Sailboat support device

Abstract

A sailboat support includes a keel support platform, a mechanical linkage assembly, and rotating support arms to proportionally distribute the weight of the sailboat between the keel and the hull. The support is designed so that the keel bears the majority of the load while the hull receives proportional support through a flexible cradle. The system is self-adjusting, thus reducing the need for manual adjustments and improving ease of use and safety.

1 . A support for a sailboat, comprising: 
 a support frame;    a side rail coupled to the support frame;    a keel bunk coupled to the side rail;    a torsion link coupled to the side rail;    a lift bar coupled to the torsion link; and   a hull bunk coupled to the link bar,    wherein the torsion link is configured to move downward in response to a force on the keel bunk to rotate the lift bar and bring the hull bunk into contact with a hull of the sailboat.    
     
     
         2 . The support of  claim 1 , wherein the torsion link includes a pair of torsion links on opposite sides of center of a bunk support coupled to the side rail.  
     
     
         3 . The support of  claim 1 , wherein the support frame includes a forward frame and a rear frame, and the side rail is directly coupled to only the rear frame to allow for movement of the side rail. 
     
     
         4 . The support of  claim 1 , wherein the torsion link is rotatably coupled to an end of the torsion link.  
     
     
         5 . The support of  claim 4 , where the lift bar is a first lift bar, the support further comprising:  
       a second lift bar rotatably coupled to the support frame; and 
       a torsion bar coupled between the first lift bar and the second lift bar, a front end of the torsion bar positioned further from a center of the support frame than a rear end of the torsion bar.  
     
     
         6 . The support of  claim 1 , further comprising:  
       a pair of pivot plates rotatably coupled to the support frame and to the torsion link, the pair of pivot plates having a respective cutout that receives the torsion bar.  
     
     
         7 . The support of  claim 6 , wherein the pair of pivot plates include extensions that extend along a shorter side of the torsion bar with a longer side of the torsion bar received in the cutout.  
     
     
         8 . A system, comprising:  
       a support for a sailboat, including:  
       a support frame;  
       a platform coupled to the support frame;  
       a torsion link coupled to the platform;  
       a pair of lift bars coupled to the torsion link;  
       a torsion bar coupled between the pair of lift bars;  
       a locking arm coupled to at least one of the support frame, the torsion link, the pair of lift bars, and the torsion bar, wherein the locking arm is configured to lock the support in an engaged position; and  
       a hull bunk coupled to the pair of lift bars.  
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the torsion link is a first torsion link, the support further comprising:  
       a second torsion link coupled to the platform on an opposite side of the platform from the first torsion link.  
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the torsion bar includes a front end positioned further from a center of the support frame than a rear end of the torsion bar, or  
       wherein the torsion bar is positioned at outermost ends of the pair of lift bars.  
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the torsion link is coupled to outer ends of the pair of lift bars.  
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the support further comprises:  
       a pair of spaced apart pivot plates coupled to the support frame and the torsion link with the torsion link positioned between the pair of spaced apart pivot plates.  
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the pair of spaced apart pivot plates have a cutout that receives the torsion bar. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the torsion bar has a shorter side and a longer side, and the torsion link is configured to act on the shorter side of the torsion bar to raise the pair of lift bars in response to downward movement of the platform.  
     
     
         15 . A support for a sailboat, comprising:  
       a support frame including a movable platform;  
       a load distribution assembly coupled to the movable platform including:  
       a torsion link coupled to the movable platform; 
       a lift bar rotatably coupled to the torsion link; and 
       a hull bunk coupled to the lift bar,  
       wherein the load distribution assembly is configured to distribute a majority of a load of the sailboat to the support frame and a minority of the load of the sailboat to the hull bunk.  
     
     
         16 . The support of  claim 15 , wherein the load distribution assembly is configured to distribute 70-75% of the load to the support frame and 25-30% of the load to the hull bunk.  
     
     
         17 . The support of  claim 15 , wherein the load distribution assembly includes a further lift bar rotatably coupled to the torsion link on an opposite side of the support frame and a further hull bunk coupled to the further lift bar,  
       wherein the load distribution assembly is configured to distribute an equal part of the minority of the load to each of the hull bunk and the further hull bunk.  
     
     
         18 . The support of  claim 15 , wherein the load distribution assembly is configured to distribute the majority and the minority of the load in response to a downward movement of the movable platform.  
     
     
         19 . The support of  claim 15 , wherein the support frame includes a forward frame, a rear frame, a side rail coupled between the forward frame and the rear frame, and a diagonal brace coupled between the forward frame and the rear frame.  
     
     
         20 . The support of  claim 15 , wherein the torsion link is rotatably coupled to an outer end of the lift bar or the torsion link is rotatably coupled to a torsion bar coupled to the lift bar.