Towing system and method for a water sports apparatus

Abstract

A system and method for towing a water sports apparatus over a body of water behind a towing vessel. The system includes a rider towline for coupling a rider of the water sports apparatus to the towing vessel. The rider towline includes a distal end adapted to the gripped by the rider, to enable the rider to be pulled over the body of water on the water sports apparatus during forward motion of the towing vessel. The towing system also includes a lift apparatus coupled with the rider towline and adapted to lift the rider towline during forward motion of the towing vessel, so that an uppermost point of the rider towline is above and behind the towing vessel.

1. A towing system for towing a water sports apparatus over a body of water behind a towing vessel, comprising:
 a lift apparatus;  
 a bridle line adapted to couple the lift apparatus to an attachment point on the towing vessel, where the lift apparatus is adapted to fly above and behind the towing vessel during forward motion of the towing vessel over the body of water; and  
 a rider towline for towing a rider of the water sports apparatus, the rider towline having a distal end adapted to be held by the rider, and wherein the towline system is adapted so that, during flight of the lift apparatus, a portion of the rider towline is supported at an intermediate location along the bridle line between the lift apparatus and the attachment point.  
 
     
     
       2. The towing system of  claim 1 , where the rider towline is selectively supportable at one of a plurality of different intermediate locations along the bridle line between the lift apparatus and the attachment point. 
     
     
       3. The towing system of  claim 2 , where the towing system is configured so that changing from one of the intermediate locations to another varies an angle of the rider towline that occurs during towing of the water sports apparatus. 
     
     
       4. The towing system of  claim 2 , where the rider towline includes a proximal end adapted to be secured to the towing vessel, and where during towing of the water sports apparatus, the rider towline extends from the towing vessel substantially along the bridle line to a securing device at a selected one of the plurality of different intermediate locations, and then beyond the securing device the rider towline is free to diverge away from the bridle line. 
     
     
       5. The towing system of  claim 4 , where the securing device includes a pulley adapted to receive the rider towline therethrough. 
     
     
       6. The towing system of  claim 1 , where the lift apparatus includes a float adapted to maintain the lift apparatus afloat on the body of water while not in flight. 
     
     
       7. The towing system of  claim 1 , where the lift apparatus includes a base adapted to enable the lift apparatus to plane over the body of water while not in flight. 
     
     
       8. The towing system of  claim 7 , where the base includes plural elongate floats, each having a downwardly extending fin. 
     
     
       9. The towing system of  claim 1 , where lift characteristics of the lift apparatus and placement of the intermediate location along the bridle line are selected based on rider body weight and desired level of lift enhancement, so as to provide a vertical upwardly directed force sufficient to unweight the rider without overcoming gravity. 
     
     
       10. A towing system for towing a water sports apparatus over a body of water behind a towing vessel, comprising:
 a rider towline configured to couple a rider of the water sports apparatus to the towing vessel, the rider towline including a distal end adapted to be gripped by the rider to enable the rider to be pulled over the body of water on the water sports apparatus during forward motion of the towing vessel; and  
 a lift system coupled with the rider towline and adapted to lift the rider towline during forward motion of the towing vessel so that an uppermost point of the rider towline is above and behind the towing vessel.  
 
     
     
       11. The towing system of  claim 10 , where the lift system includes a lift apparatus secured via a bridle line to an attachment point on the towing vessel, the lift apparatus being adapted to fly above and behind the towing vessel during forward motion of the towing vessel, and where the uppermost point of the rider towline is supported at an intermediate location along the bridle line between the lift apparatus and the attachment point. 
     
     
       12. The towing system of  claim 11 , where the rider towline is selectively supportable at one of a plurality of different intermediate locations along the bridle line between the lift apparatus and the attachment point. 
     
     
       13. The towing system of  claim 12 , where the towing system is configured so that changing from one of the intermediate locations to another varies an angle of the rider towline that occurs during towing of the water sports apparatus. 
     
     
       14. The towing system of  claim 12 , where the rider towline includes a proximal end adapted to be secured to the towing vessel, and where during towing of the water sports apparatus, the rider towline extends from the towing vessel substantially along the bridle line to a securing device at a selected one of the plurality of different intermediate locations, and then beyond the securing device the rider towline is free to diverge away from the bridle line. 
     
     
       15. The towing system of  claim 11 , where the lift apparatus includes a float adapted to maintain the lift apparatus afloat on the body of water while not in flight. 
     
     
       16. The towing system of  claim 11 , where the lift apparatus includes a base adapted to enable the lift apparatus to plane over the body of water while not in flight. 
     
     
       17. The towing system of  claim 16 , where the base includes plural elongate float runners, each having a downwardly extending fin. 
     
     
       18. A towing system for towing a water sports apparatus over a body of water behind a towing vessel, comprising:
 a lift apparatus;  
 a bridle line having a distal end adapted to be connected to the lift apparatus and a proximal end adapted to be secured to the towing vessel;  
 a rider towline having a distal end with a handle adapted to be gripped by a rider of the water sports apparatus and a proximal end adapted to be secured to the towing vessel; and  
 a securing device positioned at an intermediate location along the bridle line and adapted to engage the bridle line and the rider towline so that, when the proximal end of the bridle line and the proximal end of the rider towline are secured to the towing vessel, a portion of the rider towline between the handle and the proximal end is drawn upward upon rising of the lift apparatus.  
 
