GB2036654A - Buoyancy device - Google Patents

Abstract

A buoyancy aid 10 for use in a canoe or kayak combines the functions of a conventional life jacket and of a conventional spray deck or cockpit cover, comprising a broad belt-like portion 11 for closely surrounding a wearer's torso and a skirt-like portion 14 extending outwardly from the belt-like portion 14. The skirt like portion 14 has a bouyant chamber 17 and its periphery is adapted, e.g. by being elasticated as at 19, to engage a rim surrounding the cockpit 20 of a canoe or kayak when in normal use. If the user leaves or is displaced from his canoe in water the bouyancy chamber 17 positions itself in front of his chest and assists in supporting him on the surface of the water. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Buoyant device This invention concerns a buoyant device for use with a canoe or kayak (hereinafter referred to as a kayak).

Buoyant devices as hitherto provided for kayak users have generally been in the form of a buoyant jacket or waistcoat to be worn by the user. Naturally, such a device has the disadvantage of interfering with the wearer's freedom of arm movement in paddling his craft. For this reason there is an incentive to omit such an item of equipment, thus reducing the kayak user's safety.

Also known in connection with kayaks, to prevent the craft from taking in water, especially in rough conditions, are so called spray decks or cockpit covers. These generally comprise a skirt-like or annular waterproof fabric arrangement which is elasticated or otherwise adapted at its inner periphery to enable itto befitted relatively tightly around the wearer's torso at about waist level, and is similarly elasticated or otherwise adapted at its outer periphery for fitting to and being retained upon the kayak's cockpit rim. The cockpit cover therefore provides a relatively flexible seal between the kayak and the user sitting in its cockpit, preventing entry of water into the craft, even if it should capsize.Usually, the cockpit cover is adapted for its fitting to the user's torso to be relatively readily released, so that the user can separate himself easily from the kayak itself, if this should be necessary, for instance in emergency. A cockpit cover is virtually essential equipment for a kayak user and is seldom (if ever) dispensed with.

An object of the present invention is to provide a buoyant device, based upon the known cockpit covers, enabling kayak users to make use of a buoyant jacket or waistcoat which is of much lesser bulk or volume than hitherto or to dispense completely with the use of such a jacket or waistcoat.

With this object in view, the present invention provides a buoyant device for use in connection with a kayak, said device comprising a cockpit cover incorporating a buoyant compartment and adapted to be worn about a user's torso with the buoyant compartment disposed in front of him, and to be connected to a kayak cockpit rim so as to be more-readily separable from the cockpit rim than from the user so that, upon the user vacating the kayak, he takes the cover with him as an aid to buoyancy.

Thus, when using the divice of the invention, a user who has to vacate his kayak, either under emergency conditions or otherwise, takes with him the cockpit cover which then assists him to float.

Depending upon the nature and size of the buoyant compartment in the device of the invention, such device may constitute the user's sole buoyancy aid, or may serve as a supplement to a worn life jacket or waistcoat which, of course, can then be of lesser bulk than hitherto has been necessary.

The device preferably comprises a relatively broad belt-like portion which is elastic or elasticated for fitting tightly around the user's torso at or above the region of his waist, and this belt-like portion conveniently has connected thereto braces for extending over the user's shoulders.

Advantageously, the belt-like portion has connected thereto a skirt-like portion, the periphery of which is elliptical or pear-shaped in plan, the buoyant compartment being provided in said skirt.

The buoyant chamber may be an inflatable chamber or may be filled with a light material such as a closed-cell light cellular plastics foam.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a preferred practical embodiment thereof, it being understood that the following description is illustrative and not restrictive of the scope of the invention. In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of buoyancy device of the invention; Figure 2 shows the device being worn; Figure 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the device being worn; Figure 4 is a plan view of a kayak modified for use with the device; and Figure 5 shows the device in use as an aid to buoyancy.

The said preferred practical embodiment of the buoyancy device 10 of the invention is made principally of waterproofed textile fabric and comprises essentially a relatively broad belt-like portion 11, of width for instance, of the order of six inches, a lower edge of which is formed with a tunnel hem 12 within which is accommodated a wide elastic belt 13 (Figure 3) or braid so that when this belt-like portion 11 is worn around a user's torso at or above his waist, it is held tight to the wearer. Braces 30 extend up from the top edge of portion 11.

Extending outwards from the belt-like portion 11 is an integral skirt portion 14which, when considered in plan, is generally of pear-shaped configuration with the belt-like portion 11 connecting therewith near to the wider end thereof. The narrower and longer part 15 of the skirt portion 14 is disposed so as to be in front of the user in wear; thus, assuming the user to be wearing the device 10 and standing, this longer and narrower part 15 of the skirt portion 14would hang down in front of him, rather like an apron, from the belt-like portion 11.

