Boat docking assistance device

Abstract

Disclosed is a boat docking assistance device including a cable locking device/carriage assembly which slides along a cable/rope attached either to a boat or dock. According to one exemplary embodiment, the carriage is pulled from the helm area of the boat towards the stern as the boat is docking with a resistance provided by a locking cam arrangement. The carriage is attached to a dock pile using a hoop type arrangement fastened to the sliding carriage by a rope, which is placed on the pile by a boat operator as the boat approaches the dock associated with the pile.

1 . A boat docking assistance device comprising:
 a cable locking device configured to selectably slide along a cable with a first predetermined sliding resistance and configured to selectably slide along the cable with a second predetermined resistance, and the cable locking device configured to attach to a dock line, the second predetermined sliding resistance greater than the first predetermined sliding resistance.   
     
     
         2 . The boat docking assistance device according to  claim 1 , wherein the cable locking device is configured to slide along a cable including a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end, the first longitudinal end configured to be fixed to a first point on a boat, and the second longitudinal end configured to be fixed to a second point on the boat, the first point on the boat located nearer to a bow associated with the boat, relative to a stern associated with the boat, and the second point on the boat located nearer to the stern associated with the boat. 
     
     
         3 . The boat docking assistance device according to  claim 1 , wherein the cable locking device is configured to be attached to a dock line including an attachable/detachable loop for securing to a dock. 
     
     
         4 . The boat docking assistance device according to  claim 1 , the cable locking device including a resistance selector control. 
     
     
         5 . The boat docking assistance device according to  claim 1 , the cable locking device including a control to set the second predetermined resistance at one of a plurality of resistances. 
     
     
         6 . The boat docking assistance device according to  claim 1 , the cable locking device including a squash plate configured to apply the second predetermined sliding resistance. 
     
     
         7 . The boat docking assistance device according to  claim 6 , the cable locking device including one or more gears operatively associated with a lever, the lever and gears used to apply the second predetermined sliding resistance. 
     
     
         8 . The boat docking assistance device according to  claim 6 , the squash plate configured to apply the first predetermined sliding resistance. 
     
     
         9 . The boat docking assistance device according to  claim 1 , the cable locking device configured to slide into one or more stops operatively connected to the cable. 
     
     
         10 . The boat docking assistance device according to  claim 1 , wherein the cable is made of metal or spectra braid and the tension of the cable is configured to be adjustable after the cable is fixed to the first and second points on the boat. 
     
     
         11 . The boat docking assistance device according to  claim 1 , wherein the cable locking device is substantially football shaped and a cable feed through hole extends from a first longitudinal end to a second longitudinal end of the football shaped cable locking device. 
     
     
         12 . A boat docking assistance device comprising:
 a cable including a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end, the first longitudinal end configured to be fixed to a first point on a boat, and the second longitudinal end configured to be fixed to a second point on the boat, the first point on the boat located nearer to a bow associated with the boat, relative to a stern associated with the boat, and the second point on the boat located nearer to the stern associated with the boat;   a cable locking device configured to selectably slide along the cable with a first predetermined sliding resistance and configured to selectably slide along the cable with a second predetermined sliding resistance, and the cable locking device configured to attach to a dock line; and   a loop operatively connected to the cable locking device.   
     
     
         13 . A boat docking assistance device comprising:
 a docking carriage configured to slide towards a stern of a boat along a rope attached alongside a boat with a first sliding resistance provided by a locking cam in a first position and slide towards a bow of the boat along the rope with a second sliding resistance provided by the locking cam in a second position, the first sliding resistance greater than the second sliding resistance, and   the docking carriage configured to attach to a loop independent of the rope attached alongside the boat.   
     
     
         14 . The boat docking assistance device according to  claim 13 , the carriage comprising:
 an upper housing;   a lower housing;   a locking cam; and   a dowel pin.   
     
     
         15 . The boat docking assistance device according to  claim 13 , wherein the carriage includes a hole to attach a loop independent of the rope attached to the boat. 
     
     
         16 . The boat docking assistance device according to  claim 13 , further comprising
 a rope adapted to be attached near the stern of the boat and substantially near the helm of the boat.   
     
     
         17 . The boat docking assistance device according to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a docking carriage handle assembly configured to be attached to the docking carriage, the docking carriage handle including a loop.   
     
     
         18 . The boat docking assistance device according to  claim 17 , wherein the docking carriage handle includes a cable within a non-marking material operatively attached to a docking carriable handle.