Water sport training device

Abstract

A water sport training device is disclosed comprising, in one embodiment, a raft having a distal nose portion and a proximal rear portion. The rear portion provides a pair of substantially spaced apart lateral pontoons and a first web spanning the space therebetween. A relatively rigid platform is positionable within the raft, substantially adjacent the first web. A buoyant seat portion is positioned substantially on a back half of the device between the pontoons and adjacent the platform. A tow rope attachment means is secured to the raft for selectively towing the device over a body of water. The device is configured such that a back half of the device has a center buoyancy sufficient for providing a stable surface to support the weight of a person while floating on water both at standstill and as being pulled through the water as by a boat.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A water sport training device for supporting the weight of a person floating on water both at standstill and as being pulled through the water as by a boat, the device comprising:
 a raft having a distal nose portion and a proximal rear portion; 
 the rear portion comprising a pair of substantially spaced apart lateral pontoons and a first web spanning the space therebetween, forming an at least one footwell; 
 a relatively rigid platform positioned within the raft, substantially adjacent the first web, and configured for providing a substantially stable surface for the person during use of the device; 
 a buoyant seat portion positioned substantially on a back half of the device between the pontoons and adjacent the platform, the seat portion configured for being in buoyant contact with the water for at least partially contributing to a center buoyancy of the back half of the device, as measured by the weight of the volume of water displaced thereby; 
 an at least one pair of foot bindings engaged with a turntable pivotally mounted to the platform, allowing the foot bindings to selectively pivot simultaneously with one another relative to the platform; and 
 a tow rope attachment means secured to the raft for selectively towing the device over a body of water; 
 whereby the back half of the device is capable of substantially maintaining a center buoyancy of greater than at least twenty percent of the weight of the person when in an appropriate starting position. 
 
     
     
       2. The water sport training device of  claim 1 , wherein the nose portion of the raft defines a nose portion mid-plane substantially midway through a horizontal thickness of the nose portion, and the two rope attachment means comprises an at least one tow rope attachment point located on the nose portion below the nose portion mid-plane. 
     
     
       3. The water sport training device of  claim 1 , wherein the platform is of buoyant construction. 
     
     
       4. The water sport training device of  claim 1 , wherein the entire center buoyancy of the back half of the device is provided by at least one of the rear portion, seat portion, and platform. 
     
     
       5. The water sport training device of  claim 1 , wherein the platform defines a cutout portion sized and configured for allowing the seat portion to float on the water during use of the device. 
     
     
       6. The water sport training device of  claim 1 , further comprising a second web spanning the perimeter of the raft offset from the first web, the first and second webs cooperating to define a platform pocket therebetween for receipt of the platform. 
     
     
       7. The water sport training device of  claim 1 , wherein a first pair of foot bindings is positioned for allowing the person to selectively stand in a forward-facing orientation, and a second pair of foot bindings is positioned for allowing the person to selectively stand in a sideways orientation. 
     
     
       8. The water sport training device of  claim 1 , wherein each of the foot bindings is configured for selectively pivoting relative to the platform, allowing the person to selectively adjust the orientation of said foot bindings. 
     
     
       9. The water sport training device of  claim 1 , wherein each of the pontoons provides a lateral recess along a top surface of the first web, each of the lateral recesses being sized and configured for receiving and sandwiching a corresponding lateral edge of the platform between the corresponding pontoon and the top surface of the first web. 
     
     
       10. The water sport training device of  claim 9 , wherein the nose portion provides a nose recess along the top surface of the first web, the nose recess being sized and configured for receiving and sandwiching a leading edge of the platform between the nose portion and the top surface of the first web. 
     
     
       11. The water sport training device of  claim 9 , wherein the seat portion provides a perimeter recess along the top surface of the first web, the perimeter recess being sized and configured for receiving and sandwiching an interior edge of the platform between the seat portion and the top surface of the first web. 
     
