초록 ▼

A waterfowl decoy continuous motion system is provided. A self-propelled floating decoy is tethered to a submerged line supported below the surface of a body of water by stakes driven into the water bottom. The decoy has a skeg attached to the bottom of the decoy. The skeg is positioned at an angle

A waterfowl decoy continuous motion system is provided. A self-propelled floating decoy is tethered to a submerged line supported below the surface of a body of water by stakes driven into the water bottom. The decoy has a skeg attached to the bottom of the decoy. The skeg is positioned at an angle offset from a longitudinal axis extending along the length of the body of the decoy. The tether is slidably attached to the submerged line, and a swivel located on the tether allows the decoy to rotate freely. The decoy is guided by the line as it moves across the surface of the water. When the tether reaches a stopper near each end of the line, the decoy makes a 180-degree turn in an arcing path and then travels in the opposite direction. The decoy repeats this process in a continuous loop.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A waterfowl decoy motion system, said system comprising: a. a waterfowl decoy comprising a buoyant body, said decoy having a propulsion device attached to the decoy for moving the decoy along the surface of a body of water, said decoy further comprising a skeg positioned at a fixed angle offset i

1. A waterfowl decoy motion system, said system comprising: a. a waterfowl decoy comprising a buoyant body, said decoy having a propulsion device attached to the decoy for moving the decoy along the surface of a body of water, said decoy further comprising a skeg positioned at a fixed angle offset in a horizontal direction from a longitudinal axis extending along the length of the body of the decoy by at least one degree;b. a length of flexible line having two ends, each end securely attached to a stationary structure such that the line is substantially taut, said line disposed below the surface of the water; and,c. a tether having two ends, the first end slidably attached to the line, the second end securely attached to the decoy, said tether comprising at least one swivel such that the decoy can freely rotate in any direction. 2. The system of claim 1, said stationary structure comprising a stake driven into the water bottom, said stake configured such that the line can be securely attached to the stake at a point below the surface of the water. 3. The system of claim 1, further comprising two stoppers attached to the line for stopping the forward motion of the decoy, each stopper attached substantially near each end of the line. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the skeg is positioned at an angle offset from the longitudinal axis by about 20 degrees to about 50 degrees. 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the skeg is positioned at an angle offset from the longitudinal axis by about 30 degrees to about 45 degrees. 6. The system of claim 1, said propulsion device comprising a submersible thruster attached to the bottom of the decoy. 7. The system of claim 1, said tether comprising two swivels, each swivel disposed substantially near each end of the tether. 8. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one additional decoy tethered to the decoy having the propulsion device such that the at least one additional decoy is pulled behind the decoy having the propulsion device. 9. The system of claim 8, said tether connecting the at least one additional decoy to the decoy having the propulsion device comprising a rigid fixture such that the at least one additional decoy remains in a fixed position relative to the decoy having the propulsion device. 10. A waterfowl decoy motion system, said system comprising: a. a waterfowl decoy comprising a buoyant body, said decoy having a propulsion device attached to the decoy for moving the decoy along the surface of a body of water, said decoy further comprising a skeg positioned at a fixed angle offset in a horizontal direction from a longitudinal axis extending along the length of the body of the decoy by about 30 degrees to about 45 degrees;b. two stakes driven into the water bottom, each stake having at least one attachment element disposed above the water bottom and below the surface of the water;c. a length of flexible line having two ends, each end securely attached to an attachment element of each stake, respectively, such that the line is substantially taut, said line disposed below the surface of the water;d. two stoppers attached to the line for stopping the forward motion of the decoy, each stopper attached substantially near each end of the line; and,e. a tether having two ends, the first end slidably attached to the line, the second end securely attached to the decoy, said tether comprising at least one swivel such that the decoy can freely rotate in any direction. 11. The system of claim 10, said propulsion device comprising a submersible thruster attached to the bottom of the decoy. 12. The system of claim 10, said tether comprising two swivels, each swivel disposed substantially near each end of the tether. 13. The system of claim 10, further comprising at least one additional decoy tethered to the decoy having the propulsion device such that the at least one additional decoy is pulled behind the decoy having the propulsion device. 14. The system of claim 13, said tether connecting the at least one additional decoy to the decoy having the propulsion device comprising a rigid fixture such that the at least one additional decoy remains in a fixed position relative to the decoy having the propulsion device. 15. A method of continuously moving a waterfowl decoy along a desired path, said method comprising the following steps: a. providing a waterfowl decoy comprising a buoyant body, said decoy having a propulsion device attached to the decoy for moving the decoy along the surface of a body of water, said decoy further comprising a skeg positioned at a fixed angle offset in a horizontal direction from a longitudinal axis extending along the length of the body of the decoy by at least one degree;b. driving two stakes into the water bottom at a desired distance from each other, each stake having at least one attachment element disposed above the water bottom and below the surface of the water;c. securely attaching each end of a length of flexible line to an attachment element of each stake, respectively, such that the line is substantially taut, said line disposed below the surface of the water;d. attaching two stoppers to the line for stopping the forward motion of the decoy, each stopper attached substantially near each end of the line;e. connecting the decoy to the line with a tether, said tether having two ends, the first end slidably attached to the line, the second end securely attached to the decoy, said tether comprising at least one swivel such that the decoy can freely rotate in any direction; and,f. activating the propulsion device such that the decoy moves back and forth in a continuous loop guided by the tether as the tether slides along the line. 16. The method of claim 15, said propulsion device comprising a submersible thruster attached to the bottom of the decoy. 17. The method of claim 15, said tether comprising two swivels, each swivel disposed substantially near each end of the tether. 18. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of attaching at least one additional decoy by tethering said additional decoy to the decoy having the propulsion device such that the at least one additional decoy is pulled behind the decoy having the propulsion device. 19. The method of claim 18, said tether connecting the at least one additional decoy to the decoy having the propulsion device comprising a rigid fixture such that the at least one additional decoy remains in a fixed position relative to the decoy having the propulsion device.