Ships – Fenders
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-14
2001-03-20
Basinger, Sherman (Department: 3617)
Ships
Fenders
C114S230200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06202585
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to rubrails used as bumpers at the gunwale of watercraft and to mooring lines used for mooring watercraft to dock facilities, and more particularly to a combined rubrail and mooring line receptacle apparatus for storing the mooring line in a ready to use outstretched configuration when the mooring line is not in use.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Watercraft, such as motor and sail boats, utilize fore and aft mooring lines at each of the port and starboard sides thereof to secure the watercraft to a dock facility. In this regard, the dock facility generally has a number of cleats or other structures, such as pilings, to which mooring lines of the watercraft may be connected.
Typically, a watercraft will have a mooring line for being connected with cleats on the watercraft in anticipation of future and present docking needs. Cleats are usually provided fore and aft at each of the starboard and port sides of the watercraft, whereupon four mooring lines would be needed to be connected to these four cleats.
Rubrails are located at the gunwale of a watercraft and serve as bumpers when the watercraft comes alongside some object, such as for example a dock or another watercraft. Usually, rubrails are composed of an elastomeric material so as to absorb and manage minor impacts, and they extend usually around the entire perimeter of the watercraft, with the possible exception of the stern. Rubrails may be connected to the gunwale by fasteners or another fastening modality, such as an adhesive.
Problematically, when a skipper leaves dock, the mooring lines may be loosely placed on the boat deck, whereafter they may slide off and then dangle into the water. Dangling mooring lines are, of course, unsightly and they can add drag and pose other problems to operation of the watercraft. On the other hand, if the mooring lines are secured to some component of the boat deck to prevent potential dangling, then when the mooring lines need to be made ready for docking considerable time and effort must be expended to free the lines. This lost time could be critical if a skipper is in need of a fast securement to the dock in the event of an untoward docking situation, such as when other boats may limit free navigation or high seas or winds make docking particularly tricky. Generally, the stern mooring lines are easily accessible by the passengers, as they are located at the ingress/egress area of the watercraft. But, the bow mooring lines are remotely located, and frequently require someone to walk the deck to the front of the watercraft, which can involve some danger, and may also involve delay in deploying the bow mooring line or lines.
Accordingly, what is needed in the art is some effective, simple and easy to use a rubrail to hold mooring lines in a stored state, yet be instantly available when docking is imminent.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a rubrail which provides an effective, simple and easy to use mooring line receptacle, wherein at least the bow mounted mooring lines are instantly available when docking is imminent.
The rubrail mooring line receptacle apparatus according to the present invention is mounted on the gunwale at the starboard and port sides of a watercraft, each integrating a rubrail with a mooring line receptacle. While the rubrail mooring line receptacle may be continuous at the starboard and port sides of the vessel, and even the stern, it may be formed of a plurality of discrete segments. In a preferred form, the rubrail mooring line receptacle is in the form of at least two discrete segments, defined by a gap provided generally at the ingress/egress location of the watercraft.
A pair of bow mooring lines are connected at their respective near ends to the bow of the watercraft, for example via respective starboard and port cleats, or via a preferably centrally located bow eyelet, of which there may be more than one, such as for example one for the port side and one for the starboard side of the bow. The distal end of the bow mooring lines are preferably connected adjustably to an abutment member, preferably in the form of a handle, which is snappably held in place at the gunwale between the respective port and starboard gap of each of the rubrail mooring line receptacles.
The port and starboard rubrail mooring line receptacles include a sidewall, a rubrail member integral with a lower portion of the sidewall, and, preferably, a flange member connected to an upper portion of the sidewall. The rubrail member is robust and preferably provides internal and external curvilinear surfaces, wherein the internal surface provides an interior hollow which is preferably concave and is sized to restably receive a bow mooring line therein. A longitudinal slot is provided between the rubrail member and the flange member which, preferably, is larger than the diameter of the bow mooring lines, but the slot may be smaller than the bow mooring lines such that the bow mooring lines are pressable therethrough. The sidewall, which is opposite the slot, is attached to the gunwale of a selected watercraft via any suitable attachment modality, such as for example threaded fasteners, an adhesive or hardware connected with the watercraft into which the rubrail mooring line receptacle is retained. Where bow cleats are used, it is preferred to include a guide member to assist initial entry of the bow mooring line into its respective port or starboard rubrail mooring line receptacle.
A preferred material for the port and starboard rubrail mooring line receptacles is a sturdy, ultraviolet resistant material, as for example polyvinylchloride (PVC) having a hardness of 80-85 shore A. The bow mooring lines may be composed of any suitable line material used for nautical purposes, such as for example three strand nylon.
In operation, each of the port bow and starboard bow mooring lines have the proximate ends thereof looped over or otherwise connected with their respective cleat or a central bow eyelet on the watercraft. Each bow mooring line is then placed into its respective rubrail mooring line receptacle via the slot, and in the case of bow cleats, with the aid of the guide member. The respective handles are then snapped into place at the gap in the respective port and starboard rub rail mooring line receptacles.
When docking, the skipper or a crew member grabs a bow mooring line, via the handle thereof, on the side of the watercraft facing a dock facility, and then pulls upon the mooring line to thereby free it from its rubrail mooring line receptacle via exiting along the slot thereof. The person then secures that mooring line in a conventional way to the dock facility, such as for example at a dock cleat or dock piling. If appropriate, the other of the bow mooring lines is then grabbed at its respective handle and similarly deployed. The stern mooring lines are deployed in a conventional manner, but can be stored via the rubrail mooring line receptacle. When it is time to shove-off, the mooring lines tied to the dock facility are released therefrom, and the bow mooring line (or lines) is (are) then slipped progressively through the slot of its (their) respective rubrail mooring line receptacles for storage while the watercraft is underway, and later use when docking is to again take place.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a combined rubrail and mooring line receptacle apparatus for a watercraft which provides for bumper protection and easy, simple, outstretched storage of mooring lines in readiness for use when docking the subject watercraft.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a rubrail mooring line receptacle apparatus which provides convenient grabbing of mooring lines for rapid deployment during dockage of the subject watercraft.
These, and additional objects, advantages, features and benefits of the present invention will become apparent from the following specification.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2832116 (1958-04-01), Clevett, Jr. et al.
pat
Basinger Sherman
Keefe Peter D.
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