Boat dock bumper & dockline storage system

Abstract

A bumper and mooring line receptacle apparatus for a dock facility includes an elongated bumper and mooring line receptacle for one or each mooring line, wherein each bumper and mooring line receptacle is connected with the dock facility; and further includes an abutment member connected with each mooring line at a distal end thereof. The bumper and mooring line receptacle has an interior hollow defined by a sidewall, having a slot therein along its entire length. The sidewall opposite the sot is attached to the sidewall of a selected dock facility via threaded fasteners or suitable. One bumper and mooring line receptacle can be located at the port bow, another at the starboard bow, another at the port stern and another at the starboard stern. Preferably, each of the sets of port and starboard bumper and mooring line receptacles end near each other at a generally amidship location on the gunwale where the skipper and crew/passengers enter and leave the watercraft. The mooring line is composed of conventional material used for nautical moorage, and has an abutment member at its distal end. The slot has a width either smaller than the cross-section of the mooring line such that the mooring line is forced through the slot into the interior hollow of the bumper and mooring line receptacle or is larger than the cross-section of the mooring line such that the mooring fine easily passes through the slot. Thereupon, the mooring line rests storingly in the interior hollow for storing the mooring line when not in use.

1 . A boat dock bumper securable to a peripheral surface of a dock facility, said boat dock bumper comprising: 
 an elongated sidewall, said sidewall having a near end and an far end for preventing contact between a watercraft and the dock facility.    a bumper and mooring line receptacle apparatus for receiving a mooring line of a watercraft, comprising:    a mooring line having a predetermined cross-section, approximate end and a distal end;    an elongated sidewall, said sidewall having a near end and an opposite far end,    said sidewall forming an interior hollow having a predetermined inside diameter, said sidewall having a slot therein which communicates with said interior hollow, said slot extending from said near end to said far end, said slot having a predetermined width;    means for connecting said sidewall to a dock facility, wherein said sidewall is connected to the dock facility lengthwise between said far and near ends thereof wherein said slot is not occluded by the dock facility; and    abutment means connected with said mooring line for preventing the distal end or said mooring line placed into said interior hollow from sliding into said interior hollow, said abutment means having adjustment means for selectively repositoning said abutment means along said mooring line;    wherein said slot has a width less than said cross-section of said mooring line and said inside diameter is larger than said cross-section of said mooring line such that said mooring line is slipped into and pulled out of said interior hollow of said bumper and mooring line receptacle by resiliently deforming said sidewall adjacent said slot, wherein said mooring line is placed into said interior hollow to thereby store at least a majority of said mooring line when not being used too or the watercraft, peripheral surface of a dock facility, said boat dock bumper,    wherein said slot has a width larger than said cross-section of said mooring line and said inside diameter is larger than said cross-section of said mooring line such that said mooring line is slipped into said slot, wherein said mooring line is placed into said interior hollow to thereby store at least a majority of said mooring line when not being used too or the watercraft, peripheral surface of a dock facility, said boat dock bumper;    wherein a guide means for helping said mooring line to be placed into said interior hollow;    
   
   
       2 . The boat dock bumper as defined in  claim 1  wherein said body has an outer surface and an inner engagement surface, said outer and inner surfaces formed substantially parallel to the docking facility to which said bumper is attached.  
   
   
       3 . A dock facility, bumper and mooring line receptacle apparatus for receiving a mooring line of the watercraft, comprising: 
 a dock facility having a side wall; and    at least one bumper arid mooring line receptacle integrally formed with said dock facility, said bumper and mooring line receptacle comprising an elongated sidewall said sidewall having a near end and an opposite far end, said sidewall forming an interior hollow having a predetermined inside diameter, said sidewall having a slot therein which communicates with said interior hollow,    said slot extending from said near end to said far end, said slot having a predetermined width;    wherein, a mooring line of said watercraft is placed into and pulled out of said interior hollow through said slot, wherein the mooring line is placed into said interior hollow to thereby store at least a majority of the mooring line when not being used to moor the water-craft.    
   
