US3807342A

US3807342A - Maneuvering towline system

Info

Publication number: US3807342A
Application number: US00285038A
Authority: US
Inventors: R Turner
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1972-08-30
Filing date: 1972-08-30
Publication date: 1974-04-30
Anticipated expiration: 1991-04-30
Also published as: DE2419475A1

Abstract

A maneuvering towline system for towing a water sled or the like behind a boat. The towline system includes a main towline having front and rear ends for attachment to the boat and sled, respectively, and an auxiliary towline jointed at its front end to the main towline forwardly of the sled. The rear end of the auxiliary towline is held by the sled rider. The rider may slacken the auxiliary towline to cause the towing force on the main towline to be exerted directly on the sled which will then follow behind the towing boat. The rider may also pull rearwardly on the auxiliary towline to effect transfer of the towing force to the rider through the auxiliary towline and thereby permit him to maneuver the sled.

Description

United States Patent [191 Turner 5] Apr. 30, 1974 MANEUVERING TOWLINE SYSTEM [57 1 ABSTRACT [76] Inventor: Richard W. Turner, 1780 Tubbs St., meuveringmglgiyggm f towinygwaflgtgrmslgzg Thousand Oaks Cahf- 91360 wm rm h Q-TQQ ASLQQQQEisI lL flliiEvfigqmioclu 22 Filed: Aug. 30, 1972 t Wigwam; ommandrmanends. fonmmhand sled, respectively, and an auxili- PP 285,038 fi'i'y t owliii joint d ftits front end to the main towline forwardly of the sled. luggg gngwoijtheuauxiliarym. 52 us. Cl 114/235 ws, 97310 B Jiiivlzgl hbxdt zsnslegmridern The rider may [51 Int. Cl B63b 21/00 the auxiliary Owline m the Wing force [58] Field of Search u 9 /3 10 R, 310 A, 310 B on the main towline to be exerted directly on the sled E; a7 then fOllOW behind the towing boat. The rider may also pull rearwardly on the auxiliary towline 56] References Cited tfi effect htransfelr of the1 towing fiorceb to the riser t rou t e aux: 1 tow ine an t ere ermit im UNITED STATES PATENTS to iz the ig y p 3,042,944 7/1962 Basey et al 114/235 WS 2,910,708 ll/l959 Albright 9/310 B Primary ExaminerDuane A. Reger Assistant Examiner-Jesus D. Sotelo V Attorney, Agent, or Fz'rm-Bdniardl. Brown 8 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures MANEUVERING TOWLINE SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates generally to water sleds and the like and more particularly to a novel maneuvering towline system for such sleds.

2. Discussion of the Prior Art A water sled is a sled-like aquatic vehicle which is adapted to support a rider in sitting or standing position and to be towed behind a speed boat. To this end, the sled is attached to the boat by means of a towline. A conventional towline for this purpose is simply a long rope or cable having means at its front and rear ends for connection to the boat and sled, respectively.

Such a conventional towline has the disadvantage that it does not permit maneuvering of the sled by the rider. Thus, the rear end of the towline is attached to the front end or bow of the sled. Accordingly, the towing force in the towline is exerted directly on the sled in such a way that the sled follows the towing boat. The sled cannot be maneuvered by the rider without the aid of a rudder or other steering means which increase the complexity and cost of the sled.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention provides a maneuvering towline system for water sleds and the like which overcomes the above and other disadvantages of a conventional towsuch that a rear length or section of the main towline exists between the auxiliary towline attachment point and the rear end of the main towline attached to the sled. The auxiliary towline has rear grip means to be held by the sled rider and is adapted to be pulled rearwardly or slackened by the rider.

When the rider slackens the auxiliary towline, the towing force in the main towline is exerted directly on the sled through the rear section of the main towline between the auxiliary towline and the sled. The sled is then towed in the same manner as with a conventional towline and simply follows the towing boat. To maneuver the sled, the rider pulls rearwardly on the auxiliary towline to create slack in the rear section of the main towline. This action removes the towing force from the sled directly and transfers the force to the rider through i the auxiliary towline. The rider may then maneuver the sled from side to side by leaning sideways in much the same manner as a water skier.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a water sled being towed with a towline system-according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the sled and towline system;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 illustrating the towline system in its maneuvering mode or condition; and

FIG. 4 illustrates a modified towline system according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring first to FIGS. 1-3, a water sled 10 is connected to a towing boat (not shown) by a maneuvering towline system 12 according to the invention. Water sled 10 is conventional and hence need not be described in elaborate detail. Suffice it to say that the sled has a generally sled-like body or hull 14 which may be molded from plastic or otherwise fabricated. The sled hull has an upturned and rounded front end or bow l6 and a rear deck 18 on which a rider 20 may stand, as shown. Buoyancy means, such as Styrofoam floats, may be attached to the hull to provide the latter with sufficient positive buoyancy in water to support the rider.

