US 12,434,790 B2
Snag-free inserts for inflatable boats
Michael Richard Batcheller, Jr., Bainbridge Island, WA (US); and Martin Scott Sheppard, Maupin, OR (US)
Filed by Michael Richard Batcheller, Jr., Bainbridge Island, WA (US); and Martin Scott Sheppard, Maupin, OR (US)
Filed on Mar. 1, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/684,200.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/156,849, filed on Mar. 4, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0185430 A1, Jun. 16, 2022
Int. Cl. B63B 7/08 (2020.01)
CPC B63B 7/082 (2013.01) 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An insert for an inflatable boat having a hull and an inflatable peripheral tube, an upper surface of the hull and an inner surface of the peripheral tube defining a boat cockpit, the insert comprising:
a rigid floor that has a floor periphery; and
a rigid peripheral sidewall that extends upward from the floor periphery and that is coupled to the floor,
wherein the floor and the peripheral sidewall define an insert cockpit,
wherein the insert is configured to removably register with the boat cockpit while the floor of the insert covers most of the upper surface of the hull and while the peripheral sidewall of the insert covers most of the inner surface of the peripheral tube,
whereby the insert facilitates increasing rigidity of the inflatable boat while reducing snaggable features in the inflatable boat,
wherein the peripheral sidewall is configured to extend over an upper surface of the peripheral tube when the insert is in registration with the boat cockpit, the peripheral sidewall defining oar-lock platforms that are configured to retain oar locks.