Protective cover for surf craft

Abstract

A protective cover ( 10 ) for a surf craft, the cover ( 10 ) having au upper surface ( 15 ) and a lower surface ( 20 ) and being formed primarily of a substantially inelastic material ( 25 ) and including an elastic portion ( 30 ) formed of an elastic material, wherein the elastic portion ( 30, 35 ) is configured to allow a dimension of the cover ( 10 ) to be expanded.

1 - 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . A protective cover for a surf craft, the cover being formed of a plurality of adjoining panels, each of the plurality of panels extending along at least a portion of a length of the cover and being formed at an angle to an axis along the length of the protective cover. 
     
     
         27 . The protective cover of  claim 26 , wherein each of the plurality of panels is formed at a transverse angle to a longitudinal axis along the length of the protective cover. 
     
     
         28 . The protective cover of  claim 26 , wherein each of the plurality of panels extends laterally about the protective cover. 
     
     
         29 . The protective cover of  claim 26 , wherein the plurality of adjoining panels extend around the one or more sides of the protective cover. 
     
     
         30 . The protective cover of  claim 28 , wherein the plurality of adjoining panels includes a series of panels stitched together. 
     
     
         31 . The protective cover of  claim 26 , wherein each of the plurality of panels is positioned substantially parallel to each adjoining panel. 
     
     
         32 . The protective cover of  claim 28 , wherein the size of each of the plurality of panels is substantially similar along at least a portion of the length of the protective cover. 
     
     
         33 . The protective cover of  claim 32 , wherein the cover has a closed end and an openable end opposite the closed end, the size of each of the plurality of panels decreases as proximity towards the closed end increases. 
     
     
         34 . The protective cover of  claim 33 , wherein a number of the plurality of panels increases per unit of length nearer the closed end. 
     
     
         35 . The protective cover of  claim 28 , wherein the plurality of panels form a lower surface and/or an upper surface of the protective cover, by connecting to an elongate strip. 
     
     
         36 . The protective cover of  claim 35 , wherein the elongate strip is formed substantially in the middle of the upper surface and/or the lower surface of the protective cover and each of the plurality of panels are stitched at one panel end to one side of the elongate strip, and at another opposing panel end to an opposing side of the elongate strip. 
     
     
         37 . The protective cover of  claim 28 , wherein at least some of the plurality of panels includes an insulation layer disposed underneath. 
     
     
         38 . The protective cover of  claim 26 , wherein the cover also includes: the cover having an upper surface and a lower surface and being formed primarily of a substantially inelastic material and including an elastic portion formed of an elastic material, wherein the elastic portion is configured to allow a dimension of the cover to be expanded. 
     
     
         39 . The protective cover of  claim 38 , wherein the elastic portion allows for the width of the cover to be expanded. 
     
     
         40 . The protective cover of  claim 38 , wherein the elastic portion includes an elongate strip of the elastic material extending substantially longitudinally along a section of the cover. 
     
     
         41 . The protective cover of  claim 40 , wherein the elongate strip extends along at least half the length of the cover. 
     
     
         42 . The protective cover of  claim 40 , wherein the elongate strip extends along at least two thirds the length of the cover. 
     
     
         43 . The protective cover of  claim 40 , wherein the elongate strip is located on any one or a combination of:
 a) the upper surface; and,   b) the lower surface.   
     
     
         44 . The protective cover of  claim 43 , wherein the elongate strip is formed substantially in the middle of the upper surface, the lower surface, or both the upper surface and the lower surface. 
     
     
         45 . The protective cover of  claim 40 , wherein the width of the elongate strip is less than one half of the width of the cover.