover to a periphery of a boat.   
     
     
         2 . The retractable boat cover assembly set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said retracting mechanism includes a stop assembly that temporarily prevents said spring-loaded roller from retracting. 
     
     
         3 . The retractable boat cover assembly set forth in  claim 1 , further including a series of parallel slats attached to said flexible boat cover in a transverse orientation. 
     
     
         4 . The retractable boat cover assembly set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said attachment means include adjustable straps. 
     
     
         5 . The retractable boat cover assembly set forth in  claim 4 , wherein said adjustable straps are removably attached to said flexible boat cover. 
     
     
         6 . The retractable boat cover assembly set forth in  claim 1 , further including a plurality of poles to provide a support structure for said flexible boat cover, wherein said support structure is temporarily attached to a boat, and wherein said flexible boat cover is positioned on top of said support structure during use. 
     
     
         7 . The retractable boat cover assembly set forth in  claim 6 , wherein said flexible boat cover includes attachment means for removably attaching said boat cover to said support structure.