Abstract:
A device for mooring a boat has an elongate handle with proximal and distal ends. The distal end has an eyelet. A flexible mooring line with a first end is joined to the eyelet and a second end is adapted to join to the boat. The line extends through the eyelet and about an exterior of the handle member to the proximal end to form a loop at the distal end. The size of the loop can be adjusted by feeding more or less of the line through the eyelet. A flexible retaining line is joined to the proximal end and adapted to join to the boat.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefits of provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/123,796, filed on Mar. 3, 1999, in the United States Patent &amp; Trademark Office. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This invention relates to a boat mooring device. More particularly, this invention relates to a device for ready attachment and release of a boat to a securing object. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Historically, there has been no easy means to moor a boat to a securing object, such as a tree stump or piling, especially if the securing object is near or below the surface of the water. Generally, a boat is moored by tying a rope around the securing object and anchoring that rope to a cleat or other mooring member on the boat. If the securing object is not directly adjacent to the boat and at approximately the same level as the boat, the user must either lay on the boat deck and reach out over the water or toss the rope as a lasso. This can be difficult when conditions are windy or waves cause the boat to bob, as is often the case in open water. Further, once the rope has been placed around the securing object, it must be tied. Tying the rope in windy or rough water conditions is difficult. 
     Several patents show devices to aid a user in mooring a boat. U.S. Pat. No. 5,586,514 depicts a device with a rope passed through the inside of an elongate handle. A loop is formed on one end by passing the rope through a smaller flexible tube. This allows the loop to remain open so the it can easily be used to snare a boat dock cleat, pole or other device when docking. The tubular handle is used to extend the user&#39;s reach, aiding in snaring the dock cleat. A loop is also formed on the other end of the handle to fit over the boat cleat. The loop used to snare the dock cleat is fixed and not adjustable, thus, it cannot be pulled tight around various sizes of stumps or pilings and is susceptible to slipping off. 
     Other devices, such as the one depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 4,519,643, have adjustable loops, but also employ many complicated sleeves and bushings to adjust the loop and extend the handle, all which increase expense and weight of the device. Still others, as depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 5,799,602 have a forked tray which holds the loop for placement over the securing object. Once over the securing object, the forked tray can be removed, allowing the loop to be tightened. This however, is limited by the distance between the thongs of the tray, as the forked tray must be able to fit over the securing object. Also if the securing object is beneath the water, the rope may tend to float off the object unless cinched tight. Finally, upon removal of the forked device, there is no provision to keep the boat spaced from the securing object. 
     Therefore, there is a need for a light weight, simple boat mooring device. The device should space the boat from the securing object and be able to accommodate various widths of securing objects. Further, the device should tighten about the securing device to secure the boat. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is drawn to a simple boat mooring device which can accommodate various sizes of securing objects. The device has an elongate handle member with proximal and distal ends. The distal end has an eyelet. A flexible mooring line has a first end joined to the eyelet, and a second end adapted to join to the boat. The line extends through the eyelet and about an exterior of the handle member to the proximal end to form a loop at the distal end. The size of the loop can be adjusted by feeding more or less of the line through the eyelet. A flexible retaining line is joined to the proximal end of the handle member and adapted to join to the boat to retain the handle member at the boat. Any tension on the mooring line due to movement of the boat passes only through the mooring line and not through the handle member or retaining line. 
     The retaining line and the second end of the mooring line each have a loop adapted to fit closely over a cleat on a boat. The mooring line is preferably non-buoyant and resilient, such that the loop tends to remain open and substantially in line with the handle member when supported at the eyelet. The mooring line comprises a first portion and a second portion, wherein the second portion is more flexible than the first portion. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an elevation view of a boat mooring device constructed in accordance with this invention. 
     FIG. 2 is an elevation view of the boat mooring device of FIG. 1, shown in use securing a boat. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring first to FIG. 1, a boat mooring device  10  constructed in accordance with this invention generally has a handle member  12  with an first eyelet  14  at one end and a second eyelet  16  at the other. Eyelets  14 ,  16  are positioned along the same axis as the longitudinal axis of handle member  12 . Handle member  12  is constructed of an inexpensive material such as PVC piping, other plastic, or wood and having a relatively high strength to weight ratio and constructed to float. It has been found that between three (3) and three and one half (3½) feet is a desirable length for handle member  12 . To further reduce the weight of handle  12 , it may be tubular. For ease of construction, eyelets  14 ,  16  can be conventional eye-bolts threaded into the ends of handle member  12 . In one embodiment, handle member  12  is a length of standard PVC pipe with conventional PVC caps joined to either end. Eyelets  14 ,  16  are conventional eye-bolts retained in the caps with a nut. 
