Modular ski tower

Abstract

A modular ski tower includes a first leg member including a housing having a first end configured to be secured to a boat structure of a boat via a mounting assembly, the housing comprising a composite material and defining an interior space at least partially filled with a structural foam, and a crossmember including a housing, the crossmember comprising a composite material and defining an interior space at least partially filled with a structural foam, wherein a second end of the first leg member is coupled to a first end of the crossmember and a second end of the second leg member is coupled to a second end of the crossmember via respective slip fit couplers, and wherein the each of slip fit couplers are permanently secured via an adhesive.

1 . A modular ski tower, comprising:
 a first leg member including a housing having a first end and a second end opposite the first end where the first end is configured to be secured to a boat structure of a boat via a mounting assembly, the housing comprising a composite material and defining an interior space, and wherein the interior space is at least partially filled with a structural foam;   a second leg member including a housing having a first end and a second end opposite the first end of the second leg member where the first end of the second leg member is configured to be secured to a boat structure of the boat via a mounting assembly, the housing of the second leg member comprising a composite material and defining an interior space, wherein the interior space of the housing of the second leg member is filled with a structural foam; and   a crossmember including a housing having a first end and second end opposite the first end of the crossmember, the crossmember comprising a composite material and defining an interior space, wherein the interior space of the housing of the crossmember is at least partially filled with a structural foam, wherein the second end of the first leg member is coupled to the first end of the crossmember and the second end of the second leg member is coupled to the second end of the crossmember via respective slip fit couplers, and wherein the each of slip fit couplers are permanently secured via an adhesive.   
     
     
         2 . The modular ski tower of  claim 1 , wherein the composite material of each of the first leg member, the second leg member and the crossmember comprises carbon fiber. 
     
     
         3 . The modular ski tower of  claim 1 , wherein the structure foam at least partially filling the interior space of each of the first leg member, the second leg member and crossmember comprising a polyurethane foam. 
     
     
         4 . The modular ski tower of  claim 1 , where the structural foam at least partially filling the interior space of the each of the first leg member, the second leg member and the crossmember fills a majority of the interior space of the each of the first leg member, the second leg member and the crossmember. 
     
     
         5 . The modular ski tower of  claim 1 , wherein each slip coupler includes a longitudinal axis that is configured to be substantially orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the boat. 
     
     
         6 . The modular ski tower of  claim 1 , wherein each mounting assembly is configured to move the first leg member, the second leg member and the crossmember between a raised position and a lowered position. 
     
     
         7 . A method for constructing a modular ski tower, comprising:
 providing a first leg member including a housing having a first end and a second end opposite the first end where the first end is configured to be secured to a boat structure of a boat via a mounting assembly and the second end includes a first portion of a first slip fit coupler, the housing comprising a composite material and defining an interior space;   providing a second leg member including a housing having a first end and a second end opposite the first end of the second leg member where the first end of the second leg members is configured to be secured to a boat structure of the boat via a mounting assembly and the second end of the second leg includes a first portion of a second slip fit coupler, the housing of the second leg member comprising a composite material and defining an interior space; and   providing a crossmember including a housing having a first end that includes a second portion of the first slip fit coupler and second end opposite the first end of the crossmember and that includes a second portion of the second slip fit coupler, the crossmember comprising a composite material and defining an interior space;   at least partially filling the interior space of each of the first leg, the second leg and the crossmember with a structural foam;   applying an adhesive to at least one of the first and second portions of the first slip fit coupler and to at least one of the first and second portions of the second slip fit coupler; and   coupling the first portion and second portions of the first slip fit coupler with one another and the first and second portions of the second slip fit coupler with one another.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the composite material of each of the first leg member, the second leg member and the crossmember comprises carbon fiber. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the structural foam comprises a polyurethane foam. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the at least partially filling the interior space of each of the first leg, the second leg and the crossmember with the structural foam includes filling at least a majority of the interior space of each of the first leg, the second leg and the crossmember with the structural foam. 
     
     
         11 . The method of any one of  claim 7 , wherein each mounting assembly is configured to move the first leg member, the second leg member and the crossmember between a raised position and a lowered position. 
     
