Canoe caddy

Abstract

A canoe caddy having a frame adapted to support one end of a canoe or boat thereon, front ground-engaging wheels, and rear ground-engaging wheels. The frame is held straight over the top of the wheels in a first position which is useful for attaching one end of a canoe in an inverted position thereon, for moving such canoe near a vehicle, and for loading such canoe onto or off from a car top carrier or the like. Once the canoe and caddy are loaded onto such car top carrier, then the caddy can be loaded to a more compact position. The caddy is also useful in a third position whereby the frame is rotated over the front wheels thereof for receiving a canoe in an upright position on one end thereof for permitting one person to easily transport the canoe to the water's edge for launching such canoe into the water using such caddy.

I claim: 
     
       1. A canoe caddy comprising: a frame adapted to support one end of a canoe thereon,   front ground-engaging wheel means,   front arm means for pivotally attaching said front ground-engaging wheel means to a front portion of said frame, said front ground-engaging wheel means being rotatably disposed along a first horizontal axis adjacent a bottom portion of said arm means;   rear ground-engaging wheel means,   rear arm means for pivotally attaching said rear ground-engaging wheel means to a rear portion of said frame, said rear ground-engaging wheel means being rotatably disposed along a second horizontal axis parallel to said first horizontal axis;   first positioning means for selectively securing said front and rear arm means in a substantially vertical position for holding said frame .Iadd.in a full-height, substantially level position .Iaddend.directly over said first and second wheel means thereby permitting a canoe while in an inverted position, to be strapped onto said frame and easily loaded onto a carrier rack disposed on top of a vehicle;   second positioning means for selectively securing said front and rear arm means in a folded position wherein said front and rear ground-engaging wheel means are folded upwardly and inwardly towards each other to form a compact unit for travel while said frame is strapped to the canoe in said inverted position and the canoe is mounted on a vehicle top carrier rack; and   third positioning means for selectively holding said frame in a lowered, inclined position .Iadd.with said arm means pivoted from their vertical positions .Iaddend.wherein said frame is secured substantially over said front wheel means and said rear wheel means is secured outwardly of said frame, whereby one end of the canoe, while in an upright position, can be supported on said frame and the other end of the canoe can be picked up for wheeling the canoe into the water.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus of claim 1 including means for holding said one end of the canoe onto said frame. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of claim 1 including means attached to the top of said frame for guiding a canoe in an upright position thereof onto said frame. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said frame and said front and rear arm means are constructed of stiff plastic pipes for withstanding wet conditions without deteriorating. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said front wheel means includes a front axle and said rear wheel means includes a rear axle. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said first positioning means includes a strut for selectively holding said front and rear axles apart by a predetermined distance, a second strut member disposed between an intermediate portion of the frame and a said rear axle, and a third strut member disposed between an intermediate portion of the frame and said front axle. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said second positioning means comprises means for selectively holding said front and rear axles together in close proximity to each other in said folded upwardly and inwardly positions. .Iadd. 
     
     
       8.  A canoe caddy comprising: a frame adapted to support a canoe thereon;   front ground-engaging wheel means;   front arm means pivotally attaching said front ground-engaging wheel means to a front portion of said frame, said front ground-engaging wheel means being rotatably disposed along a first horizontal axis adjacent a bottom portion of said arm means;   rear ground-engaging wheel means;   rear arm means pivotally attaching said rear ground-engaging wheel means to a rear portion of said frame, said rear ground-engaging wheel means being rotatably disposed along a second horizontal axis parallel to said first horizontal axis;   first positioning means for selectively securing said front and rear arm means in a substantially vertical position for holding said frame in a full-height, substantially level position directly over said first and second wheel means thereby permitting a canoe while in an inverted position, to be strapped onto said frame and easily loaded onto a carrier rack disposed on top of a vehicle; and   second positioning means for selectively holding said frame in a lowered, inclined position with said arm means pivoted from their vertical positions wherein said frame is secured substantially over said front wheel means and said rear wheel means is secured outwardly of said frame, whereby the canoe, while in an upright position, can be supported and the canoe can be wheeled into the water. .Iaddend. .Iadd.   
     
     
       9.  A canoe caddy as defined in claim 8 and further comprising: third positioning means for selectively securing said front arm means in a folded position wherein said front ground-engaging wheel means are folded upwardly and inwardly towards the frame to form a compact unit for travel while said frame is strapped to the canoe in an inverted position and the canoe is mounted on a vehicle top carrier rack. .Iaddend. .Iadd.10. A canoe caddy as defined in claim 9 wherein said third positioning means is also for selectively securing said rear arms in a folded position wherein said rear ground-engaging wheels are folded upwardly and inwardly toward the frame to form a compact unit for travel while said frame is strapped to the canoe in an inverted position and the canoe is mounted on a vehicle top carrier rack. .Iaddend. .Iadd.11. A canoe caddy as defined in claim 10 including means for releasably holding said canoe on said frame. .Iaddend.   
     
     
        .Iadd.12.  A canoe caddy as defined in claim 10 including means attached to the top of said frame for guiding a canoe in an upright position thereof onto said frame. .Iaddend. .Iadd.13. A canoe caddy as defined in claim 10 wherein said frame and said front and rear arm means are constructed of stiff plastic pipes for withstanding wet conditions without deteriorating. .Iaddend. .Iadd.14. A canoe caddy as defined in claim 10 wherein said front wheel means includes a front axle and said rear wheel means includes a rear axle. .Iaddend. .Iadd.15. A canoe caddy as defined in claim 14 wherein said first positioning means includes a strut for selectively holding said front and rear axles apart by a predetermined distance, a second strut member disposed between an intermediate portion of the frame and said front axle. .Iaddend. .Iadd.16. A canoe caddy as defined in claim 14 wherein said third positioning means comprises means for selectively holding said front and rear axles together in close proximity to each other in said folded upwardly and inwardly positions. .Iaddend. .Iadd.17. A canoe caddy as defined in claim 8 including means for releasably holding said canoe on said frame. .Iaddend. .Iadd.18. A canoe caddy as defined in claim 8 including means attached to the top of said frame for guiding a canoe in an upright position thereof onto said 
     
     
        frame. .Iaddend. .Iadd.19.  A canoe caddy as defined in claim 8 wherein said frame and said front and rear arm means are constructed of stiff plastic pipes for withstanding wet conditions without deteriorating. .Iaddend. .Iadd.20. A canoe caddy as defined in claim 8 wherein said front wheel means includes a front axle, said rear wheel means includes a rear axle and said first positioning means includes a strut for selectively holding said front and rear axles apart by a predetermined distance, a second strut member disposed between an intermediate portion of the frame and said front axle. .Iaddend.