Tow attachment, tow pylon assembly and watercraft having same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12351276-B2
Application number	US-202217585090-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 26, 2022
Priority date	Jan 28, 2021
Publication date	Jul 8, 2025
Grant date	Jul 8, 2025

Abstract

A tow attachment for a watercraft is disclosed. The tow attachment is configured to attach a tow rope to the watercraft, and has a first part and a second part that is connected to the first part by a connecting portion. The first part is configured for rigid connection to the watercraft, and the second part is configured to attach to the tow rope. The second part disconnects from the first part about the connecting portion in response to the tow rope applying a load above a predetermined load to the second part. A tow pylon assembly having a tow pylon and the tow attachment connected to the tow pylon is also disclosed. A watercraft with the tow attachment and a watercraft with the tow pylon assembly are also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tow attachment for a watercraft, the tow attachment being configured to attach a tow rope to the watercraft, the tow attachment comprising:
a first part being configured for rigid connection to the watercraft; and
a second part connected to the first part by a connecting portion,
the second part being configured to attach to the tow rope, and
the second part disconnects from the first part about the connecting portion in response to the tow rope applying a load above a predetermined load to the second part.

2. The tow attachment of claim 1 , wherein the connecting portion defines a mechanical sacrificial part such that the second part breaks away from the first part about the connecting portion in response to the tow rope applying the load above the predetermined load to the second part.

3. The tow attachment of claim 2 , wherein the connecting portion has a lower breaking strength than the first and second parts.

4. The tow attachment of claim 1 , wherein the first part, the second part and the connecting portion are integral.

5. The tow attachment of claim 1 , wherein the second part is a bollard.

6. The tow attachment of claim 1 , wherein:
the first part, the second part, and the connecting portion each have a circular perimeter; and
a minimum diameter of the connecting portion is smaller than minimum diameters of the first and second parts.

7. The tow attachment of claim 1 , wherein a minimum wall thickness of the connecting portion is smaller than minimum wall thicknesses of the first and second parts.

8. The tow attachment of claim 7 , wherein:
the first part, the second part, and the connecting portion each have annular cross-sections; and
the minimum wall thickness of the connecting portion corresponds to a smallest thickness of the annular cross-section of the connecting portion;
the minimum wall thickness of the first part corresponds to a smallest thickness of the annular cross-section of the first part; and
the minimum wall thickness of the second part corresponds to a smallest thickness of the annular cross-section of the second part.

9. The tow attachment of claim 1 , further comprising a retaining member having a connecting portion connected to the second part, and a retaining portion; and
wherein in response to the second part disconnecting from the first part, the retaining portion engages the tow attachment for limiting movement of the second part relative to the first part.

10. The tow attachment of claim 9 , further comprising a stopping member disposed at a bottom of the first part, the stopping member defining an aperture, the aperture receiving the connecting portion of the retaining member; and
wherein, in response to the second part disconnecting from the first part, the retaining portion engages the stopping member for limiting movement of the second part relative to the first part.

11. A watercraft comprising:
a hull;
a deck disposed on the hull, and
the tow attachment of claim 1 connected to at least one of the hull and the deck.

12. The watercraft of claim 11 , further comprising a tow pylon connected to the at least one of the hull and the deck; and
the first part of the tow attachment is rigidly connected to the tow pylon.

13. The watercraft of claim 12 , further comprising a bracket connected to the at least one of the hull and the deck; and
wherein the tow pylon is connected to the bracket.

14. The watercraft of claim 13 , wherein the tow pylon is removably connected to the bracket, and the tow pylon has a lock that selectively locks the tow pylon to the bracket.

15. A tow pylon assembly for a watercraft comprising:
a tow pylon; and
a tow attachment connected to the tow pylon, the tow attachment being configured to attach a tow rope to the watercraft, and the tow attachment including:
a first part being configured for rigid connection to the tow pylon; and
a second part connected to the first part by a connecting portion, the second part being configured to attach to the tow rope, and
the second part disconnects from the first part about the connecting portion in response to the tow rope applying a load above a predetermined load to the second part.

16. The tow pylon assembly of claim 15 , wherein the connecting portion defines a mechanical sacrificial part such that the second part breaks away from the first part about the connecting portion in response to the tow rope applying the load above the predetermined load to the second part.

17. The tow pylon assembly of claim 16 , wherein the connecting portion has a lower breaking strength than the first part, the second part and the tow pylon.

18. The tow pylon assembly of claim 15 , further including a bracket configured to be connected to at least one of a hull and a deck of the watercraft; and
wherein the tow pylon is connected to the bracket.

19. A watercraft comprising:
a hull;
a deck disposed on the hull, and
the tow pylon assembly of claim 15 connected to at least one of the hull and the deck.

20. The tow attachment of claim 1 , wherein the load causes a shearing effect between the first part and the second part.

21. The tow pylon assembly of claim 15 , wherein the load causes a shearing effect between the first part and the second part.

22. The tow attachment of claim 1 , wherein the first part is spaced from the second part, and the connecting portion is disposed between the first part and the second part.

Assignees

• Bombardier Recreational Products Inc

Inventors

• L'Heureux Marc-Andre
• Meskine Abdelkarim
• Bouchard Alexandre

Classifications

• B63B21/04

  Fastening or guiding equipment for chains, ropes, hawsers, or the like {(means for fastening cables or ropes in general F16G11/00)} · CPC title

• B63B21/20

  Adaptations of chains, ropes, hawsers, or the like, or of parts thereof · CPC title

• B63B2021/566

  comprising running ropes or chains, e.g. endless, driven by ground-borne equipment · CPC title

• B63B34/67

  Connection means on the towing watercraft, e.g. pylons, side poles or winches · CPC title

• B63B21/56 Primary

  Towing or pushing equipment (tugs B63B35/66; towing arrangements for water sports use B63B34/60) · CPC title