Boat docking line, system and method of use

• US 20110308443A1
• Filed: 08/26/2011
• Published: 12/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Timothy E. Wolf
• Original Assignee: Timothy E. Wolf
• Inventors: Wolf, Timothy E.
• Application Number:
  US13/218,706
• Publication Number:
  US 20110308443A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 114/230.26
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 21/00 Tying-up; Shifting, towing, or pushing equipment; Anchoring of buoys B63B22/04; dynamic anchoring B63H25/00 ; equipment for shipping on coasts, in harbours or on other fixed marine structures, e.g. for landing purposes, E02B
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 22/04 Fixations or other anchoring arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

An improved boat docking line and related method for docking a boat, comprising: a first line section at least three feet in length; a second line section at least three feet in length; a juncture at which the first and second line section meet; and a fixed-circumference docking loop at said juncture. An alternative embodiment further comprises a boat fender attached to the second line section.

Claims

1. An improved boat docking line for docking a boat, comprising:

a first line section at least three feet in length;

a second line section at least three feet in length;

a juncture at which said first and second line sections meet; and

a fixed-circumference docking loop at said juncture.

2. The improved boat docking line of claim 1, wherein:

when said first line section is attached to a first mooring fixture and said second line section is attached to a second mooring fixture spatially separated from the first mooring fixture by a predetermined fixture separation distance, a sum of a free length of said first line section plus a free length of said second line section length is no greater than one-hundred-twenty-five percent (125%) of said fixture separation distance;

whereby;

a desired tautness for docking the boat is preconfigured into said boat docking line.

3. The improved boat docking line of claim 2, wherein said docking loop is positioned within five feet of an expected location of a boat cleat to which said docking loop is to be attached when the boat comprising the boat cleat is docked, whereby said docking loop is maintained in a controllably-situated position even while the boat is not docked.

4. The improved boat docking line of claim 1, further comprising omitting a support configured to attach the improved boat docking line to a mooring fixture.

5. The improved boat docking line of claim 4, further comprising omitting an elongate arm configured to be grasped at or near a proximal end by a person and configured such that said omitted support can be attached at or near an opposite distal end so that attachment to the mooring fixture can be carried out by the person at a distance from the mooring fixture.

6. The improved boat docking line of claim 1, wherein:

said first line section is attached to a first mooring fixture; and

said second line section is attached to a second mooring fixture spatially separated from the first mooring fixture by a predetermined fixture separation distance.

7. The improved boat docking line of claim 6, wherein said the improved boat docking line is preconfigured for uniformly-repeatable docking by having attached said docking loop to a boat cleat of the boat while the boat was situated at a dock at which the boat is to be docked, before said first line section was attached to the first mooring fixture and before said second line section was attached to the second mooring fixture, such that said first line section was attached to the first mooring fixture and said second line section was attached to the second mooring fixture with a desired preconfigured tautness.

8. The improved boat docking line of claim 6, wherein a sum of a free length of said first line section plus a free length of said second line section length is no greater than one-hundred-twenty-five percent (125%) of said fixture separation distance;

whereby;

a desired tautness for docking the boat is preconfigured into said boat docking line.

9. The improved boat docking line of claim 8, wherein said docking loop is positioned within five feet of an expected location of a boat cleat to which said docking loop is to be attached when the boat comprising the boat cleat is docked, whereby said docking loop is maintained in a controllably-situated position even while the boat is not docked.

10. The improved boat docking line of claim 8, wherein said docking loop is attached to boat cleat of the boat, such that said improved boat docking line tautly maintains a stable position for the docked boat due to said sum of said free lengths and said position of said docking loop at said juncture.

11. The improved boat docking line of claim 9, wherein said docking loop is attached to boat cleat of the boat, such that said improved boat docking line tautly maintains a stable position for the docked boat due to said sum of said free lengths and said position of said docking loop at said juncture within five feet of the expected location of the boat cleat, whereby said docking loop is maintained in a controllably-situated position even while the boat is not docked.

12. A method for docking a boat using an improved boat docking line, comprising:

providing an improved boat docking line comprising;

a first line section at least three feet in length;

a second line section at least three feet in length;

a juncture at which said first and second line sections meet; and

a fixed-circumference docking loop at said juncture;

attaching said first line section to a first mooring fixture; and

attaching said second line section to a second mooring fixture spatially separated from the first mooring fixture by a predetermined fixture separation distance.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

preconfiguring said improved boat docking line for uniformly-repeatable docking by attaching said docking loop to a boat cleat of the boat while the boat is situated at a dock at which the boat is to be docked, before said attaching said first line section to the first mooring fixture and said attaching said second line section to the second mooring fixture; and

said attaching said first line section to the first mooring fixture and said attaching said second line section to the second mooring fixture with a desired preconfigured tautness.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein:

a sum of a free length of said first line section plus a free length of said second line section length is no greater than one-hundred-twenty-five percent (125%) of said fixture separation distance;

whereby;

a desired tautness for docking the boat is preconfigured into said boat docking line.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said docking loop is positioned within five feet of an expected location of a boat cleat to which said docking loop is to be attached when the boat comprising the boat cleat is docked, whereby said docking loop is maintained in a controllably-situated position even while the boat is not docked.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising omitting a support configured to attach the improved boat docking line to a mooring fixture.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising omitting an elongate arm configured to be grasped at or near a proximal end by a person and configured such that said omitted support can be attached at or near an opposite distal end so that attachment to the mooring fixture can be carried out by the person at a distance from the mooring fixture.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein said docking loop is positioned within five feet of an expected location of a boat cleat to which said docking loop is to be attached when the boat comprising the boat cleat is docked, whereby said docking loop is maintained in a controllably-situated position even while the boat is not docked.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising maintaining a stable position for the docked boat by attaching said docking loop to a boat cleat of the boat, due to said sum of said free lengths and said position of said docking loop at said juncture.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising maintaining a stable position for the docked boat by attaching said docking loop to a boat cleat of the boat, due to said sum of said free lengths and said position of said docking loop at said juncture and said position of said docking loop at said juncture within five feet of the expected location of the boat cleat, whereby said docking loop is maintained in a controllably-situated position even while the boat is not docked.