Rhodan Marine Systems of Florida, LLC

Richard William Ambler

Lindsay Ambler

Charles M Armstrong

Tom Mogle

This application describes clutch mechanisms for use in a steering control system, e.g., a steering control system used to steer a trolling motor for a boat. Such clutch mechanisms can reduce and avoid damage to the steering control system (e.g., a steering motor) when the system is subjected to unusually large impact loads (e.g., when the trolling motor or boat contacts an obstruction). The clutches described in this application can be used to decouple the steering control system from a steering shaft (or other drive mechanism) upon application of a large impact load, thus reducing damage to and increasing the lifespan of such system. In some cases, the clutch is a ball and spring mechanism. In other cases, the clutch is a slip tooth mechanism.

Clutch mechanisms for steering control system

Described herein are examples of stiffening shafts, which in some cases are adapted to couple to a marine vessel. An exemplary stiffening shaft can be used to extend a motor from the marine vessel or be used as a shallow water stick anchor. The exemplary stiffening shafts can include a plurality of linked vertebrae stacked to form a column and at least one inelastic tension element threaded longitudinally through the plurality of vertebrae. The shaft can have a flexible configuration when the at least one tension element is released and a stiffened linear configuration when the tension element is tensed to react to torque and bending moments. Alternatively, the stiffening shaft can be used as a shallow water stick anchor for a marine vessel by piercing the bottom of a marine environment (e.g., a sea bed, a lake bed, a river bed, etc.).

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Myakka City, FL, United States of America

Richard William Ambler