Patent ID: 7296527

Claim:
Apparatus for securing a mooring line of a vessel, the mooring line having an eye, said apparatus comprising: a hook around which the eye of the mooring line can be secured, the hook having a pair of hook members defining a gap therebetween; and guide means configured to guide a heaving line attached to said eye along a path which passes through said gap whereby when said heaving line heaves the eye past the hook, the eye locates over the hook, wherein said guide means includes first and second guide members, the first guide member being on a vessel side of the hook, and the second guide member being on the opposite side of the hook to the first guide member, the first and second guide members being located relative to the hook, such that when said heaving line heaves said eye past the hook, the eye is brought to a position below the highest point of said hook to thereby locate the eye over the hook; and wherein said first guide member is mounted so that it can pivot vertically relative to said hook.