     A mooring line  18  has one end joined to first eyelet  14  and is passed back through first eyelet  14  to form a mooring loop  20 . There is more than enough line  18  to allow mooring loop  20  to be enlarged to fit over a typical securing object  21  (FIG.  2 ), for example a stump or piling, and extend back along the exterior of handle member  12  to its other end. Preferably, the length is slightly longer than the length of handle member  12 . Line  18  may be a wire rope, synthetic cord, or other material having a stiffness or resiliency such that mooring loop  20  tends to remain open and substantially in line with handle member  12  when supported at eyelet  14 . Additionally, it is desirable that line  18  be non-buoyant, so that when placed in the water it can readily be guided around submerged objects and once secured does not tend to float off. 
     The free end of mooring line  18  has a mooring cleat loop  22 . Line  18  may be constructed in parts  18   a ,  18   b  with the part  18   b  having mooring cleat loop  22  constructed from a more flexible material, such as polypropylene rope, than the part  18   a  having the mooring loop  20 . The two part line  18   a ,  18   b  facilitates handling and anchoring to cleat  30 . 
     Second eyelet  16  has a retaining line  24  joined thereto; wherein retaining line  24  has a small retaining cleat loop  26  similar to mooring cleat loop  22  at its free end. Cleat loops  22 ,  26  are sized to fit closely over a conventional marine cleat  30  (FIG.  2 ). Retaining line  24  is used to retain the proximal end of handle  12  with the boat, not to moor the boat. Retaining line  24  is a more flexible material than mooring line  18 , such as polypropylene rope, to facilitate handling and securing to cleat  30 . 
     In use, a user on boat  32  grasps the boat mooring device  10  by handle member  12  and line  18 . Line  18  is then fed through eyelet  14  to enlarge mooring loop  20 , and mooring loop  20  is placed over securing object  21 . If object  21  is larger than the largest loop  20  which can be made by line  18 , additional rope or line can be secured to mooring cleat loop  22 . If securing object  21  is beneath the water line, line  18  will sink to facilitate placement of the mooring loop  20 . The user then draws line  18  inward to tighten mooring loop  20  around the securing object  21  and pulls boat  32  towards object  21 . Retaining cleat loop  26  and mooring cleat loop  22  are then each placed over cleat  30 . Preferably, lines  18  and  24  are secured so that the length of mooring line  18  will be shorter than the length of handle  12 , plus retaining line  24 . A user can compensate for slack in line  18 , or draw boat  32  closer to securing object  21  by wrapping line  18   b  around the cleat  30 . If loop  20  becomes loose and object  21  is beneath the water line, loop  20  will not float off. 
     As currents and wind move boat  32  away from securing object  21 , the tension force is applied through mooring line  18 , not through handle  12  and retaining line  24 . Retaining line  24  only serves to allow ready access of a user to the proximal end of handle  12 . Optionally, the user may not place retaining cleat loop  26  over cleat  30  and allow the handle to float freely in the water. Tension forces do not pass through handle  12 . Further, handle  12  does not serve as a fender or standoff, if the boat moves toward securing object  21 . Handle  12  does not receive compression forces. 
     To remove the boat mooring device  10 , the user releases retaining cleat loop  26  and mooring cleat loop  22  from the boat cleat  30 , and handle member  12  is retrieved by pulling in retaining line  24 . If retaining cleat loop  26  was not placed over cleat  30 , the user can pull boat  32  closer to securing object  21  by pulling line  18 , and then retrieve handle  12 . The user then feeds line  18  through eyelet  14  to enlarge the mooring loop  20 , and mooring loop  20  is lifted from securing object  21 . The entire device  10  can be stored on board. 
     To store boat mooring device  10 , line  18  is drawn in towards line  24  and each line wrapped around handle  12 . Line  18  and line  24  wrapped around handle  12  can be secured with a rubber band or quick release strap, thus allowing boat mooring device  10  to be stored conveniently in narrow storage areas common on water craft. 
     The boat mooring device of this invention has many advantages. It is simple and light weight, making it both inexpensive to manufacture and maneuverable and easy to use. The adjustable loop can accommodate many sizes of securing objects, including small branches and large post pilings or tree trunk stumps. If the supplied line is not enough to capture the piling, more line can be easily added to increase the size of the loop. Once over the securing object, the loop can be secured, thus preventing the loop from slipping off. If the loop is loose about the securing object, the loop will not tend to float off the securing object because it is not buoyant. The tensile forces of the boat pulling against the securing object are carried in the mooring line. 
     While this invention has been shown in only one of its forms, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible to various changes without departing from the scope of the invention.