Back to results
US 11,858,590 B1Granted
Portable sailboat mast hoist system and method of use
OwnerLeslie Ann Nicholsoninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mast righting assistance assembly includes a trailer hitch extension subassembly includes a trailer hitch extension insert and a trailer hitch extension receiver tube extending opposite directions, a winch subassembly carried by the trailer hitch extension subassembly, and a vertical column carried by the trailer hitch extension subassembly. A winch cable is routed from a winch drum through a cable redirecting component attached to a top of the vertical column. The cable is secured to rigging of the mast for controlling stepping and unstepping of the mast. The winch spools and unspools the cable to step and unstep the mast respectively. The vertical column is adjustable in height to obtain a desirable minimum force application angle respective to stowed mast.
Claims20
A method for stepping and unstepping a mast, the method comprising steps of:
- installing a trailer hitch extension insert of a mast righting assistance assembly into a hitch receiver assembled to a vehicle, the mast righting assistance assembly comprising:
- a trailer hitch extension subassembly including the trailer hitch extension insert extending in a first longitudinal direction and a trailer hitch extension receiver tube extending in a second, opposite longitudinal direction,
- a winch carried by the trailer hitch extension subassembly,
- a generally vertically oriented column extending upwards from the trailer hitch extension subassembly,
- a winch cable arranged to be spooled onto and unspooled from a drum operated by the winch, and
- a winch cable redirecting component attached to an upper region of the generally vertically oriented column,
- wherein the mast is pivotally assembled to a sailboat, wherein the sailboat is seated upon a trailer, wherein a tongue of the trailer is attached to a trailer hitch, wherein the trailer hitch is assembled to the trailer hitch extension receiver tube of the trailer hitch extension subassembly;
- routing the winch cable from the drum, redirected via the winch cable redirecting component and secured to a free end of a mast control line, an opposite, attached end of the mast control line being secured to an upper region of the mast;
- in a mast stepping process, a length of the winch cable is collected onto the drum causing the mast to rise;
- and
- in a mast unstepping process, a length of the winch cable is unspooled from the drum causing the mast to lower.
8 more elements
A method for stepping and unstepping a mast, the method comprising steps of:
- installing a trailer hitch extension insert of a mast righting assistance assembly into a hitch receiver assembled to a vehicle, the mast righting assistance assembly comprising:
- a trailer hitch extension subassembly including the trailer hitch extension insert extending in a first longitudinal direction and a trailer hitch extension receiver tube extending in a second, opposite longitudinal direction,
- a winch subassembly comprising an electrically operated motor arranged to rotate a drum, the winch assembly carried by the trailer hitch extension subassembly,
- a generally vertically oriented column extending upwards from the trailer hitch extension subassembly,
- a winch cable arranged to be spooled onto and unspooled from a drum operated by the winch, and
- a winch cable redirecting component attached to an upper region of the generally vertically oriented column,
- wherein the mast is pivotally assembled to a sailboat, wherein the sailboat is seated upon a trailer, wherein a tongue of the trailer is attached to a trailer hitch,
- wherein the trailer hitch is assembled to the trailer hitch extension receiver tube of the trailer hitch extension subassembly;
- routing the winch cable from the drum, redirected via the winch cable redirecting component and secured to a free end of a mast control line, an opposite, attached end of the mast control line being secured to an upper region of the mast;
- in a mast stepping process, operating the winch motor to collect a length of the winch cable onto the drum causing the mast to rise;
- and
- in a mast unstepping process, operating the winch motor to unspool a length of the winch cable from the drum causing the mast to lower.
9 more elements
A method for stepping and unstepping a mast, the method comprising steps of:
- installing a trailer hitch extension insert of a mast righting assistance assembly into a hitch receiver assembled to a vehicle, the mast righting assistance assembly comprising:
- a trailer hitch extension subassembly including the trailer hitch extension insert extending in a first longitudinal direction and a trailer hitch extension receiver tube extending in a second, opposite longitudinal direction,
- a winch carried by the trailer hitch extension subassembly,
- a generally vertically oriented column extending upwards from the trailer hitch extension subassembly, wherein the generally vertically oriented column is adjustable in height,
- a winch cable arranged to be spooled onto and unspooled from a drum operated by the winch, and
- a winch cable redirecting component attached to an upper region of the generally vertically oriented column,
- wherein the mast is pivotally assembled to a sailboat, wherein the sailboat is seated upon a trailer, wherein a tongue of the trailer is attached to a trailer hitch, wherein the trailer hitch is assembled to the trailer hitch extension receiver tube of the trailer hitch extension subassembly;
- adjusting a height of the generally vertically oriented column to a determined minimum height of the generally vertically oriented column establishing a minimum force application angle respective to stowed mast;
- routing the winch cable from the drum, redirected via the winch cable redirecting component and secured to a free end of a mast control line, an opposite, attached end of the mast control line being secured to an upper region of the mast;
- in a mast stepping process, a length of the winch cable is collected onto the drum causing the mast to rise;
- and
- in a mast unstepping process, a length of the winch cable is unspooled from the drum causing the mast to lower.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.