Sealed to the undersurface of the fabric of the skirt portion 14, at the longer and narrower part 15 thereof, is a waterproof fabric panel 16 which forms, on the said longer and narrower part, a buoyant c chamber 17 which accommodates a filling of a closed-cell light weight relatively rigid plastics foam 18, for example of polystyrene, polyurethane or polyethylene.

Around its outer periphery, the skirt portion 14 of the device 10 is formed with a hem to which is secured a respective resiliently extensible band or elastic 19 which is considerably weaker than the belt 13.

The use of the device 10 will readily be appreciated from the foregoing. A user of the device 10 may use it alone as a lifesaving device or may use it in conjunction with a light weight life jacket or waist coat (not shown) (which may then be of a much lighter construction than life jackets traditionally worn by kayak canoeists hitherto) dependant upon the buoyancy available from the buoyant compartment thereof. The manner of applying the device to the user's torso has already been discussed briefly, and as stated the belt-like part 11 is work about and forms an effective seal at the user's waist or above the latter.Upon getting into his kayak, the user arranges the skirt portion 14 so as to extend outwards around him and engages its outer edge over the rim of the cockpit 20, where it is retained, by the respective extensible band or elastic 19, with a force which is substantially less than that holding the device 10 to the user's torso. Accordingly, in the event of the kayak capsizing, or the user requiring to vacate the kayak, his initial movements serve also to free the outer edge of the device 10 from the rim of the kayak's cockpit 20, so that the skirt part 14 hangs down from the belt-like part 11 and does not interfere with his movements.Should vacation of the kayak take place whilst still in the water, (Figure 5) the buoyant compartment thereof will, naturally, tend to float on the water and thus will become raised up to lie in front of the user's chest, thus affording positive buoyance and assisting him in keeping afloat whilst, for instance, swimming, floating, or taking any other emergency or other action.

It is desirable, of course, that the buoyant compartment, in the device of the invention, should be filled with a filling (such as closed-cell light weight plastics foam as already mentioned) so as to minimise the risk of buoyancy loss in the event of puncturing or tearing of the fabric defining the chamber. However, an inflated or air-filled buoyancy chamber can, of course, be used if desired, especially where the risk of puncturing is small.

The invention is not confined to the precise details of the foregoing example, and variations may be made thereto. It will be evident, of course, that the device may be made of any suitable pliable sheet material such as sheet plastics, especially such plastics which are resistant to abrasion and puncturing. The method of fitting the device to the wearer and/or the kayak cockpit rim can differ from what has been described. Such fitting may be, for instance, by means of clips, buckles, or other suitable arrangements enabling the respective peripheries of the device to be shortened to fit rightly to the torso and cockpit rim respectively.

An additional buoyancy compartment 21 can be provided in the part 11 and contain a block of closed-cell foam 22, thus making the device a combined life jacket and cockpit cover. Straps 23 from the belt of the part 11 can extend to thigh loops 24 to discourage upward movement of the part 11 relative to the user. Ledges 25 (Figures 3 and 4) can be provided on the inside walls of a kayak to support the edges of the buoyant compartment in use.

Claims (11)

1. A buoyant device for use in connection with a kayak, said device comprising a cockpit cover incorporating a buoyant compartment and adapted to be worn about a user's torso with the buoyant compartment disposed in front of him, and to be connected to a kayak cockpit rim so as to be more-readily separable from the cockpit rim than from the user so that, upon the user vacating the kayak, he takes the cover with him as an aid to buoyancy.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, and comprising a broad. belt-like portion for fitting around a user's torso and having a tightenable belt or the like enabling it to be held to the users torso in substantially water-tight manner.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the top of the belt-like portion has braces for fitting over a user's shoulders.

4. A device as claimed in claim 2 or 3, wherein a skirt-like portion extends outwardly from the beltlike portion and the buoyant compartment is provided in the skirt.

5. A device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the periphery is elasticated for engaging a rim of a kayak cockpit.

6. A device as claimed in claim 4 or 5, wherein the buoyant compartment is or contains an inflatable bag.

7. A device as claimed in claim 4 or 5 wherein the buoyant compartment contains a filling of light non-water-permeable material.

8. A device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the filling is of closed-cell plastics foam.

9. A device as claimed in any of claims 2 to 8 wherein the belt-like portion has a secondary buoyant compartment arranged to overlie a user's chest.

10. A device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein straps depend to thigh loops to discourage upward movement of the device relative to a wearer.

11. A buoyancy device substantially as herein before described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.