Patent ID: 7694639

Claim:
A retractable mooring line device, comprising a housing comprising side plates, a rotatable reel comprising sidewalls affixed in spaced relation to a hub, rotatably mounted to the side plates of the housing so that the reel is capable of rotating in two directions, the sidewalls each having a peripheral edge and a series of notches about each peripheral edge, and a locking mechanism comprising a latching member comprising a latch positioned and configured to move radially relative to the reel, between an unlocked position in which the latch disengages from the reel and a locked position in which the latch engages at least one of the series of notches about the peripheral edge of each of the sidewalls of the reel engaging both sidewalls to prevent rotation of the reel in both of the two directions, whereby when the latch is engaged to the notches of both sidewalls the reel is prevented from rotation in both of the two directions, and when the latch is disengaged from the notches of both sidewalls the reel is capable of rotation in both of the two directions.