Trailer step and guide

Abstract

A step-and-guide apparatus that aids on centering a boat on a boat trailer and assists an operator in boarding and exiting the boat when on the water or on land is disclosed. The step-and-guide apparatus has guide mechanisms positioned on opposing sides of a trailer frame, and each apparatus includes a trailer mount assembly, a bracket arrangement, an arm having a first end and a second end, with a first end of the arm being rotatably coupled to the bracket arrangement, and a step-and-guide board affixed to the second end of the arm and that is oriented lengthwise along the boat. The arm and the step-and-guide board are rotatable between a first position and a second position defined by the bracket arrangement, with the step-and-guide board functioning as a step when in the first position and as a boat guide member when in the second position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A boat trailer configured to store and transport a boat, the boat trailer comprising:
 a trailer frame; and   a step-and-guide apparatus comprising:
 a trailer mount assembly attachable to a side member of the trailer frame; 
 a bracket arrangement affixed to the trailer mount assembly; 
 an arm comprising a first end and a second end, with a first end of the arm being rotatably coupled to the bracket arrangement; and 
 a step-and-guide board affixed to the second end of the arm, the step-and-guide board being oriented longitudinally along a lengthwise direction of the boat; 
 wherein the arm is rotatable to a first position such that a first surface of the step-and-guide board is positioned at an angle substantially parallel to a ground surface; 
 wherein the arm is rotatable to a second position such that the first surface of the step-and-guide board is positioned at an angle that matches an angle of a hull of the boat and is positioned to face the hull of the boat; and 
 wherein the bracket arrangement is configured to provide for adjustment of the angle of the second position, such that the angle of the first surface of the step-and-guide board is adjustable to accommodate different hull angles. 
   
     
     
         2 . The boat trailer of  claim 1  wherein the bracket arrangement is configured such that adjusting the angle of the second position does not affect the angle of the first position. 
     
     
         3 . The boat trailer of  claim 1  further comprising a fastening mechanism to hold the arm in the second position. 
     
     
         4 . The boat trailer of  claim 3  wherein the fastening mechanism comprises a latch formed thereon on the arm that is mateable with the bracket arrangement to hold the arm fixed in the second position, with the arm including slots or holes formed therein in which the latch attaches and pivots. 
     
     
         5 . The boat trailer of  claim 4  wherein the bracket arrangement comprises an up-stop bracket, the up-stop bracket including:
 one or more detents each configured to receive the latch therein to hold the arm in a fixed position, the one or more detents securing the arm and the step-and-guide board in at least the second position; and 
 a plurality of alignment holes that provide for mounting of the up-stop bracket at a desired angle. 
 
     
     
         6 . The boat trailer of  claim 5  wherein the one or more detents comprises:
 a primary detent that provides for positioning of the arm and the step-and-guide board in the second position when the latch is received therein; and 
 a secondary detent that provides for positioning of the arm and the step-and-guide board in a third position when the latch is received therein; 
 wherein the third position is within an angular range defined by the first position and the second position, with the third position being closer to the second position than to the first position. 
 
     
     
         7 . The boat trailer of  claim 6  wherein the second and third positions angularly position the arm and the step-and-guide board such that they do not extend out past a width of the trailer frame. 
     
     
         8 . The boat trailer of  claim 5  wherein the up-stop bracket further comprises:
 a ramp formed on an upper surface thereof leading up to the primary and secondary detents, the ramp configured to cause the latch to skip over the secondary detent when the step-and-guide arm is slammed toward the up position; and 
 a secondary stop located adjacent the primary detent and opposite from the secondary detent, the secondary stop preventing an overshoot of the latch past the primary detent when the step-and-guide arm is slammed toward the up position. 
 
     
     
         9 . The boat trailer of  claim 5  wherein the bracket arrangement comprises a down-stop bracket affixed to the trailer mount assembly and to the up-stop bracket, the down-stop bracket comprising:
 a protrusion that abuts the arm when the arm and the step-and-guide board are in the first position; 
 pin holes configured to receive a pin therein for rotatably coupling the arm to the down-stop bracket; and 
 a plurality of alignment holes, wherein respective alignment holes in the up-stop bracket are alignable with respective alignment holes in the down-stop bracket so as to provide for positioning of a bolt through a matching alignment hole in each of the up-stop bracket and the down-stop bracket, thereby mounting the up-stop bracket to the down-stop bracket at the desired angle. 
 
