Adjustable equipment storage rack for a boat

Abstract

An equipment storage rack for a boat can store a piece of equipment on the exterior of the boat and can be adjustable. For example, the equipment storage rack can be attached to an upper perimeter surface of a barrier of the boat and can be adjustable for different widths of the upper perimeter surface. The adjustable equipment storage rack includes a cradle for supporting a piece of equipment, and a mounting bracket connected to the cradle to support the cradle. The mounting bracket has a plurality of engagement positions for a fastener to engage with the mounting bracket and to secure the mounting bracket to the boat at a fastening position. The cradle is a different distance from the fastening position at each engagement position of the plurality of engagement positions.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An adjustable equipment storage rack for a boat, the adjustable equipment storage rack comprising:
 a cradle for supporting a piece of equipment; and   a mounting bracket connected to the cradle to support the cradle, the mounting bracket having a plurality of engagement positions for a fastener to engage with the mounting bracket and to secure the mounting bracket to the boat at a fastening position, wherein, at each engagement position of the plurality of engagement positions, the cradle is a different distance from the fastening position.   
     
     
         2 . The adjustable equipment storage rack of  claim 1 , further comprising a strap engageable with the cradle to secure the piece of equipment to the cradle. 
     
     
         3 . The adjustable equipment storage rack of  claim 1 , wherein the cradle includes a first leg and a second leg oriented transversely to the first leg and connected to the first leg at a lower portion thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The adjustable equipment storage rack of  claim 3 , wherein the mounting bracket is attached to a back side surface of the first leg and projects therefrom, and an upper end of the first leg is bent in the direction that the mounting bracket projects. 
     
     
         5 . The adjustable equipment storage rack of  claim 1 , wherein the mounting bracket includes a plurality of openings, and each opening corresponds to one engagement position of the plurality of engagement positions and is engageable with a projection to position the bracket at a corresponding engagement position of the plurality of engagement positions. 
     
     
         6 . The adjustable equipment storage rack of  claim 5 , further comprising the fastener, the fastener being a quick-release fastener. 
     
     
         7 . The adjustable equipment storage rack of  claim 5 , further comprising the fastener, wherein the mounting bracket includes a slot, and the fastener is located in the slot and is capable of sliding within the slot when the mounting bracket is moved between the plurality of engagement positions. 
     
     
         8 . The adjustable equipment storage rack of  claim 7 , wherein the mounting bracket includes a plurality of openings, and each opening corresponds to one engagement position of the plurality of engagement positions, and
 wherein the fastener includes a projection engageable with an opening of the plurality of openings to position the bracket at a corresponding engagement position of the plurality of engagement positions.   
     
     
         9 . The adjustable equipment storage rack of  claim 7 , wherein the slot includes a longitudinal direction and a width direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and the slot is elongated in the longitudinal direction,
 wherein the mounting bracket includes a plurality of pairs of openings, each pair of openings corresponds to one engagement position of the plurality of engagement positions, each pair of openings includes a first opening and a second opening, and the first opening is located on one side of the slot and the second opening is located on an opposite side of the slot in the width direction, and   wherein the fastener includes a first projection engageable with the first opening and a second projection engageable with the second opening to position the bracket at a corresponding engagement position of the plurality of engagement positions.   
     
     
         10 . A boat comprising:
 a barrier; and   an adjustable equipment storage rack mounted to the barrier, the adjustable equipment storage rack including a cradle assembly, the cradle assembly including:
 a cradle for supporting a piece of equipment; and 
 a mounting bracket connecting the cradle to the barrier, the mounting bracket being positionable in a plurality of cradle positions, wherein, at each position of the plurality of cradle positions, the cradle is a different distance from the barrier. 
   
     
     
         11 . The boat of  claim 10 , wherein the adjustable equipment storage rack further includes a fastener engageable with the mounting bracket at a plurality of engagement positions, each engagement position of the plurality of engagement position corresponds to one cradle position of the plurality of cradle positions, and engaging the fastener with the mounting bracket at one of the plurality of engagement positions locates the cradle at a corresponding one of the plurality of cradle positions. 
     
     
         12 . The boat of  claim 11 , wherein the barrier includes a receiver and the fastener is engageable with the receiver to connect the mounting bracket to the barrier. 
     
     
         13 . The boat of  claim 12 , wherein the receiver includes a bore, and the fastener includes a fastener shaft that engages with the receiver when located in the bore, and one of the receiver and the fastener shaft includes a detent to lock the fastener shaft in the bore. 
     
     
         14 . The boat of  claim 10 , wherein the barrier has a top surface and the mounting bracket is attached to the top surface of the barrier. 
     
     
         15 . The boat of  claim 14 , wherein the majority of the cradle is located lower than the top surface of the barrier. 
     
     
         16 . The boat of  claim 10 , wherein the barrier defines an interior of the boat and separates the interior from an exterior of the boat. 
     
     
         17 . The boat of  claim 16 , wherein the cradle is located on the exterior of the boat. 
     
     
         18 . The boat of  claim 16 , further comprising a hull, the hull including a port-side hull and a starboard-side hull, the barrier being one of the port-side hull or the starboard-side hull. 
     
     
         19 . The boat of  claim 16 , wherein the cradle assembly is a first cradle assembly and the adjustable equipment storage rack includes a plurality of cradle assemblies, including the first cradle assembly and a second cradle assembly, the second cradle assembly including:
 a cradle for supporting the piece of equipment; and   a mounting bracket connecting the cradle to the barrier, the mounting bracket being positionable in a plurality of cradle positions, wherein, at each position of the plurality of cradle positions, the cradle is a different distance from the barrier.   
     
     
         20 . The boat of  claim 19 , wherein the cradle of each of the first cradle assembly and the second cradle assembly has the same shape.