Sling and board for carrying canoes, small boats and outboard motors

[57] ABSTRACT

This invention relates to shoulder carriers or slings and to a type that is adapted for the transport particularly of canoes, small boats or outboard motors. It involves shoulder straps in the form of loops, connected at both ends, and a board in which the straps are attached and adjustable and said board provided with means to hold a boat, canoe or outboard motor.

Claims, 7 Drawing Figures

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Patented May 2, 1972

3,659,760

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ASE Η T

3,659,760

SLING AND BOARD FOR CARRYING CANOES, SMALL BOATS AND OUTBOARD MOTORS

This invention relates to shoulder carriers or slings and to a type that is adapted to the transport of canoes, boats and out- 5 board motors. The carrying of a canoe or small boat and especially its portage from point to point or from automobile to the surf presents a problem due to the size and unweildy nature of the boat.

This invention further contemplates the provision of a board having a pair of shoulder straps which are adjustable as to their effective length. Said shoulder straps are also board encircling straps or loops which are adjustable in a manner to regulate the effective length of the same and which, when fitted around the board and shoulders, are on opposite sides f the center of gravity of the board enabling the boat to be carried from the shoulder of the user in a balanced condition.

The carrying of a canoe or small boat and especially its portage from point to point or from an automobile to the surf, presents a problem due to the size and unweildy nature of the boat. It is therefore one of the objects of the invention to provide a carrier or sling by means of which the boat can be carried in a balanced, comfortable manner by two users to thereby conveniently transport it to or from its destination.

It is an object of the invention to provide a device of this kind which can be quickly, easily and adjustably fitted to the bow of a canoe for portage by two persons and in which the board can be carried from the shoulders of the users in a convenient manner despite its size and weight, and in which it may be made of materials rendering it sturdy and long lasting.

It is therefore one of the objects of this invention to provide a carrier or sling by means of which the boat can be carried in a balanced comfortable manner by two users to thereby conveniently transport it to or from its destination.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a device of this kind which can be quickly, easily and adjustably fitted to the stern of a small boat for portage by a single person.

Further objects of this invention may be apparent by reference to the accompanying detailed description and the drawings in which

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a shoulder sling and board with a carrying shoe for the bow and stem of a canoe,

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view taken on line 2—2 of FIG 1,

FIG. 3 is a plan view taken on line 3—3 of FIG. 1, ⁴⁵

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a further embodiment, FIG. S is a perspective view of a still further embodiment, FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a still further embodiment, FIG. 7 is a perspective view of another embodiment. ₅₀

The invention contemplates the provision of a board having a pair of shoulder straps which are adjustable as to their effective length. Said shoulder straps are also board-encircling straps or loops which are adjustable in a manner to regulate the effective diameters of the same, and which when fitted 55 around the board are in opposite sides of the center of gravity of the board, enabling the board to be carried from the shoulder of the user in a balanced condition.

Referring to the drawing and particularly FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 there is illustrated a preferred form of this invention in which a 60 pair of carriers are illustrated for the portage of a canoe by two persons. The board 10 includes a pair of shoulder straps 11 for each board 10, each shoulder strap passing through an aperture 12 in the top of the board, and out through a second aperture 14 at the bottom of the board. The pair of straps 65 should encircle the shoulders of the person and be adjustable by means of a buckle to a comfortable carrying position. The board 10 incldes an angle element 15 which is affixed in the middle of the board by means of a bolt 16. Mounted upon the angle 15 is a cut-out quarter section or less 17 of an automo- 70 bile tire. The section 17 is retained on the angle 15 by means of the same bolt 16 at the upper end and by means of a second bolt 18 at the lower end. The head of the bolts are covered with a cushion pad 19 so that when a canoe 20 is mounted upon the carrier the bow and the keel of the canoe will rest 75 within the tire section and upon the cushion pad to prevent marring and will abut against the cushion pad at both the upper and lower end. Two tie ropes 21 are provided — one extending into aperture 22 on one side of the board and the other tie rope extended into aperture 23 on the opposite side of the board, the tie ropes extend under the canoe, one passing to one side, the other passing to the other side as show in FIG. 3 and the ends of the tie ropes 21 are tied to a cross rod 24 of the canoe. In addition, a strap 25 passes through aperture 26 at the top of the board and the strap 25 is provided with a hook 27 at its loose end. The hook 27 may be hooked into or around the edge of the deck 28, as shown in FIG. 1, or may be hooked around cross rod 24 as shown in FIB. 2. The strap 25 being adjustable to retain this position. Although the ropes 21 are shown passing through apertures 22 and 23 at the upper portion of the board, the board is provided with the same apertures 22 and 23 midway down the board and at the lower portion of the board so that the ropes 21 may be positioned in whichever aperture provides the better carrying position.

A further embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 4 in which the same board 10 is utilized and is carried by the same straps 11 (not shown). In this embodiment angle 15 is pivotally supported by bolt 16 in the center of the board and instead of the quarter section of the automobile tire as shown in FIG. 1, a small section 30 of the tire is affixed to the end of the angle 15 and a second section 31 is affixed above the upper end of the angle bracket 15, thus reducing weight and providing the same enclosing grip upon the bow of a canoe as illustrated in FIG. 1.

A still further embodiment of this invention is illustrated in FIG. 5 in which the same board 10 is provided to be carried by the same straps 11 (not shown) and is provided with the same angle bracket 15, mounted by the same bolt 16. In this embodiment V shaped bar brackets 32 are provided. The V shaped bar bracket 32 is mounted at its center by two bolts, one bracket being mounted midway or about midway on board 10, the other bracket being mounted at the outer end of the angle bracket 15. A section of rubber hose 35 is slipped over the protruding ends of the bracket 32 to abut with each other at the base of the bracket thus the bow of a canoe is completely cushioned to prevent marring.

Referring to FIG. 6, there is illustrated a further embodiment of this invention in which the same board 10 is provided and in this embodiment the bracket 15 may be pivotally moved to one side and an outboard motor 40 is slung into a hanging position by tie ropes 21, or if the bracket remains centered the lower portion of the outboard can rest on either side of the bracket, thus the carrier permits carrying an outboard motor in this embodiment.

A further embodiment of this invention is illustrated in FIG. 7 in which the board 10 is provided with the same angle bracket 15 in a narrow slat ISA that is longer than the width of the boat to be carried. Thus a small boat can be mounted with its stem resting on bracket 15, and slat 15A at the upper portion of the board 10, and the rope 21 will thus retain the boat in a solid position. The carrier 10 is slung over the shoulder as shown in FIG. 1 and the boat may be carried short distance as desired.

Although we have shown the shoulder sling for carrying canoes, small boats or outboard motors, the board may vary in size or shape to permit carrying other objects without departing from the spirit of this of this invention.

The invention described in detail in the foregoing specification is subject to changes and modifications without departing from the principal and spirit thereof. The termonology used is for purposes of description and not of limitation; the scope of this invention being defined in the claims.