Patent ID: 7422394

Claim:
A tendon ( 120 ) for tensilely mooring a floating body to a foundation member ( 52 ) disposed at a bed of a body of water, the tendon comprising: an uppermost pipe segment ( 27 ) characterized by a connector outer diameter and having a top end and a bottom end and arranged and designed for connection to said floating body beneath the surface of said body of water; a first pipe segment ( 122 ) characterized by a first outer diameter and having a top end and a bottom end, said top end of said first pipe segment connected to said bottom end of said uppermost pipe segment; a second pipe segment ( 124 ) characterized by a second outer diameter greater than said first outer diameter of said first pipe segment and having a top end and a bottom end, said top end of said second pipe segment axially connected to said bottom end of said first pipe segment; and a lower connector assembly ( 50 ) coupled to said bottom end of said second pipe segment and arranged and designed for connecting to said foundation member.