Watercraft with Adjustable Tower Assembly

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/789,905, filed Jul. 31, 2024, which claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/516,898, filed Aug. 1, 2023, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/555,237, filed Feb. 19, 2024, which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

This disclosure relates to tower assemblies (e.g., wakeboard towers) for watercraft (e.g., boats) and methods of using the same.

Boat towers are used for a number of purposes where elevation about the boat desk is useful. In watersports (e.g., water skiing, wakeboarding, etc.), a tower can be used to anchor a towline at a high elevation about the boat deck, thereby increasing the user's ability to be lifted higher into the air. Conventional towers further include a sunshade system for protection from the sun, and provide a mounting structure for additional equipment (e.g., navigation equipment, communication equipment, speakers, fishing rods, lighting, etc.).

U.S. Pat. No. 11,046,397 discloses a telescoping tower for a boat that is secured to a hull of a watercraft as an add-on accessory (e.g., a bolt-on design). However, conventional bolt-on telescoping towers are bulky and the entire mechanism is external to the hull, which disrupts aesthetic lines of the boat's design, among other things. For example, with a given tower support size, the outer static structure that the tower support telescopes into must be significantly larger than the tower support itself.

Furthermore, conventional bolt-on towers negatively affect a watercraft's center of gravity and handling since conventional bolt-on towers position all the weight (e.g., actuators, sliding structures, etc.) about the top edge of the hull (e.g., gunnel), which raises the center of gravity.

The disclosure provides, in one aspect, a watercraft including a hull, a roof, a support including a first end coupled to the roof and a second end positioned within the hull, and an actuation assembly coupled to the support. The support is moveable between a first position and a second position in response to activation of the actuation assembly. The support extends into the hull a first distance in the first position and a second distance in the second position. The second distance is larger than the first distance.

In some embodiments, the actuation assembly includes a base coupled to the hull, an extension member movable with respect to the base, and a bracket coupled to the extension member and coupled to the support.

In some embodiments, the support includes a first rail, a second rail, a first side plate positioned between the first rail and the second rail, and a second side plate positioned between the first rail and the second rail.

In some embodiments, a cavity is at least partially formed by the first rail, the second rail, the first side plate, and the second side plate. The actuation assembly is at least partially positioned within the cavity.

In some embodiments, the watercraft further includes a windshield coupled to the hull. The roof abuts the windshield when the support is in the second position.

In some embodiments, the support is movable to a third position between the first position and the second position.

In some embodiments, the support extends through an aperture in a top edge surface of the hull.

In some embodiments, the support extends from the hull at an angle with the support in the first position and the second position.

In some embodiments, the watercraft further includes a brace assembly positioned within the hull and coupled to the support.

In some embodiments, the brace assembly includes a bearing positioned at least partially within a groove formed in the support.

In some embodiments, the brace assembly further includes a block and a bracket, wherein the bearing is coupled to the block; and wherein the block is coupled to and movable with respect to the bracket.

In some embodiments, the block is movable with respect to the bracket along an axis orthogonal to the support.

In some embodiments, the brace assembly further includes an eccentric pin coupled between the block and the bracket, and the block moves along the axis in response to rotation of the eccentric pin.

In some embodiments, the brace assembly is one of a plurality of brace assemblies positioned within the hull and coupled to the support. At least one of the plurality of brace assemblies is positioned along a first edge of the support; and at least one of the plurality of brace assemblies is positioned along a second edge of the support.

In some embodiments, the support is a first support and the watercraft further includes a second support coupled to the roof; and the actuation assembly is a first actuation assembly, and the watercraft further includes a second actuation assembly coupled to the second support.

In some embodiments, the watercraft further includes a user interface configured to receive a user input; and wherein the position of the roof with respect to the hull is adjusted in response to receiving the user input.

The disclosure provides, in one aspect, a watercraft including a hull, a windshield coupled to the hull, a roof, a support coupled to the roof, and an actuation assembly coupled to the support. The support is moveable between a first position and a second position in response to activation of the actuation assembly. The roof abuts the windshield when the support is in the second position such that a cabin is at least partially defined by the roof and the windshield.

In some embodiments, the support includes an end positioned within the hull, and wherein the support extends into the hull a first distance in the first position and a second distance in the second position. The second distance is larger than the first distance.

The disclosure provides, in one aspect, a tower assembly including a roof, a support including a first end coupled to the roof and a second end opposite the first end, and an actuation assembly coupled to the support and positioned at least partially within the support. The actuation assembly extends from the second end of the support.

In some embodiments, the second end defines an aperture and the actuation assembly extends through the aperture.

The disclosure provides, in one aspect, an assembly including, a block including a base and an arm, the base and the arm at least partially define a receiving area, an eccentric pin positioned within the receiving area, and a bearing coupled to the base of the block.

In some embodiments, the bearing position is adjustable in at least 3 degrees of freedom.

In some embodiments, the bearing position is adjustable in at least 4 degrees of freedom.

In some embodiments, an end of the arm is releasably clamped to the base by a fastener.

In some embodiments, the eccentric pin is rotatable within the receiving area when the arm is unclamped from the base.

In some embodiments, the base includes a planar surface that abuts the bearing.

In some embodiments, the base includes a boss extending from the planar surface, and wherein the bearing is rotatable about the boss.

In some embodiments, a fastener couples the bearing to the boss.

In some embodiments, the eccentric pin includes a barrel portion that abuts the arm and the base.

In some embodiments, the arm is adjustably positioned along the barrel portion.

In some embodiments, the eccentric pin further includes a cylinder portion extending from an end of the barrel portion, and the cylinder axis of the cylinder portion is spaced from a central axis of the barrel portion.

In some embodiments, the eccentric pin includes a hex portion extending from the cylinder portion.

In some embodiments, the hex portion includes a detent.

In some embodiments, the assembly further includes a bracket having an aperture, the cylinder portion is at least partially positioned within the aperture.

In some embodiments, a first end of the eccentric pin is supported by the bracket, and a second end of the eccentric pin is supported by a hull panel.

In some embodiments, the assembly further includes a fastener positioned between the eccentric pin and the hull panel.

In some embodiments, the bracket is secured to the hull panel with a bracket fastener. In some embodiments, the bearing includes an arcuate surface.

In some embodiments, the arcuate surface is cylindrical.

In some embodiments, the assembly further includes a support including a groove, the bearing is at least partially positioned within the groove.

The disclosure provides, in one aspect, a support including, an extrusion including, a first rail, a second rail, a first side plate positioned between the first rail and the second rail, and a second side plate positioned between the first rail and the second rail, a cavity is at least partially formed by the first rail, the second rail, the first side plate, and the second side plate, a first mounting flange extending into the cavity from the first rail, and a second mounting flange extending into the cavity from the second rail.

In some embodiments, the extrusion includes a first thickness at the first side plate and a second thickness at a transition between the first side plate and the first rail, the second thickness is larger than the first thickness.

In some embodiments, the support is symmetrical about an axis, the axis is orthogonal to the first side plate and the second side plate.

In some embodiments, the support further includes an access aperture formed in the first side plate, and a cover positioned at least partially within the access aperture.

In some embodiments, the support further includes an actuator aperture formed in at least the first side plate, and a cover positioned at least partially within the actuator aperture.

In some embodiments, the cover includes an expanded region that extends from the first side plate.