Patent ID: 6918345

Claim:
A watercraft lift assembly for selectively lifting a water craft into and out of a waterway, said assembly comprising: a. a support structure installed within said water way, said support structure comprising at least two vertical pilings, said at least two vertical pilings having outer sides and a proximal end; b. at least one transverse beam mounted between said vertical pilings, said beams configured for carrying said watercraft; c. a pulley assembly secured to said support structure and transverse beams, said pulley assembly including a set of lifting cables mounted thereon for selectively lifting said water craft into and out of said waterway, each of said set of cables having a free cable end for mounting to one of said pilings; d. a motor/winch assembly secured to said assembly for activating said pulley assembly; and e. a cable tie-off device for securing said free cable end to one of said vertical pilings, said cable tie-off device comprising (i) a jacket secured about the outer sides of the vertical piling, said jacket comprising first and second opposing brackets configured to engage the sides of the piling, each of said brackets having fastening portions extending from each end of the brackets, such that when said brackets are mounted onto the piling, the fastening portions of said first bracket are aligned with, and secured to, adjacent fastening portions of said second bracket by a fastener engaging each of said adjacent portions; (ii) said jacket further having at least one platform extending from the outer surface of one of said brackets, said platform having a slot communicating therethrough; and (iii) a wedge configured to fit within said slot of said platform, said wedge further having a grooved periphery for maintaining a portion of said free cable end, such that when said wedge in combination with said portion of said free cable end are inserted within said slot, any force pulling said wedge further within said slot locks said wedge therein, thereby preventing slippage of said free cable end therein.