     
     
         10 . The boat trailer of  claim 9  wherein the desired angle at which the up-stop bracket is mounted to the down-stop bracket matches an angle of a hull of a boat to be loaded on the boat trailer. 
     
     
         11 . The boat trailer of  claim 9  wherein each of the first guide mechanism and the second guide mechanism further comprises:
 at least one additional down-stop bracket affixed to the trailer mount assembly; and 
 at least one additional arm rotatably coupled to the at least one additional down-stop bracket; and 
 at least one additional step-and-guide board affixed to the at least one additional arm; 
 wherein each of the at least one additional down-stop bracket, the at least one additional arm and the at least one additional step-and-guide board is vertically offset from the down-stop bracket, the arm and the step-and-guide board, respectively. 
 
     
     
         12 . The boat trailer of  claim 11  wherein each of the first guide mechanism and the second guide mechanism further comprises a tie bar coupled between the arm and the at least one additional arm, with the tie bar causing the step-and-guide board and the at least one additional step-and-guide board to rotate together when the step-and-guide board is translated between the first position and the second position. 
     
     
         13 . The boat trailer of  claim 1  wherein the step-and-guide apparatus comprises a first step-and-guide apparatus and a second step-and-guide apparatus positioned on opposing sides of the trailer frame; and
 wherein the pair of step-and-guide apparatus position a boat laterally centered on the boat trailer when the arm of both the first and second step-and-guide apparatuses are positioned in the second position. 
 
     
     
         14 . The boat trailer of  claim 1  wherein the step-and-guide apparatus comprises a single trailer mount assembly, a single bracket arrangement, and a single arm, with the step-and-guide board being horizontally centered on the arm. 
     
     
         15 . The boat trailer of  claim 1  wherein the step-and-guide apparatus comprises a first step-and-guide apparatus, and wherein the boat trailer further comprises a second step-and-guide apparatus, with the first and second step-and-guide apparatuses providing a pair of trailer mount assemblies, a pair of bracket arrangements, and a pair of arms, with the step-and-guide board extending between the pair of arms. 
     
     
         16 . The boat trailer of  claim 1  wherein, in being rotatable to the first position where the first surface is positioned at an angle substantially parallel to a ground surface, the step-and-guide board functions as a step when the arm is rotated to the first position. 
     
     
         17 . A trailer-mounted step-and-guide apparatus for aiding in aligning a boat on a boat trailer during loading and for aiding in boarding and exiting the boat, the step-and-guide apparatus comprising:
 a trailer mount assembly affixable to a frame of the boat trailer;   a bracket arrangement affixed to the trailer mount assembly;   a step-and-guide arm comprising a first end and a second end, with the first end of the step-and-guide arm being rotatably coupled to the bracket arrangement; and   a step-and-guide board affixed to the step-and-guide arm at the second end thereof distal from the bracket arrangement and so as to be oriented longitudinally along a lengthwise direction of the boat;   wherein the step-and-guide arm is configured to rotate to a first position such that each of the step-and-guide arm and the step-and-guide board is positioned at an angle substantially parallel to a ground surface; and   wherein the step-and-guide arm is configured to rotate to a second position such that each of the step-and-guide arm and the step-and-guide board is positioned at an angle that matches an angle of a hull of the boat.   
     
     
         18 . A rotatable step useable with a boat trailer that includes a trailer frame and a boat guide, the rotatable step comprising:
 an attachment bracket coupled to a post of the boat guide;   a step arm pivotably mounted to the attachment bracket so as be rotatable about a horizontal axis between an up position and a down position relative to the boat guide; and   a step board affixed to the step arm at an end thereof distal from the attachment bracket so as to be oriented longitudinally along a lengthwise direction of the boat;   wherein the step arm rotates downward and outward from the up position and rests against the attachment bracket to position the step arm in the down position, with the step board aiding the operator in boarding and exiting the boat when in the down position; and   wherein the step arm interacts with the attachment bracket to position the step arm in the up position, with the step arm and step board being positioned so as to not extend out past a width of the trailer frame when in the up position.