Boat, especially a catamaran, with large deck space and collapsible frame

In a sail boat having a mast, and a mast stepping construction wherein the mast is moved first manually on an arc about an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the sail boat to a predetermined angular position and then in part by gravity axially while at said angular position to lock said mast in said angular position, a pair of hand bars extending laterally outwardly from a position near the base of said mast to permit easy axial lifting of said mast to unlock same and allow pivoting of said mast by gravity about said axis transverse to the longitudinal axis.

In a catamaran having a rectangular collapsible frame for securing a pair of hulls in spaced relation, and a trampoline on said frame, the improvement comprising:

• said collapsible frame including fore, aft and central sub-frame assemblies, and a first pair of longitudinally extending tubular members extending between said fore and central sub-frame assemblies and a second pair of longitudinally extending tubular members extending between said aft and said central sub-frame assemblies, each said sub-frame assembly including a cross-bar, a pair of laterally spaced semi-circular hull embracing brackets secured beneath said cross-bar, flexible strap means for securing said hulls in said semi-circular brackets, a pair of tubular end pieces for telescopically receiving one end of said longitudinally extending tubular members, respectively, said tubular end pieces being secured at a 90 degree angle to the lateral ends of said cross-bar, and locking means operative between each said longitudinally extending tubular members and tubular end pieces and a rectangular tube member secured to said aft cross-bar.

In a catamaran having a pair of inflatable tubular hulls, a rectangular frame for securely maintaining said inflatable tubular hulls in spaced apart relation when inflated, said rectangular frame having lateral side bars and fore and aft cross bars, a mast and mast stays therefor, a sail carried by said mast, a trampoline deck secured to said rectangular frame, daggerboard and rudder assemblies for control, the improvement comprising:

• mast stepping means including a mast pin at the base of said mast, a cup bracket rotatably mounted on said forward cross bar, said cup bracket, including a pair of hollow tubular members secured in the form of a "T" with the stem of said "T" receiving the base of said mast, said cup bracket having an elongated slot in each side of the stem of said "T" for receiving a mast pivot pin, a mast stepping aperture in said forward cross bar at a predetermined angular position, and the cross of said "T" telescoped on said forward cross bar whereby when said mast is pivoted on said pivot pin to a predetermined angular position, it slides axially downward into said cup bracket and said mast pin projects into said mast stepping aperture.

In a rectangular frame for a catamaran having a pair of hulls, and a trampoline, the improvement comprising:

• said frame being collapsible and including fore and aft cross-bar sub-frames and a pair of longitudinally extending tubular members extending between said fore cross-bar and aft cross-bar sub-frames, each said sub-frame including a cross-bar, a pair of laterally spaced hull encompassing semi-circular brackets secured beneath said cross-bar, flexible strap means for securing said hulls in said semi-circular brackets, a pair of tubular end pieces for telescopically receiving one end each of said longitudinally extending tubular members, respectively, said tubular end pieces being at a 90 degree angle to the lateral ends of said cross-bar, said trampoline having fore and aft and lateral lace means for securing said trampoline to said fore and aft cross-bars and said pair of longitudinally extending tubular members.