   
       4 . A bumper and mooring line receptacle apparatus for receiving a mooring line of a watercraft comprising: 
 a mooring line having a predetermined cross-section, approximate end and a distal end;    an elongated sidewall, said sidewall having a near end and an opposite far end, said sidewall forming an interior hollow having a predetermined inside diameter, said sidewall having a slot therein which communicates with said interior hollow, said slot extending from said near end to said far end, said slot having a predetermined width;    means for connecting said sidewall to a dock facility, wherein said sidewall is connected to the dock facility lengthwise between said far and near ends thereof wherein said slot is not occluded by the dock facility; and    means for preventing the distal end of said mooring line placed into said interior hollow from sliding into said interior hollow;    wherein said slot has a width greater than said cross-section of said mooring fine and said inside diameter is larger than said cross-section of said mooring line such that said mooring line is placed into and pulled out of said interior hollow of said bumper and mooring line receptacle through said slot, and wherein said mooring line is placed into said interior hollow to thereby store at last a majority of said mooring line when not being used to moor the watercraft,    wherein said slot has a width smaller than said cross-section of said mooring line and said inside diameter is larger than said cross-section of said mooring line such that said mooring line is placed into and pulled out of said interior hollow of said bumper and mooring line receptacle through said slot, and wherein said mooring line is placed into said interior hollow to thereby store at least a majority of said mooring line when not being used to moor the watercraft.    
   
   
       5 . The bumper and mooring line receptacle apparatus of  claim 4 , further comprising guide member means for guiding entry of said mooring line into said slot adjacent said near end.  
   
   
       6 . The bumper and mooring line receptacle apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein said means for preventing comprises: 
 an abutment member connected to said mooring line;    and adjustment means for repositoning said abutment member to selectable fixed locations along said mooring line.    
   
   
       7 . A bumper and mooring line remade apparatus comprising: 
 a dock facility;    at least one bumper and mooring line receptacle connected with said dock facility, said bumper and mooring line receptacle comprising:    an elongated sidewall said sidewall having a near end and an opposite far end, said sidewall forming an interior hollow having a predetermined inside diameter, said sidewall having a slot therein which communicates with said interior hollow, said slot extending from said near end to said far end, said slot having a predetermined width; and    means for connecting said sidewall to a dock facility;    wherein said sidewall is connected to said dock facility lengthwise between said far and near end thereof wherein said slot is not occluded by the dock facility;    at least one mooring line have a predetermined cross on smaller than said width and smaller than said inside diameter,    at least one mooring line have a predetermined cross-section smaller than said width and smaller than said inside diameter,    wherein a mooring line of said at least one mooring line is placed into and pulled out of said interior hollow through said slot wherein is paced into said interior hollow to thereby store at least a majority of the mooring line when not being used to moor the watercraft.    
   
   
       8 . The bumper and mooring line receptacle apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising; 
 a guide member means for guiding entry of the mooring line into said slot adjacent said near end.    
   
   
       9 . The bumper and mooring line receptacle apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising; 
 a second guide member means for guiding entry of the mooring line into said slot adjacent said near end.    
   
   
       10 . The dock facility and bumper and mooring line receptacle apparatus of  claim 9  wherein said means for preventing comprises an abutment member connected to said as least one mooring line.  
   
   
       11 . The dock facility bumper and mooring fine receptacle apparatus of,  claim 10 , wherein said dock facility further comprises: 
 a sidewall;    a plurality of cleats connected with said dock facility,    wherein said at least one bumper and mooring line receptacle comprises four bumper and mooring lines receptacles comprising:    a first bumper and mooring line receptacle connected with said dock facility at substantially a port bow location of the watercraft;    a second bumper and mooring line receptacle connected with said hull at substantially a port stern location of the watercraft    a third bumper and mooring line receptacle connected with said hull at substantially a starboard bow location of the watercraft, and    a fourth bumper and mooring line receptacle connected with said hull at a substantially starboard stern loction of the watercraft    
   
   
       12 . The dock facility bumper and mooring line receptacle apparatus of,  claim 10 , wherein said abutment member of said at least one mooring line further comprises adjustment means for repositioning said abutment member to selectably fixed location along its respective mooring line.  
   
