Patent ID: 7798085

Claim:
Apparatus comprising: at least one elongated member extendable between a waterborne vessel and a structure located proximate to the waterborne vessel, said at least one elongated member being releasably engageable with the waterborne vessel; a decoupler disposed upon the waterborne vessel and associated with said at least one elongated member, said decoupler being configured to release said at least one elongated member from the waterborne vessel when the distance between the waterborne vessel and the structure exceeds a desired distance; and a cable extendable between the waterborne vessel and the structure, said cable including at least a first portion useful to anchor said cable to the structure and at least a second portion useful to releasably attach said cable to the waterborne vessel, said second portion being associated with and capable of actuating said decoupler, wherein said second portion of said cable is capable of both causing said decoupler to release said at least one elongated member from the waterborne vessel and disconnecting said cable from the waterborne vessel when the distance between the waterborne vessel and the structure exceeds a desired distance.