     
         12 . A modular ski tower, comprising:
 a first leg member including a housing having a first end and a second end opposite the first end where the first end is configured to be secured to a boat structure of a boat via a mounting assembly and the second end includes a first portion of a first coupler;   a second leg member including a housing having a first end and a second end opposite the first end of the second leg member where the first end of the second leg member is configured to be secured to a boat structure of the boat via a mounting assembly and the second end of the second leg member includes a first portion of a second coupler; and   a crossmember including a housing having a first end that includes a second portion of the first coupler and second end opposite the first end of the crossmember and that includes a second portion of the second coupler, wherein the second end of the first leg member is coupled to the first end of the crossmember via the first coupler and the second end of the second leg member is coupled to the second end of the crossmember via the second coupler, wherein the each coupler includes a longitudinal axis that is configured to extend substantially orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the boat, wherein the first and second portions of the first coupler and configured to be coupled to one another by moving at least one of the first and second portions relative of the first coupler to one another along the longitudinal axis of the first coupler and the first and second portions of the second coupler are configured to be coupled to one another by moving at least one of the first and second portions of the second coupler relative to one another along the longitudinal axis of the second coupler, and wherein the first leg member and the second leg member are each permanently coupled to the crossmember.   
     
     
         13 . The modular ski tower of  claim 12 , wherein the first coupler includes a first slip fit coupler and the second coupler includes a second slip fit coupler. 
     
     
         14 . The modular ski tower of  claim 12 , wherein the first portion of the first coupler is telescopingly received within the second portion of the first coupler and the first portion of the second coupler is telescopingly received within the second portion of the second coupler. 
     
     
         15 . The modular ski tower of  claim 13 , wherein the housing of each of the first leg member, the second leg member and the crossmember comprises a composite material. 
     
     
         16 . The modular ski tower of  claim 13 , wherein the housing of each of the first leg member, the second leg member and the crossmember comprises carbon fiber. 
     
     
         17 . The modular ski tower of  claim 13 , wherein the first and second leg members are each permanently coupled to the crossmember via an adhesive. 
     
     
         18 . The modular ski tower of  claim 13 , wherein each mounting assembly is configured to move the first leg member, the second leg member and the crossmember between a raised position and a lowered position. 
     
     
         19 . A method for providing a kit for a modular ski tower, comprising:
 providing a first leg member including a housing having a first end and a second end opposite the first end where the first end is configured to be secured to a boat structure of a boat via a mounting assembly and the second end includes a first portion of a first coupler;   providing a second leg member including a housing having a first end and a second end opposite the first end of the second leg member where the first end of the second leg member is configured to be secured to a boat structure of the boat via a mounting assembly and the second end of the second leg member includes a first portion of a second coupler;   providing a selected crossmember as selected between a first crossmember and a second crossmember, the first crossmember and the second crossmember each including a housing having a first end that includes a second portion of the first coupler and second end opposite the first end of the crossmember and that includes a second portion of the second coupler, wherein the first crossmember has a first length and the second crossmember has a second length that is different from the first length;   providing a tow mount supported by the crossmember; and   coupling the second end of the first leg member to the first end of the selected crossmember via the first coupler and the second end of the second leg member to the second end of the selected crossmember via the second coupler, wherein the first crossmember and the second crossmember are configured such that a location of the tow mount along a longitudinal axis of the boat remains substantially consistent between the first crossmember and second crossmember subsequent to the selected crossmember being coupled to the first and second legs, and wherein the first and second leg members are permanently coupled to the crossmember.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein each coupler includes a longitudinal axis that is configured to extend substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the boat, wherein the first and second portions of the first coupler and configured to be coupled to one another by moving at least one of the first and second portions of the first coupler relative to one another along the longitudinal axis of the first coupler and the first and second portions of the second coupler are configured to be coupled to one another by moving at least one of the first and second portions of the second coupler relative to one another along the longitudinal axis of the second coupler. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the first coupler includes a first slip fit coupler and the second coupler includes a second slip fit coupler. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the first portion of the first coupler is telescopingly received within the second portion of the first coupler and the first portion of the second coupler is telescopingly received within the second portion of the second coupler. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the housing of each of the first leg member, the second leg member and the crossmember comprises a composite material. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the housing of each of the first leg member, the second leg member and the crossmember comprises carbon fiber. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the first and second leg members are each permanently coupled to the crossmember via an adhesive.