   
       13 . The dock facility bumper and mooring line cl apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein said dock facility has a sidewall; further wherein said at least one bumper and mooring line receptacle is connected to said dock facility substantially adjacent to, and substantially parallel with, said sidewall.  
   
   
       14 . The dock facility and bumper and mooring line receptacle apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein said plurality of cleats comprise: 
 a first cleat located on dock facility adjacent the port bow of said watercraft;    a second cleat located on dock facility adjacent the starboard bow of said watercraft;    a third cleat located on dock facility adjacent the port stern of said watercraft;    a fourth cleat located on dock facility adjacent the starboard stern of said watercraft;    wherein, said near end of said first bumper and mooring line receptacle is located substantially adjacent said first cleat;    wherein said near end of said second mooring line receptacle is located substantially adjacent said second cleat;    wherein said near end of said third mooring line receptacle is located substantially adjacent said third cleat, and    wherein said near end of said fourth mooring line receptacle is located substantially adjacent said fourth cleat.    
   
   
       15 . The dock facility bumper and mooring line receptacle apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein said at least one mooring line comprises four mooring lines comprising; 
 a first mooring fine having a proximate end and an opposite distal end, wherein when said proximate end of said first mooring line is connected, with said first cleat and said first mooring line is placed into said hollow interior of said first bumper and mooring line receptacle, then said distal end of said first mooring line is located outside said first bumper and mooring line receptacle such that said abutment member of said first mooring line is abuttable with said far end of said first bumper and mooring line receptacle;    a second mooring line having a proximate end and an opposite distal end, wherein when said proximate end of said second mooring line is connected with said second cleat and said second mooring line is placed into said hollow interior of said second bumper and mooring line receptacle, then said distal end of said second mooring line is located outside said second bumper and mooring line receptacle such that said abutment member of said second mooring line is abuttable with said far end of said second bumper and mooring line receptacle;    a third mooring line having a proximate end and an opposite distal end, wherein when said proximate end of said third mooring line is connected with said third cleat and said third mooring line is placed into said hollow interior of said third bumper and mooring line receptacle, then said distal end of said third mooring line is located outside said third bumper and mooring line receptacle such that said abutment member of said third mooring line is abuttable with said far end of said third bumper and mooring line receptacle;    and a fourth mooring line having a proximate end and an opposite distal end, wherein when said proximate end of said fourth mooring line is connected with said fourth cleat and said fourth mooring line is placed into said hollow interior of said fourth bumper and mooring line receptacle, then said distal end of said fourth mooring line is located outside said fourth bumper and mooring line receptacle such that said abutment member of said fourth mooring line is abuttable with said far end of said fourth bumper and mooring line receptacle.    
   
   
       16 . The dock facility bumper and mooring line receptacle apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein said far end of each of said bumper and mooring line receptacle members are proximate each other substantially amid ship of said watercraft, and wherein said far end of each of said second, third, and fourth bumper and mooring line receptacle members are approximate each other substantially amidship of said watercraft in docked position.  
   
   
       17 . The dock facility bumper and mooring line apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein said abutment member of each said mooring line further comprises adjustment means for repositioning said abutment member to selectably locations along its respective mooring line.  
   
   
       18 . A method for storing a mooring line of a watercraft when the mooring line is not being used to moor the watercraft, said method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a mooring line having a cross-section, proximate end and an opposite distal; forming an elongated member having a sidewall having a near end and an opposite far end, wherein said sidewall between the near and far ends thereof;    wherein the slot has a width that is smaller that the cross-section of the mooring line;    wherein the slot has a larger that the cross-section of the mooring line; connection the elongated member lengthwise between the near and far ends thereof to a watercraft, wherein the slot is unobstructed by the sock facility;    placing the mooring line into the interior hollow so that at least a majority of the mooring line is situated storingly in the interior hollow.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising the step of prevention the proximate and distal ends of the mooring line from entering the interior hollow at the near and far ends, restectively.