Accessory mounting track

A marine vessel comprising:

• a supporting surface,
• a device, and
• an accessory mounting track for removably attaching and positioning the device to the supporting surface, the accessory mounting track comprising:
• an elongated slot channel within the accessory mounting track and disposed lengthwise of the accessory mounting track for supporting at least a head of a tee bolt in the slot channel for selective movement of the head of the tee bolt in the slot channel,
• a slot opening in an upper surface of the accessory mounting track, the slot opening bounded on each side by a containment ledge, the slot opening and the containment ledge at least partially defining the slot channel, the slot opening being sized and configured to enable insertion of the head of the tee bolt therethrough,
• a clearance pocket on at least one side of the slot channel, the clearance pocket being sized and configured such that, when the head of the tee bolt is substantially inserted into the clearance pocket, the head of the tee bolt fully clears the slot opening so that the head of the tee bolt attains a position that is fully contained in the slot channel, and
• a slot guide between the clearance pocket and containment ledge, the slot guide being sized and configured such that, as the tee bolt is urged along an axis of the tee bolt, the head of the tee bolt is guided into contact with the containment ledge on each side of the slot channel to enable secure connection of a device to the accessory mounting track.

Method of removably attaching and positioning of one or more accessory devices to a supporting surface comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a track with a mounting surface and a bottom, a slot channel with a slot opening bounded on each side by a containment ledge, and, a clearance pocket on at least one side of the slot channel, and a slot guide between the clearance pocket and containment ledge,
• b) mounting the track to the supporting surface,
• c) providing a tee-bolt having a head on one end and threaded stud on another end,
• d) screwing the threaded end of the tee-bolt into an accessory device, leaving the head of the tee-bolt extended some distance from the accessory device,
• e) inserting the head of the tee-bolt into the slot opening and further into the clearance pocket,
• f) rotating the tee-bolt in the slot channel 150 to guide the tee bolt along the slot guide 157 towards the containment ledge 154 to capture the head of the tee-bolt in the slot channel 50, allowing movement along a long central axis of the track,
• g) tightening the device to the track by rotating the device so that interaction between threads in the device and threads on the tee-bolt urges the head of the tee-bolt towards the device, thus causing the head of the tee-bolt to make contact with the containment ledge and causing the device to make contact with the mounting surface, and
• h) further rotating the device to increase pressure on the slot channel and the mounting surface, resulting in friction that, with reasonable tightening force, is adequate to inhibit rotation of the device in either the tightening or the loosening direction or from slipping linearly along the track.