For anyone who has driven a boat, it is apparent that docking the boat is the most difficult aspect. Because of weather conditions, steering limitations, and the configuration of the boat, positioning a boat between the pilings of a boat slip takes much practice and skill.
The present invention relates generally to a boat docking challenge device which can be used to measure the efficiency in docking power or sailboats. The device is suitable for use with full size boats to assist the user in learning to dock a boat into a boat slip or may be used as an amusement device in which a player docks a model boat. The device quantitatively assesses through an electronic timing and scoring system the boating skills of an individual participant or between multiple participants and can be used as an amusement, a contest, test for certification, demonstration, or trial.
Boat amusement and training devices are well known in the patented prior art as evidenced by U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,564,984, 4,107,854, 3,862,358, 3,930,450, 5,947,788, 6,629,501, and 6,750,815. The main drawback with conventional docking challenges of the prior art are that they do not allow for the remote operation of a scaled model power or sailboat in a docking maneuver as amusement, a contest, a test for certification, a demonstration, or a trial to quantitatively assess through an electronic time and scoring system, the boating skills of an individual participant or between multiple participants. Another drawback with conventional docking challenges is that the products do not provide a true docking experience, docking skills test, or docking competition. Moreover, docking challenges of the prior art are not scaleable in that they can not be used for the remote operation a scaled model or full size power or sailboat in a docking maneuver to quantitatively assess boating skills of a participant or between multiple participants.
The present invention was developed in order to overcome these and other drawbacks of the prior art devices by providing a device for use as a scaleable system that will quantitatively assess through an electronic timing and scoring system the boating skills of an individual participant or between multiple participants and can be used as an amusement, a contest, test for certification, demonstration, or trial.
The present invention relates to a boat amusement docking device. In a preferred configuration, the device includes a tank containing water and a dock including at least a pair of pilings defining a boat slip. The device further includes a model boat which contains at least one motor for displacing the boat on the water surface and a remote control device for controlling the operation of the boat motor so that the boat may be steered across the water and docked in the boat slip. Sensors such as photocells are provided at fixed positions on the tank to detect the passage of the boat and a timer is connected with the sensors to measure a time interval which relates to passage of the boat.
A first pair of sensors are preferably arranged on opposite sides of the tank to define a starting line for the boat and a second pair of sensors are arranged on opposite sides of the boat slip to detect when the boat is positioned in the slip. Accordingly, a user of the device operates the remote control device to steer the boat past the starting line. The first sensors generate a first signal to activate the timer to begin timing the boat docking period. When the boat is positioned in the boat slip under control of the user via the remote control device, the second sensors generate a second signal to deactivate the timer to end the boat docking period. A display is connected with the timer to indicate the timed period. In a preferred embodiment, contact sensors are provided on the pilings to detect contact of the boat during the docking operation. Upon contact by the boat, the contact sensors send signals for each contact to the timer. The contact signals are processed by the timer to adjust the timed period so that the user is penalized for contacting the pilings during the docking operation.
The remote control device includes a throttle, a potentiometer which produces a signal corresponding to the position of the throttle, and a transmitter to transmit the signal to the boat motor. The signal directs the motor to operate in forward or rearward directions and also controls the motor speed. The boat is preferably provided with a pair of remotely controlled motors each controlled by separate throttles so that the steering of the boat is enhanced.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification when viewed in the light of the accompanying drawing, in which:
The preferred embodiment of the boat docking amusement device according to the invention will first be described with reference to
Connected with the frame is a scaled dock 8 arranged to extend into the water as shown in
The operation of the boat will be described with reference to
Also connected with the frame are a first pair of sensors 36 on opposite sides of the frame as shown in
In order to measure the skill of the operator, a timing mechanism 40 is provided for the device. As shown in
According to another feature of the invention, detectors 48 are mounted on the pilings 10 or along the finger piers 12 to detect bumping or contact of the pilings or piers by the boat during a timing cycle. The detectors produce contact signals each time they detect contact by the boat. The contact signals are delivered to the timing device and the user's time is adjusted in accordance with the number of contacts by the boat. Thus, the time or score of a less proficient user of the device will be adjusted to penalize the user for each time that the boat contacts the dock or piling. Suitable detectors are vibrations sensors or accelerometers. In addition to detecting the number of contacts, the detectors may also detect the severity of the contact and adjust the user's time accordingly.
By way of example, the timing device includes a data condition and computer acquisition system for receiving the signals from the sensors and detectors. The signals are processed through custom penalty software to correlate the number and severity of impacts between the boat and the dock or piling into penalty time points. The penalty time points are added to the elapsed docking time to derive a final score.
In addition, the length and the beam of the boat can be entered into the timing device. This factor adjusts for different sized boats being docked into a standard size boat slip.
While the invention has been described in connection with an amusement device using model boats, it can easily be adapted for use in real size situations. That is, the tank can be eliminated and the first sensors mounted on piles or floats adjacent to a marina. The second sensors are mounted adjacent to an actual boat slip at the marina with detectors mounted on the pilings and/or piers adjacent to the slip. A full size boat is maneuvered by the boat operator past the starting line defined by the first sensors and then into the slip. The sensors and detectors are send signals to a timing device which calculates the score or time for an actual docking maneuver in the same manner as described above in connection with the amusement device. The system can thus be used as a training aid for operators of boats, particularly twin engine large vessels such as cabin cruisers and the like that are more difficult to dock. The difficulties arise because of a number of factors including the beam and weight of the boat, the width and depth of the boat slip, and the wind conditions.
While the present invention has been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without deviating from the inventive concepts set forth above.
This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/673,694 filed on Apr. 21, 2005.
Number | Date | Country | |
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60673694 | Apr 2005 | US |