     
       12. The water sport training device of  claim 9 , wherein the seat portion is removably engagable with a top surface of the first web, thereby allowing the seat portion to be selectively removed or attached to the top surface of the first web as needed, depending in part on the type of platform being used. 
     
     
       13. The water sport training device of  claim 9 , wherein the rear portion of the raft further comprises a rear wall extending between the pontoons proximal a rear side of the raft, the rear wall providing a rear recess along the top surface of the first web sized and configured for receiving and sandwiching a rear edge of the platform between the rear wall and the top surface of the first web. 
     
     
       14. The water sport training device of  claim 2 , wherein the tow rope attachment means is a strap assembly comprising:
 an at least one elongate upper strap portion, engaged proximally with the nose portion of the raft and distally with an at least one elongate lower strap portion, the lower strap portion engaged proximally with the nose portion below the nose portion mid-plane, 
 whereby, during use of the device, the direction of pull force applied to the strap assembly is substantially parallel with and below the nose portion mid-plane. 
 
     
     
       15. The water sport training device of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one lower strap portion is at least twice as long as the at least one upper strap portion. 
     
     
       16. A water sport training device for supporting the weight of a person floating on water both at standstill and as being pulled through the water as by a boat, the device comprising:
 an inflatable raft having a distal nose portion and a proximal rear portion; 
 the rear portion comprising a pair of substantially spaced apart lateral pontoons and a first web spanning the space therebetween; 
 a relatively rigid platform removably positionable within the raft, substantially adjacent a top surface of the first web, and configured for providing a substantially stable surface for the person during use of the device; 
 a buoyant seat portion removably engagable with the top surface of the first web, substantially on a back half of the device between the pontoons and adjacent the platform; and 
 the seat portion providing a perimeter recess along the top surface of the first web when the seat portion is engaged with the first web, the perimeter recess sized and configured for receiving and sandwiching an interior edge of the platform between the seat portion and the top surface of the first web; 
 whereby, the raft, in combination with the selectively engagable seat portion, is capable of removably receiving a number of different types of platforms of varying shapes and sizes during use of the device. 
 
     
     
       17. A water sport training device for supporting the weight of a person floating on water both at standstill and as being pulled through the water as by a boat, the device comprising:
 a raft having a distal nose portion and a proximal rear portion; 
 the rear portion comprising:
 a pair of buoyant, substantially spaced apart lateral pontoons and a first web spanning the space therebetween; 
 a buoyant seat portion positioned substantially between the pontoons adjacent the first web, the seat portion configured for being in buoyant contact with the water, the seat portion having an upper surface that is elevated relative to a respective upper surface of each of the pontoons; and 
 a buoyant, relatively rigid platform for providing a substantially stable surface on which the person may stand during use of the device, the platform having a non-continuous, substantially planar shape and being positionable adjacent the first web, substantially spanning the space between the seat portion and each of the pontoons; and 
 a handle coupled to the water sport training device by at least one handle rope and configured to be grasped by a user, the handle configured to adjust to the height of the user as the user stands, the handle rope stemming from the nose portion of the raft; 
 
 a tow rope attachment means secured to the raft for selectively towing the device over a body of water; 
 whereby, with the pontoons, platform and seat portion each in buoyant contact with the water, the rear portion is capable of substantially maintaining a center buoyancy, as measured by the weight of the volume of water displaced thereby, of greater than at least twenty percent of the weight of the person when in an appropriate starting position. 
 
     
     