     
     
       19. A method of towing a water sports apparatus and rider across a body of water, comprising:
 providing a towing vessel;  
 attaching a lift apparatus to the towing vessel with a bridle line;  
 providing a rider towline with a handle to be gripped by the rider;  
 engaging the rider towline with the bridle line; and  
 accelerating the towing vessel to a desired towing speed while the handle of the rider towline is held by the rider, thereby causing the lift apparatus to fly above and behind the towing vessel, where engaging the rider towline with the bridle line is performed so that, when the handle of the rider towline is gripped by the rider, the rider two line exceeds upward from the handle toward the bridle line and is supported at an intermediate location along the bridle line, the intermediate location being between the lift apparatus and the towing vessel.  
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 19 , where the lift apparatus includes a float adapted to maintain the lift apparatus afloat on the body of water while not in flight. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 19 , where the lift apparatus includes a base adapted to enable the lift apparatus to plane over the body of water while not in flight. 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 21 , where the base includes plural elongate float runners, each having a downwardly extending fin. 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 19 , where the intermediate location is one of a plurality of different intermediate locations along the bridle line, and where the method includes selecting a desired one of a plurality of different intermediate locations, and where engaging the rider towline with the bride line is performed so that the bridle line is supported at the desired one of the plurality of different intermediate locations. 
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 23 , where selecting a desired one of a plurality of different intermediate locations is performed based on a desired relative angle of the rider towline during towing of the water sports apparatus. 
     
     
       25. A towing system, comprising:
   a lift apparatus comprising a kite or other airfoil, the kite or other airfoil having a body with a leading edge, a trailing edge, and two opposing edges therebetween, with a float disposed on each opposing edge enabling the kite or other airfoil to plane or skim over a surface while being towed below a speed that causes it to lift, and to lift off the surface and fully deploy at a speed between about  5  to about  18  miles per hours, and when fully deployed to provide a vertical, upwardly directed force to a line to a rider, enhancing the ability of a rider to jump off the surface, but generally allowing the rider to maintain contact with the surface during towing,        wherein the body comprises a top surface portion with downwardly extending side surface portions and the opposing edges are bottom edges of the side portions.      
     
     
       26. The towing system of  claim 25  wherein the lift apparatus is structurally configured so that when aloft, the side surface portions provide significant lateral stability so as to track in the direction a towing vehicle is traveling and the lift apparatus is structurally configured with one or more inflatable components to maintain the structure of the lift apparatus when inflated.  
     
     
       27. The towing system of  claim 25 , further comprising:
   a bridle line and rider towline that are coupled together and arranged so that:    ( i )  a first end of a towline is for coupling the system to a towing vehicle,      ( ii )  a second end of the towline is for coupling the system to a handle apparatus for a rider,      ( iii )  an end of the bridle end is for coupling to a lift apparatus comprising a kite or other airfoil, and      ( iv )  when the lift apparatus is coupled to the bridle line end and is towed at a speed of deployment by a vehicle coupled to the end of the towline, the lift apparatus is capable of applying the upwardly directed force to the line to a rider via the arrangement of lines, enhancing the ability of a rider to jump off the surface, but generally allowing the rider to maintain contact with the surface during towing.        
     
     
       28. A method of making a towing system, comprising a kite:
   structurally configuring a material into one or more panels forming the kite;        providing means for coupling the kit to a bridle line;        providing one or more floats in the kite enabling the kite to plane or skim over a water surface while being towed below a speed that causes it to lift;        wherein the overall kite with floats is enabled to lift off the water surface and fully deploy at a speed between about  5  to about  18  miles per hours and when fully deployed to provide a vertical, upwardly directed force to a line to a rider, enhancing the ability of a rider to jump off the surface, but generally allowing the rider to maintain contact with the surface during towing; and        wherein the body comprises a top portion with downwardly extending side surface portions and the opposing edges are the bottom edges of the side portions.      
     
     
       29. The method of  claim 28  wherein the kite is structurally configured so that when aloft the side surface portions provide significant lateral stability so as to track in the direction a towing vehicle is traveling, and wherein the kite is structurally configured with one or more inflatable components to maintain the structure of the lift apparatus when inflated.  
     
     
       30. The method of  claim 29 , further comprising:
   providing a bridle line and rider towline, and coupling and arranging them so that:    ( i )  a first end of the towline is for coupling the system to a towing vehicle,      ( ii )  a second end of the towline is for coupling the system to a handle apparatus for a rider,      ( iii )  an end of a bridle line is for coupling to the kite, and      ( iv )  when the kite is coupled to the bridle line end and is towed at a speed of deployment by a vehicle coupled to the second end, the kite via the arrangement of lines is capable of applying the upwardly directed force to the line to a rider, enhancing the ability of a rider to jump off the surface, but generally allowing the rider to maintain contact with the surface during towing.