Boat trailer

Claim 2

A boat trailer comprising a. a boat supporting carriage member having road engaging wheel means mounted for rotation thereon, b. a towing frame having means at one end thereof for connecting said frame to a towing vehicle, c. said frame being slidably mounted with respect to said carriage for movement between a first retracted towing position and a second extended position for loading and unloading, and d. means for retaining said frame and carriage in either of said positions, said carriage member is located substantially centrally of the length of said frame when in said first position such that the frame extends both forwardly and rearwardly of the carriage member for a distance at least equal to the longitudinal length of the carriage member.

Claim 3

A boat trailer as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for connecting said frame to said towing vehicle is disposed at least twice as far as from said carriage member when in said second position as it is when in said first position.

Claim 4

A boat trailer as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for connecting said frame to said towing vehicle is disposed at least three times as far from said carriage member when in said second position as it is when in said first position.

Claim 5

A boat trailer as claimed in claim 1 wherein said frame is adjustable relative to said carriage to move said connecting means from ten to thirty feet when moving from said first position to said second position.

Claim 6

A boat trailer as claimed in claim 1 wherein said towing frame includes at least two longitudinally extending beam members, and said carriage member includes at least two longitudinally extending tubular sleeve members, said beam members being slidably mounted in said sleeve members.

Claim 7

A boat trailer comprising, a. a boat supporting carriage member including i. longitudinally extending tubular frame means, ii. means mounted on said carriage member for supporting said boat to be towed, and iii. wheel means for supporting the carriage member for movement during towing, b. towing frame means including i. longitudinally extending beam means adapted to fit in a sliding relationship within said tubular frame means of said carriage member, ii. trailer hitch means mounted at one end of said beam means, c. said carriage member being slidable relative to said towing frame means between a first position disposed substantially centrally of the length of said longitudinally extending tubular frame means for towing such that the towing frame means extends both forwardly and rearwardly of the carriage member for a distance at least equal to the longitudinal length of the carriage member, and a second position at a second end of said towing frame means for loading and unloading a boat, and d. means for retaining said towing frame means relative to said carriage member in either said first or second position.

Claim 8

A boat trailer comprising, a. a boat supporting carriage member including i. longitudinally extending tubular frame means, ii. means mounted on said carriage member for supporting said boat to be towed, and iii. wheel means for supporting the carriage member for movement during towing, b. towing frame means including i. longitudinally extending beam means adapted to fit in a sliding relationship within said tubular frame means of said carriage member, ii. trailer hitch means mounted at one end of said beam means, c. said carriage member being slidable relative to said towing frame means between a first position disposed substantially centrally of the length of said longitudinally extending tubular frame means for towing such that the towing frame means extends both forwardly and rearwardly of the carriage member for a distance at least equal to the longitudinal length of the carriage member, and a second position at a second end of said towing frame means for loading and unloading a boat, and d. means for retaining said towing frame means relative to said carriage member in either said first or second position.

Claim 9

A boat trailer as claimed in claim 6 wherein said first and second positions are from ten to thirty feet removed from one another.

Claim 10

A boaT trailer as claimed in claim 7 wherein said tubular frame means consists of a pair of spaced parallel tubular members and said beam means includes a pair of spaced parallel beam members each having a second end remote from said one end of the beam means.

Claim 11

A boat trailer as claimed in claim 8 including a detachable transverse brace member extending between said second ends of said beam members when in said first position.

Claim 12

A boat trailer as claimed in claim 8 wherein said second ends of said beam members are located inwardly of said tubular members when in said second position whereby the length of said trailer assembly in said second position may be substantially greater than the length of said longitudinally extending frame members.

Claim 13

A boat trailer comprising a. a boat supporting carriage member having road engaging wheel means mounted for rotation thereon, said carriage member having a leading and a trailing end, b. a towing frame having means at one end thereof for connecting said frame to a towing vehicle, said towing frame having longitudinally extending guide rail means, said guide rail means having a front end and a back end, said boat support carriage member being slidably mounted with respect to a guide path portion of said guide rail means which extends inwardly from the back end of said guide rail means, said guide path portion being substantially longer than said boat carriage member, d. said carriage member being slidable with respect to said guide path portion of said guide rail means for movement between a first retracted position in which said back end of said guide rail means is spaced a substantial distance rearwardly from the trailing end of said carriage member and a second position in which said carriage member is at the back end of said guide rail means.

Claim 14

A boat trailer comprising a. a boat supporting carriage member having road engaging wheel means mounted for rotation thereon, said carriage member having a leading and a trailing end, b. a towing frame having means at one end thereof for connecting said frame to a towing vehicle, said towing frame having longitudinally extending guide rail means, said guide rail means having a front end and a back end, said boat support carriage member being slidably mounted with respect to a guide path portion of said guide rail means which extends inwardly from the back end of said guide rail means, said guide path portion being substantially longer than said boat carriage member, d. said carriage member being slidable with respect to said guide path portion of said guide rail means for movement between a first retracted position in which said back end of said guide rail means is spaced a substantial distance rearwardly from the trailing end of said carriage member and a second position in which said carriage member is at the back end of said guide rail means.

Claim 15

A boat trailer as claimed in claim 11 wherein said wheel means includes at least two wheel sets mounted closely adjacent one another whereby said carriage is self-supporting.

Claim 16

A boat trailer as claimed in claim 11 wherein said trailing end of said carriage member is spaced a substantial distance rearwardly from said back end of said guide rail means when in said second position.

Claim 17

A boat trailer as claimed in claim 13 wherein said guide path portion of said guide rail means is at least 100 percent longer than said carriage member.

Claim 18

A boat trailer as claimed in claim 11 wherein said guide path portion of said carriage member is at least 50 percent longer than said carriage member.

Claim 19

A boat trailer as claimed in claim 11 wherein when said carriage member is in said first retracted position, said guide path portion of said guide rail means extends both forwardly and rearwardly of said carriage member for a distance at least equal to the longitudinal length of the carriage member.