Boat cart for trailers

Claim 1

Apparatus for aiding the loading and unloading of a boat upon and off of supports on a boat trailer, said apparatus comprising in combination: (a) rail means secured to the boat trailer and extending in general longitudinal alignment therewith; (b) a cart translatable along said rail means for engaging and capturing the bow of the boat which bow includes a forwardly extending eyelet, said cart including: i. roller means for supporting and maintaining said cart upon said rail means during translation of said cart, ii. means for precluding lateral and vertical movement of said cart relative to said rail means, iii. upwardly extending stanchion means for interconnecting the bow of the boat, with said cart, iv. lock means for retaining the bow of the boat in engagement with said stanchion means, said lock means including a vertically oriented slot extending downwardly in said stanchion means for penetrably receiving the eyelet at the bow of the boat a lock member having at least one leg dimensioned to penetrably engage the eyelet upon insertion of the eyelet through said slot, said lock member being pivotally secured to said stanchion and pivotally responsive to vertical downward and upward movement of the eyelet through said slot and including means for engaging and disengaging, respectively, said one leg with the eyelet and preclude, on engagement, fore and aft motion of the boat with respect to said cart; (c) uprights extending from the trailer for guiding the boat along the trailer during translation of said cart along said rail means; whereby, said cart and said uprights guide the boat on to and off of the trailer and the supports thereof during loading and unloading of the boat.