       18. A water sport training device for supporting the weight of a person floating on water both at standstill and as being pulled through the water as by a boat, the device comprising:
 a raft having a distal nose portion and a proximal rear portion; 
 the rear portion comprising a pair of substantially spaced apart lateral pontoons and a first web spanning the space therebetween; 
 a relatively rigid platform positioned within the raft, substantially adjacent the first web, and configured for providing a substantially stable surface for the person during use of the device; 
 a buoyant seat portion positioned substantially on a back half of the device between the pontoons and adjacent the platform, the seat portion configured for being in buoyant contact with the water for at least partially contributing to a center buoyancy of the back half of the device, as measured by the weight of the volume of water displaced thereby; 
 a first pair of foot bindings positioned substantially adjacent the platform for allowing the person to selectively stand in a forward-facing orientation during use of the device; 
 a second pair of foot bindings positioned substantially adjacent the platform for allowing the person to selectively stand in a sideways orientation during use of the device; 
 a handle coupled to the water sport training device by at least one handle rope and configured to be grasped by a user, the handle configured to adjust to the height of the user as the user stands, the handle rope stemming from the nose portion of the raft; and 
 a tow rope attachment means secured to the raft for selectively towing the device over a body of water; 
 whereby the back half of the device is capable of substantially maintaining a center buoyancy of greater than at least twenty percent of the weight of the person when in an appropriate starting position. 
 
     
     
       19. The water sport training device of claim 18, wherein the first pair of foot bindings is positioned forward of the seat portion. 
     
     
       20. The water sport training device of claim 19, wherein the second pair of foot bindings is positioned forward of the seat portion. 
     
     
       21. A water sport training device, the device comprising:
 a raft having a distal nose portion and a proximal rear portion;   a pair of side portions spaced apart from one another in a lateral direction and extending between the nose portion and the rear portion;   a buoyant seat portion positioned substantially on a back half of the device, the seat portion having an upper surface that is elevated relative to a respective upper surface of each of the side portions;   a handle coupled to the water sport training device by at least one handle rope and configured to be grasped by a user, the handle configured to adjust to the height of the user as the user stands, the handle rope stemming from the nose portion of the raft;   a tow rope attachment means secured to the raft for selectively towing the device over a body of water, the attachment means comprising at least one tow rope attachment point located on the nose portion; and   at least one removably engagable, relatively rigid platform capable of providing a substantially stable surface on which the user can stand during use of the device.   
     
     
       22. The water sport training device of claim 21, further comprising a first web that forms a bottom surface of the raft. 
     
     
       23. The water sport training device of claim 22, further comprising a second web, wherein the first web and the second web cooperate to define a pocket to receive the relatively rigid platform. 
     
     
       24. The water sport training device of claim 23, further comprising a zipper that closes the pocket. 
     
     
       25. The water sport training device of claim 21, wherein the at least one relatively rigid platform comprises first and second elongate members. 
     
     
       26. The water sport training device of claim 21, wherein the at least one relatively rigid platform comprises first and second water skis. 
     
     
       27. The water sport training device of claim 21, further comprising a pair of foot bindings configured to securely receive the user's feet. 
     
     
       28. A water sport training device, the device comprising:
 a raft having a distal nose portion and a proximal rear portion;   a pair of side portions spaced apart from one another in a lateral direction and extending between the nose portion and the rear portion;   a buoyant seat portion positioned substantially on a back half of the device, the seat portion having an upper surface that is elevated relative to a respective upper surface of each of the side portions;   a handle coupled to the water sport training device by at least one handle rope and configured to be grasped by a user, the handle configured to adjust to the height of the user as the user stands, the handle rope stemming from the nose portion of the raft;   a tow rope attachment secured to the raft and configured for attachment to a tow rope for selectively towing the device over a body of water, the attachment means comprising at least one tow rope attachment point located on the nose portion; and   at least one removably engagable, pliable platform capable of providing a substantially stable surface on which the person can stand during use of the device.   
     
     
       29. The water sport training device of claim 28, further comprising a first web that forms a bottom surface of the raft. 
     
     
       30. The water sport training device of claim 29, further comprising a second web, wherein the first web and the second web cooperate to define a pocket to receive the pliable platform. 
     
     
       31. The water sport training device of claim 30, further comprising a zipper that closes the pocket. 
     
     
       32. The water sport training device of claim 28, wherein the at least one pliable platform comprises first and second elongate members. 
     
     
       33. The water sport training device of claim 28, further comprising a pair of foot bindings configured to securely receive the user's feet.