Claims
- 1. A small watercraft portage and carrying device for substantially easing transport of small noninflatable watercraft and capable of mounting upon a external frame backpack frame having a left and right vertical tube, when said frame is used by a backpacker user, comprising:
- a portage platform having a top side, a bottom side, a front edge, a rear edge, a left edge and a right edge, said front edge having a frontmost arcuate form,
- said right edge and said left edge of sufficient length to separate said front edge and said rear edge, thereby allowing said top side to contain sufficient area to form a bearing surface onto which said watercraft may be placed; and
- means for rotatably attaching said bottom side of said portage platform to said left and right vertical tube of said external frame backpack whereby said portage platform frontmost arcuate form is substantially near, yet not above, a head of said backpacker user head, whereby said right edge is on the right of said backpacker user's head and said left edge is on the left side of said backpacker user's head and said frontmost arcuate form of said front edge of said portage platform is proximately located near a rear portion of said backpacker user's head, and said top side is at or below the top of said backpacker user's head; and
- said frontmost arcuate form of said portage platform shaped to substantially avoid contact with said backpacker user's head; and
- said means for rotatably attaching said portage platform enabling canting movement of said portage platform in a forward and rearward direction of travel of a said backpacker user.
- 2. A small watercraft portage and carrying device as defined in claim 1 further comprising:
- a platform non-slip surface mounted onto said top side of said portage platform; and
- a rearmost lip mounted proximately near said rear edge of said platform and substantially perpendicular with said bearing surface of said platform.
- 3. A small watercraft portage and carrying device as defined in claim 1, said means for rotatably attaching said bottom side of said portage platform to a backpack frame comprising:
- one or more first bottomside slots, one or more second bottomside slots, one or more adjustable braces having a first end and a second end which are each moveable relative to the other, and a means for attaching said one or more adjustable braces to said vertical tubes of said external frame backpack;
- said left and right vertical tubes rotatably mounted within said one or more first bottomside slots; and
- said first end of said one or more adjustable braces rotatably mounted within said one or more second bottomside slots; and
- said second end of said one or more adjustable braces rotatably mounted within said means for attaching said one or more adjustable braces; and
- said means for attaching said one or more adjustable braces to said vertical tubes mounted onto said vertical tubes;
- whereby said relative movement of said first end of said adjustable brace relative to said second end of said adjustable brace provides for canting of said portage platform in the direction of travel of said user.
- 4. A small watercraft portage and carrying device as defined in claim 3, said means for attaching said one or more adjustable braces to said vertical tubes of said external frame backpack comprising:
- one or more brace clevis supports constrictingly attached to said vertical tubes;
- said brace clevis support comprising a substantially U-shape member; and
- one or more brace clevis support screws through said substantially U-shaped member; and
- a hole in said second end of said adjustable brace whereby said brace clevis support screw may rotatably hold said second end of said adjustable brace and constrict said substantially U-shaped member in order to provide the constriction necessary to constrictingly attach said substantially U-shaped member to said vertical tube.
- 5. A small watercraft portage and carrying device as defined in claim 4, said adjustable brace comprising:
- a first brace member of tubular shape, a second brace member of tubular shape and a brace clamp;
- said first brace member of sufficient size to slide inside of said tubular shape of said second brace member to form an overlapping portion; and
- said brace clamp mounted onto said overlapping portion of said brace members whereby said second brace member is constrictingly held onto said first brace member with the constricting action of said brace clamp.
- 6. A small watercraft portage and carrying device as defined in claim 1, said means for rotatably attaching said bottom side of said portage platform to a to a left and right vertical tube of said external frame backpack comprising:
- an internal tube mounted from said left edge to said right edge of said portage platform,
- at least one platform cutout interdisposed from said top side to said bottom side of said portage platform whereby a section of said internal tube is completely exposed,
- one or more tube clamps mounted onto said internal tube through said platform cutout,
- a fastening means for rigidly attaching said tube clamp to said backpack frame.
- 7. A small watercraft portage and carrying device as defined in claim 6, said fastening means for rigidly attaching said tube clamp to said backpack frame comprising:
- one or more tube inserts first inserted into one or more vertical tubes of said backpack frame,
- one or more closure caps mounted onto said one or more vertical tubes,
- one or more threaded studs threadedly engaging said one or more tube inserts and said one or more closure caps, thereby securing said threaded studs to said one or more vertical tubes,
- said one or more tube clamps mounted onto said threaded studs.
- 8. A small watercraft portage and carrying device as defined in claim 1 said portage platform further comprising:
- one or more foam collar assemblies; and
- an adjustable mounting means for said foam collar assemblies on said top side of said portage platform; and
- said foam collar assemblies having a topmost non-slip pad whereby the cockpit coaming of a kayak may be frictionally held when said foam collar assemblies are adjusted to match the width of the kayak coaming.
- 9. A small watercraft portage and carrying device as defined in claim 8 said adjustable mounting means comprising:
- one or more platform slots from said top side to said bottom side of said platform; and
- one or more assembly attaching bolts through said foam collar assembly and said platform slot, whereby said one or more foam collar assemblies are moveable until said assembly attaching bolts are tightened.
- 10. A method for a backpacker user to carry a canoe, kayak, or small boat with a external frame backpack frame having a left and right vertical tube comprising:
- rotatably attaching a portage platform proximately near a topmost portion of an external frame backpack frame but below the topmost portion of a head of said backpacker user head and onto said backpack frame such that said portage platform does not appreciably interfere with said backpacker user's head,
- said portage platform having a top side, a bottom side, a front edge, a rear edge, a left edge and a right edge and sufficient surface area to form a bearing surface with said canoe, kayak, or small boat; and
- forming a substantially arcuate form on said front edge; and
- mounting a rearmost lip near said rear edge; and
- mounting said external frame backpack onto said backpacker user; and
- placing the canoe, kayak, or small boat onto said portage platform; and
- holding said canoe, kayak, or small boat, to provide proper balance and allow adequate field of vision for said backpacker user; and
- said backpack user walking.
- 11. The method as defined in claim 10, said method for rotatably attaching a portage platform further comprising:
- providing an internal tube mounted from said left edge to said right edge of said portage platform,
- providing at least one platform cutout interdisposed from said top side to said bottom side of said portage platform whereby a section of said internal tube is completely exposed,
- providing one or more tube clamps mounted onto said internal tube through said one or more platform cutouts,
- providing a fastening means for rigidly attaching said one or more tube clamps to said backpack frame.
- 12. The method as defined in claim 10, the method for rotatably attaching a portage platform further comprising:
- forming one or more first bottomside slots and one or more second bottomside slots into the bottom side of said platform; and
- attaching rotatably one or more adjustable braces having a first end and a second end, said ends are each moveable relative to the other, between said second bottomside slots and said external frame backpack; and
- mounting said topmost portion of said external frame backpack rotatably within said first bottomside slots, whereby said adjustable brace allows said portage platform to cant relative to the direction of movement of said user.
- 13. The method as defined in claim 10, the further method of providing for the transport of a kayak comprising:
- forming one or more foam collar assemblies having a topmost non-slip pad; and
- adjustably mounting said foam collar assemblies on said top side of said portage platform; and
- adjusting said foam collar assemblies to fit a cockpit coaming of said kayak whereby the cockpit coaming of said kayak may be frictionally held.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 08/626,371, filed Apr. 2, 1996, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (8)
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
626371 |
Apr 1996 |
|