T r lin System 'inq u g .IEQiLLIQWIiI QZAand. an

towline has a front end (not shown) for attachment to the towing boat and a rear end 26 for attachment to the bow 16 of the water sled 10. The main towline may be attached to the boat and sled in any convenient way. In the drawings, for example, the rear end 26 of the main towline is secured to a ring 28 attached to the underside of the sled adjacent its box and on the longitudinal center line of the sled.

The front end of the auxiliary towline 24 is attached to the main towline 22 at a point 30 some distance forwardly of the rear end 26 of the main towline. Accordingly, a rear length or section 32 of the main towline exists between the attachment point 30 and the rear towline end 26. Attachment of the auxiliary towline to the main towline may be accomplished in any convenient way. In the drawings, the auxiliary towline is secured to a ring 34 attached to the main towline.

Auxiliary towline 24 has rear grip means 36 to be held by the sled rider 20. In the particular embodiment under discussion, grip means 36 comprise three

crossbar handles

38, 40 and 42 spaced along the auxiliary towline. The ends of the rear cross-bar 42 are connected to the sled 10 by lines 44, whereby the rear handle is movable fore and aft and from side to side.

In use of the sled 10, the rider 20 stands on the sled deck 18 in the position shown and grasps the rear handle 42 of the auxiliary towline 24. This rear handle, being attached to the sled and main towline, provides asupport by which the rider may steady and balance himself on the sled, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In this regard, it will be observed that the rider is pulling back on the handle 42 with sufficient force to create some tension in the auxiliary towline so that he may effectively steady himself. However, the towing force in the main towline 22 is exerted directly on the sled 10 through the rear section 32 of the main towline. Accordingly, the sled will be towed behind and follow the towing boat in much the same manner as with a conventional towline. Under these conditions the rider may effect only very little if any maneuvering control of the sled.

Maneuvering of the sled is accomplished by pulling rearwardly on the auxiliary towline 24 until the rear section 32 of the main towline 22 becomes slack, as shown in FIG. 3. This action removes the direct towing force from the sled and transfers this force to the rider through the auxiliary towline. The rider may then maneuver the sled from side to side by leaning sideways in one direction or the other, in much the same way as a 9 (J VIZ) water skier does to turn right and left. When thus pulling back on the auxiliary towline, the rider grasps the

handles

38, 40 and 42 in succession. Releasing the auxiliary towline again transfers the towing force to the sled.

The modified towline system 12a of FIG. 4 is similar to that of FIGS. 1-3 except that the rear end of the auxiliary towline 24a is attached to the sled 10. The entire rear portion of the auxiliary towline provides grip means by which the rider may grasp the towline to steady himself and pull the towline rearwardly to maneuver the sled. This modified towline system may also be used by a rider in a sitting position on the sled.

What is claimed as new in support of Letters Patent a main towline having front and rear ends to be attache cl to the boat and sled, respectively, for towing the sled behind the boat, ai uxiliary towline having a front end attached to said mam towline at a point forwardly o f its rear end t o pro'vide a main towline section rearwardly of said point and rear grip means to be held by the sled rider, and

anchor line means secured at one end to said grip means and adapted to be secured at the other end to said sled in a manner such that said auxiliary towline, rear towline section, and anchor line means form a triangle when drawn taut, whereby the rider may slacken the auxiliary towline to cause the towing force in said main towline to be exerted directly on said sled through said rear towline section, and the rider may pull rearwardly on said auxiliary towline to slacken said towline section and draw said auxiliary towline and anchor line means taut, thereby to effect transfer of the towing force to the rider through the auxiliary towline and permit maneuvering of the sled by movement of said auxiliary towline anchor line means sidewise of the sled.

2. A towline system according to claim 1 wherein:

said grip means comprises a cross-bar handle secured at its center to the auxiliary towline and said anchor line means comprises anchor lines secured to the ends of said handle.

