iSAIL TO SKIS ADAPTOR" Background Art The present invention relates to a mounting to receive a sail mast, to enable the mast and its associated sail to be attached directly or indirectly to the feet of a user. The user's feet would then be supported by skis, skates (both ice and roller) boards or any other ridable device whereby the user can be propelled by the wind across a surface. More particularly the present invention relates to a mounting for a sail mast, the mounting being adapted to be used in combination with snow skis.

Previously known skate and ski sailing devices have had a mounting member which extends between the feet of the user and is generally attached to the user's footwear. However the user's feet are in a fixed relationship relative to the position at which the mast is fixed to the mounting member. More particularly, the mast is held in a position whereat the mast is always generally centrally located between the feet of the user.

It is a disadvantageous of the above discussed previously known skate and skiing devices, that any shock loading from the mast is directly applied to the feet of the user. It is the object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the above disadvantages, by providing a means whereby the mast is not held at all time at a position centrally between the user's feet.

Disclosure of Invention There is disclosed herein a mounting for a sail mast to enable the mast to be attached, directly or indirectly, to the feet of a user, said mounting comprising, an elongated base to extend longitudinally between the feet of the user, a mast attachment means located generally centrally of said base and adapted to receive a mast such that said mast can rotate about two generally perpendicular axes relative to said base, resilient means attached to said base and extending there along so as to be located on opposite sides of said attachment means, coupling means to

fix the feet of said user to said resilient member so that said user's feet are located on opposite sides of said attachment means, and wherein said resilient means is adapted to allow relative movement between the user's feet and said mast by resilient deformation of said resilient member.

Brief Description of Drawings A preferred form of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a ski sailer;

Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of a mast mounting employed by the ski sailer of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a schematic sectioned side elevation of the mounting of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a schematic perspective view of an alternative mast mounting to that of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a schematic sectioned side elevation of the mast mounting of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a schematic sectioned side elevation of a means of attaching the mast mounting of Figures 2 and 4 to the footwear of a user;

Figure 7 is a schematic perspective view of the mounting pad employed in Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a schematic plan view of the mounting pad of Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a schematic front elevation of the elongated base employed in the mast mounting of Figures 2 and 4;

Figure 10 is a schematic sectioned side elevation of the attachment means of Figure 6;

Figure 11 is a schematic plan view of the attachment means of Figure 10; Figure 12 is a schematic front elevation of a mounting means to attach the sail mounting of Figures 2 and 4 directly to a snow ski; and

Figure 13 is a schematic side elevation of the mounting of Figure 12.

Best Mode of Carrying Out the Invention and Industrial Applicability In Figures 1 to 3 there is schematically depicted a mast mounting 10 to be used for ski sailing. The mounting 10 is attached to the footwear 11 of a user 12. The mounting 10 receives a mast 13 which in co-operation with a wish bone boom 15 supports a sail 14. The sail 14 is tensioned at its trailing edge by the boom 15, and is tensioned between the top of the mast 16 and the lower end of the mast 17. The mounting 10 has an elongated base 18 formed of tubular material, which base 18 extends longitudinally between the feet of the user 12. Located generally centrally of the base 18 is a mast attachment assembly 19. The mast attachment assembly 19 includes a body 20 having a central passage 21 through which a flexible line 22 passes. The flexible line 22 passes through an aperture 23 in the base 18 and has one end fixed within the base 18. Also located within the passage 21 is a cleat 24 which engages the line 22 to fix the body 20 to the base 18. There is also provided a strengthening plate 25 within the base 18. The body 20 is also provided with a male coupling 26 which is received within the lower end of the mast 13. The body 20, in co-operation with the line 22, attaches the mast 13 to the base 18 so as to enable rotation of the mast 13 about at least two perpendicular axes. More particularly, the mast 13 is attached to the base 18 so as to enable universal joint movement therebetween.

In use it is preferred that the body 20 rest against the base 18 and more particularly, the body 20 is provided with a frusto-conical surface 27 which abuts the base 18 in a tangential manner.

Fixed to the base 18 are a pair of elongated resilient members 28 which have their extremities fixed to the base 18. The resilient members 28 are equally spaced on opposite sides of the mast attachment assembly 19. Attached to each resilient member 28 is a ring 29 which extends around the base 18 and is slidable therealong.

The footwear of the user is attached to the rings 19

by means of straps 30.

In use of the above described preferred embodiment of the present invention, a user wishing to employ the mounting 10 with snow skis 31, would fix the ski boots to the skis 31 and then in turn attach the straps 30 to the ski boots 11.

It is an advantage of the above described preferred embodiment that the mast 13 is allowed to deviate from a central position between the feet of the user 12. Additionally the resilient members 28 allow relative movement of the mast 13 and the user's feet in order to provide some shock absorption by resilient deformation of the members 28. Still further the resilient members 28 allow relative movement between the feet of the user in addition to the mast 13.

In Figures 4 and 5 there is schematically depicted a mounting 40 of an alternative construction to that depicted in Figure 2. In this particular embodiment the base 18 is attached to the mast 13 via an eyelet 41. The .eyelet 41 extends through the base 18 and is fixed thereto so as to be rotatable about the axis 42. The eyelet 41 is provided with a ring 43. The mast 13 is mounted on a body 45 having a first male member 46 which is received within the lower end of the mast 13, and a second male member 44 which passes through the ring 43. The body 45 also has a flange 47 which abuts the ring 43.

In Figures 6 to 8 and 10 and 11 there is schematically depicted an attachment 60 for the footwear 61 of a user to enable attachment of the mast mounting 10 (of Figure 1) to the footwear 61 of the user. The attachment

10 has a pair of co-operating clamp members 62 and 63 which co-operate to define a passage 64 through which the base 18 slidably passes. The clamp members 62 and 63 also provide a recess 65 within which one of the members 28 is clampingly located. The clamp members 62 and 63 are held together by bolts 66, with one of the bolts 66 being provided with a cam catch 67. The cam catch 67 urges the clamp member 63 towards the member 62 so that the members 62 and 63 clampingly engage the member 28.

The attachment 60 further includes a mounting plate 68 which is generally flexible. The plate 68 is clamped to the member 62 by a further plate 69. Located between the user's footwear 61 and the attachment 60 is a load distributing pad 70. The attachment is then secured to the user's footwear 61 by means of a strap 71 extending around the footwear 61 in a "figure 8" configuration.

Turning particularly to Figure 10, wherein a modification of the attachment 60 is depicted. In this particular embodiment the attachment 80 has clamp members 81 and 82 through which bolts 83 pass. This attachment 80 is basically the same as the attachment 60 of Figure 6 however a serrated washer 84 is provided to aid in retaining the resilient member 28 in a position fixed to the attachment 80.

In Figure 9 there is schematically depicted the elongated base 18 in a position extending between the footwear 11 of the user. It can be noted that preferably the user's footwear 11 are attached to the resilient members 28 so that there is an "overhang" 72.

In Figures 12 and 13 there is schematically depicted an attachment 90 to attach the mounting 10 of Figure 2 or the mounting 40 of Figure 4 to a ski 91. The attachment 90 has a body 92 provided with an eyelet 93 through which the member 18 slidably passes. The body 92 is provided with two flanges 94 which engage the side edges 95 of the ski 91. The flanges 94 would be urged into clamping engagement with the ski 91 by means of screws 96.. .A protective pad 97 would be sandwiched between the flanges 94 and the sides 95 of the ski 91. Preferably the flanges 94 would be provided with lugs 98 to facilitate attachment to the ski 91. The flexible elongated members 28 would then be attached to the footwear of the user.