Boat trim strip and cover attachment system

Abstract

A boat trim strip attached to the perimeter of a boat which has a chrome laminate bonded to one or more exposed surfaces and embedded in a clear plastic cover layer to be resistant to bumps and abrasions. The trip strip can also be used in a boat cover attachment system having a retainer clip attached to the boat cover and mateable with a slot in the trim strip.

1 . In combination with a boat comprising:
 an elongated trim strip attached to said boat extending along the perimeter thereof;   said trim strip comprising a main body having at least one exposed outer surface;   said exposed surface having a chrome laminate bonded thereto;   said chrome laminate embedded in a clear plastic layer formed extending over said chrome laminate.   
   
   
       2 . The combination according to  claim 1  wherein said trim strip is generally U-shaped with a pair of spaced apart side legs defining a slot therebetween. 
   
   
       3 . The combination according to  claim 1  wherein said boat has a rub rail extending around said boat perimeter and said trim strip is snap fitted into a space extending along the length of said rub rail. 
   
   
       4 . The combination according to  claim 1  wherein said trim strip has a pair of legs defining said U-shape which project out from said boat perimeter rub rail with said trim strip installed thereon. 
   
   
       5 . The combination according to  claim 4  further including a pair of lips each extending in from a respective leg to define a reduced width slot portion therebetween, each lip having an outer surface exposed to view and having said chrome laminate and clear plastic layer bonded thereto, said chrome laminate extending only over said outer surface and said clear coat layer extending beyond said outer surface and wrapped around corners at either end to completely embed said chrome laminate therein. 
   
   
       6 . The combination according to  claim 5  further including a boat cover and one or more retainer clips attached to said cover and snap fit to said trim strip by portions configured to be inserted through said reduced width slot portion and captured by inner corners formed by said lips. 
   
   
       7 . The combination according to  claim 1  wherein said trim strip has a flat side abutted against said boat perimeter and a pair of inwardly angled side walls projecting outwardly from said boat perimeter to form said U-shape, said chrome laminate and clear plastic layer extending over an outside surface on each side wall and wrapped around an outer end of each side wall. 
   
   
       8 . A boat cover attachment system comprising:
 a strip extending around a boat perimeter, said strip having a slot formed therein with a narrow entry portion extending into a larger portion thereof;   a series of retainer clips attached to a hem of said boat cover;   each retainer clip including generally planar base portion attached to said boat cover hem;   a first rib projecting inwardly from said base portion to a hollow compressible tip projecting from said base portion and insertable into said slot through said entry portion thereof and formed by two angled sides joined together at convergent ends of said sides, one side integral with the outer end of said first rub;   a second rib integral with the other side of said tip and extending outwardly from said slot when said retainer clip is inserted therein towards said base portion, said tip one end and other sides each having a portion projecting past said first and second ribs respectively to be wider than said slot entry portions to retain the clip in the slot when inserted therein; and   A release tab separate from said base portion and extending generally parallel thereto and integral with said second rib, said release tab extending downwardly to the edge of said boat hem to be accessible to be squeezed onto said base portion and pulled up to pull said projecting tip out of said slot to release said retainer from said strip.   
   
   
       9 . The boat cover attachment system according to  claim 8  wherein said trim strip is configured as recited in  claim 1 . 
   
   
       10 . A method of manufacturing the trim strip recited in  claim 1  wherein said trim strip main body, said chrome laminate and said clear cover layer are tri-extruded together to form said trim strip.