3. A towline system according to claim 2 wherein:

said grip means further comprises a pair of handles secured to and spaced along the auxiliary towline forwardly of said cross-bar handle and adapted to be grasped successively by the rider as he pulls rearwardly on the auxiliary towline.

4. A towline system according to claim 1 wherein:

said auxiliary towline, anchor line means, and grip means comprise a single continuous line having a rear end for attachment to said sled.

5. In combination:

a water sled,

a maneuvering towline system for towing said sled behind a boat, and

said towline system comprising a main towline having att a chedto the pro w of said sled, an auxiliary towline having a front end attached to 5513 marfiratmfiht a point forwardly of its rear end to provide a main towline section rearwardly of said point and rear grip means to be held by the sled rider, and

anchor line means secured at one end to said grip means and secured at the other end to said sled in a manner such that said auxiliary towline, rear towline section, and anchor line means form a triangle when drawn taut, whereby the rider may slacken the auxiliary towline to cause the towing force in said main towline to be exerted directly on said sled through said rear towline section, and the rider may pull rearwardly on said auxiliary towline to slacken said towline section and draw said auxiliary towline and anchor line means taut, thereby to effect transfer of the towing force to the rider through the auxiliary towline and permit maneuvering of the sled by movement of said auxiliary towline anchor line means sidewise of the sled.

6. The combination according to claim 5 wherein:

7. The combination according to claim 6 wherein:

8. The combination according to claim 6 wherein:

said auxiliary towline, anchor line means, and grip means comprise a single continuous line having a rear end attached to said sled.

Claims

1. A maneuvering towline system for a boat-drawn water or the like, comprising: a main towline having front and rear ends to be attached to the boat and sled, respectively, for towing the sled behind the boat, an auxiliary towline having a front end attached to said main towline at a point forwardly of its rear end to provide a main towline section rearwardly of said point and rear grip means to be held by the sled rider, and anchor line means secured at one end to said grip means and adapted to be secured at the other end to said sled in a manner such that said auxiliary towline, rear towline section, and anchor line means form a triangle when drawn taut, whereby the rider may slacken the auxiliary towline to cause the towing force in said main towline to be exerted directly on said sled through said rear towline section, and the rider may pull rearwardly on said auxiliary towline to slacken said towline section and draw said auxiliary towline and anchor line means taut, thereby to effect transfer of the towing force to the rider through the auxiliary towline and permit maneuvering of the sled by movement of said auxiliary towline anchor line means sidewise of the sled.

2. A towline system according to claim 1 wherein: said grip means comprises a cross-bar handle secured at its center to the auxiliary towline and said anchor line means comprises anchor lines secured to the ends of said handle.

3. A towline system according to claim 2 wherein: said grip means further comprises a pair of handles secured to and spaced along the auxiliary towline forwardly of said cross-bar handle and adapted to be grasped successively by the rider as he pulls rearwardly on the auxiliary towline.

4. A towline system according to claim 1 wherein: said auxiliary towline, anchor line means, and grip means comprise a single continuous line having a rear end for attachment to said sled.

5. In combination: a water sled, a maneuvering towline system for towing said sled behind a boat, and said towline system comprising a main towline having a front end for attachment to said boat, a rear end attached to the prow of said sled, an auxiliary towline having a front end attached to said main towline at a point forwardly of its rear end to provide a main towline section rearwardly of said point and rear grip means to be held by the sled rider, and anchor line means secured at one end to said grip means and secured at the other end to said sled in a manner such that said auxiliary towline, rear towline section, and anchor line means form a triangle when drawn taut, whereby the rider may slacken the auxiliary towline to cause the towing force in said main towline to be exerted directly on said sled through said rear towline section, and the rider may pull rearwardly on said auxiliary towline to slacken said towline section and draw said auxiliary towline and anchor line means taut, thereby to effect transfer of the towing force to the rider through the auxiliary towline and permit maneuvering of the sled by movement of said auxiliary towline anchor line means sidewise of the sled.

6. The combination according to claim 5 wherein: said grip means comprises a cross-bar handle secured at its center to the auxiliary towline and said anchor line means comprises anchor lines secured to the ends of said handle.

7. The combination according to claim 6 wherein: said grip means further comprises a pair of handles secured to and spaced along the auxiliary towline forwardly of said cross-bar handle and adapted to be grasped successively by the rider as he pulls rearwardly on the auxiliary towline.

8. The combination according to claim 6 wherein: said auxiliary towline, anchor line means, and grip means comprise a single continuous line having a rear end attached to said sled.