IE20090759U1 - A boat docking apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT A boat docking apparatus (1) includes a docking line (2) having a ring (3) attached at one end of the docking line (2). The other end of the docking line (2) can be attached to a cleat (4) or the like on a clock (5) adjacent a boat docking station. A hanger (7) is provided for supporting the ring (3) in an upright orientation ready for lifting off the hanger (7) by means of a boat hook for example in use. The ring (3) is generally circular and has an outwardly projecting mooring line attachment 1oop(10). The hanger(7)comprises an upright stanchion (15) with a ring holder (16) at an upper end of the stanchion (15). The ring holder (16) has an U-shaped body comprising an inner portion (17) with a pair of spaced—apart ring support arms (l8,l9) extending outwardlly therefrom. The arms (18, 19) are spaced-apart by a distance somewhat less than an internal diameter of the ring (3) so that the ring (3) can be passed over the arms (1$,19) and sat down onto the arms (18, 19). An outwardly facing ring retaining recess is provided at an outer end of each arm (18,l9) so the ring (3) is securely retained at an outer end of the arms (18, 19).

Description

This invention relates to a boat docking apparatus to facilitate mooring a boat at a pier, marina or the like.

It is known to provide various docking aids to assist in the docking of a boat. For example, US5520134 describes a docking aid apparatus disclosing an upright fibre-glass rod mounted on the dock at a boat mooring station for supporting the looped end of a mooring line, the other end of the mooring line being secured to a cieat on the dock. However, it can be difficult to snag the mooring line with a boat hook as the boat approaches the dock and even if the mooring line is snagged it can easily fall away from or run off the boat hook.

The present invention is directed towards providing an improved boat docking apparatus which overcomes these problems.

According to the invention there is provided a boat docking apparatus including a clocking line having a ring attached thereto, and a hanger for supporting the ring in a position for lifting off the hanger. Advantageously, the ring provides a relatively large target and it is relatively easy to slip a boat hook into the ring and lift the ring off the hanger to bring the mooring line on board the boat.

In one embodiment of the invention, the hanger has a ring support arm with means for retaining the ring at an outer end of the arm.

In another embodiment, said ring retaining means comprises a recess in the ring support arm for reception of the ring.

In another embodiment, the hanger has a complementary pair of spaced-apart ring support arms, said arms being spaced-apart by a distance less then an internal diameter of the ring.

In another embodiment, a ring retaining recess is provided at an outer end of each arm, said ring retaining recesses facing outwardly away from each other. in a further embodiment, the apparatus includes a hanger mounting support for mounting at a boat docking station, the hanger being demountably engagable with the hanger mounting support. Thus conveniently the hanger can be taken away when not in use.

In another embodiment, the hanger comprises an upright stanchion on which the/or each ring support arm is mounted. in a preferred embodiment, the stanchion is height adjustable. To facilitate this height adjustment the stanchion may be telescopic. in another embodiment, the stanchion is demountably engagable with the hanger mounting support.

In another embodiment, the stanchion has afoot at a lower end of the stanchion for engagement with the mounting support.

In a further embodiment, the foot is length adjustable for adjustment of the distance between the hanger mounting support and the stanchion.

In another embodiment, the foot is demountably engagable with the hanger mounting support.

Conveniently, the hanger may be of knock-down construction.

The invention will be more clearly understood by the following description of some embodiments thereof, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which; Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a boat docking apparatus according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the apparatus in another position of use; and Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the boat docking apparatus.

Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated a boat docking apparatus according to the invention indicated generally by the reference numeral 1. The apparatus 1 includes a docking line 2 having a ring 3 attached at one end of the docking line 2.

The other end of the docking line 2 can be attached to a cleat 4 or the like on a dock 5 adjacent a boat docking station. A hanger 7 is provided for supporting the ring 3 in an upright orientation ready for lifting off the hanger 7 by means of a boat hook for example in use.

The ring 3 is generally circular and has an outwardly projecting mooring line attachment loop 10. The ring 3 could be of any stiff material that holds its shape so that a relatively large target or opening 12 is provided for threading a boat hook into the ring 3. However, preferably the ring 3 is of metal material such as aluminium which provides sufficient weight to retain the ring 3 on the hanger 7 without any danger of it being blown of the hanger 7 by the wind for example.

The hanger 7 comprises an upright stanchion 15 with a ring holder 16 at an upper end of the stanchion 15. The ring holder 16 has a U—shaped body comprising an inner portion 17 with a pair of spaced—apart ring support arms 18, 19 extending outwardly there from. It will be noted that the arms 18, 29 are spaced—apart by a distance somewhat less than an internal diameter of the ring 3 so that the ring 3 can be passed over the arms 18, 19 and sat down onto the arms 18, 19 as shown in Fig .1. An outwardly facing ring retaining recess 20, 21 is provided at an outer end of each arm 18, 19. Thus the ring 3 is securely retained at an outer end of the arms 18, 19.

The stanchion 15 is of telescopic construction comprising of an outer tubular sleeve 22 and a tubular inner element 23 slidably mounted within the sleeve 22. A.. number of spaced—apart through holes 24 are provided on the inner etement 23.

IE090730 An associated through hole 25 is provided at a top of the sleeve 22. A locking bolt 26 is engagable through the through hole 25 at the top of the sleeve 22 and a selected one of the through holes 24 on the inner element 23 to position the ring holder 16 at a desired height above the dock 5.

The stanchion 15 has a foot 30 at a tower end of the stanchion 15 for demountable engagement with an associated mounting support 32 which in use is fixed to the dock 5 at the mooring station. The foot 30 has two mutually slidable parts, namely a top part 34 having an elongate slot 35 and a bottom part 36. A locking bolt 37 extends through the slot 35 into a threaded receiving hole in the bottom part 36 to clamp the parts 34, 36 together. A downwardly depending cylindrical plug 39 at an outer end of the bottom part 36 engages within a complementary cylindrical socket 40 of the mounting support 32 and is secured therein by a locknut. The mounting support 32 is permanently secured by fasteners 42 to the dock 5. An upstanding mounting post 44 engages within a bottom end of the sleeve 22 and is secured by a locking bolt 45.

In use, upon arrival at the dock 5 the hanger 7 is mounted on the mounting support 32, the mooring line 2 is attached to the cleat 4 on the dock 5 and the ring is mounted on the hanger 7 as shown in Fig.1. The boat is then taken out and upon return to the dock 5 a deck hand with a boat hook can easily snag the boat hook through the ring 3 to lift the ring 3 off the hanger 7 and bring the mooring line 2 on board for securing the boat at the dock 5. When leaving the dock, the boat owner can demount the hanger 7 and take away the hanger 7 and mooring line 2 (other mooring lines having being used to secure the boat at the dock) to prevent theft of the apparatus 1. it will be appreciated that the apparatus 1 provides for relatively easy and trouble free docking of boats.

It will be appreciated that the invention provides a docking aid which allows safe easy single person docking. No dockside assistance is required. Safety is improved as it is not necessary for someone to jump from the boat onto the dock with a mooring line when docking the boat.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments here and before described which may be varied in both construction and detaii.

M7384—2.Spec.Sep29-O9