Patent ID: 7168385

Claim:
An apparatus for tethering a watercraft having a wall with an exterior surface and an interior surface, the apparatus comprising: a first housing adapted to be mounted with respect to the exterior surface of the watercraft, the first housing including an outer surface and an abutment surface adapted to be positioned adjacent the exterior surface of the watercraft, the first housing further comprising a countersunk aperture including a passage and a countersunk recess in communication with the passage, wherein the countersunk recess is enlarged with respect to the passage and wherein a structure of the first housing forms the countersunk recess and includes at least a portion of the abutment surface, and further wherein the abutment surface and a periphery of the first housing are configured to be positioned adjacent one side of a substantially continuous exterior surface of a watercraft with the abutment surface positioned between the countersunk recess and the one side of the substantially continuous exterior surface; a second housing including an interior area, wherein the second housing is adapted to be mounted with respect to the interior surface of the watercraft; an elongated flexible line threaded through the passage of the first housing and including a first end portion and a second end portion; a spool rotatably mounted within the interior area of the second housing, the first end portion of the elongated flexible line being attached to the spool; a biasing member adapted to urge the spool to automatically uptake portions of the elongated flexible line; and a locking device attached to the second end portion of the elongated flexible line and at least partially positioned within the countersunk recess of the countersunk aperture, the locking device and the passage of the countersunk aperture being configured to limit automatic uptake of portions of the elongated flexible line, wherein the biasing member is adapted to urge the locking device to be at least partially positioned within the countersunk recess, and wherein the locking device is adapted to be pulled from the countersunk recess and thereafter engaged with an intermediate portion of the elongated flexible line to form a mooring loop.