Ratcheting mooring line device

Abstract

A ratcheting mooring line device includes a mooring line which can be tied to a cleat on a gunnel of a boat. A clamp is included which has a hook and a ratcheting mechanism. The hook can be extended through a cleat on a dock for attaching the clamp to the cleat on the dock. The mooring line slidably extends through the clamp and the ratcheting mechanism is biased to engage the mooring line to inhibit the mooring line from being pulled in a second direction through the clamp thereby inhibiting the boat from floating away from the dock. The ratcheting mechanism enables the mooring line to be pulled in a first direction through the clamp and the ratcheting mechanism to secure the boat to the dock. A boat fender can be positioned between the boat and the dock to inhibit the boat from striking against the dock.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A ratcheting mooring line device for simplifying the process of mooring a boat to a dock, said device comprising:
 a mooring line having a coupled end being attached to said mooring line to define a closed loop in said mooring line wherein said closed loop is configured to be tied to a cleat on a gunnel of a boat, said mooring line including a stop, said mooring line extending through said stop such that a free end of said mooring line is positioned adjacent to said stop, said mooring line being knotted at said free end thereby inhibiting said free end from being pulled through said stop;   a clamp having a hook and a ratcheting mechanism and a closure being biased to engage said hook wherein said hook is configured to be extended through a cleat on a dock for attaching said clamp to the cleat on the dock having said closure inhibiting said hook from being disengaged from the cleat on the dock, said mooring line slidably extending through said clamp, said ratcheting mechanism being biased to engage said mooring line, said ratcheting mechanism enabling said mooring line to be pulled in a first direction through said clamp wherein said ratcheting mechanism is configured to enable said mooring line to be shortened to a desired length for securing the boat to the dock without requiring a user to tie an approved knot in said mooring line on the cleat of the dock, said ratcheting mechanism inhibiting said mooring line from being pulled in a second direction through said clamp wherein said ratcheting mechanism is configured to inhibit the boat from floating away from the dock; and   a boat fender being comprised of a resiliently compressible material wherein said boat fender is configured to be positioned between the boat and the dock to inhibit the boat from striking against the dock and to absorb energy from the momentum of the boats motion as a result of waves.   
     
     
         2 . The ratcheting mooring line device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said mooring line includes a sleeve;   said mooring line extends through a front end of said sleeve at a point being spaced from said coupled end of said mooring line;   said mooring line is looped through a back end of said sleeve such that said coupled end is positioned adjacent to said front end of said sleeve thereby enabling said closed loop to be formed in said mooring line having said closed loop extending away from said back end of said sleeve; and   said sleeve is compressed onto said mooring line thereby inhibiting said mooring line from being pulled through said sleeve for retaining said closed loop in said mooring line.   
     
     
         3 . The ratcheting mooring line device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said clamp has a yoke being spaced from and being oriented parallel to an arm to define a space between said yoke and said arm thereby enabling said mooring line to extend through said space;   said clamp has a hole extending through said arm;   said mooring line extending through said hole in said arm such that said stop is spaced from said arm thereby enabling said stop to inhibit said mooring line from being pulled through said hole when said mooring line is pulled in said second direction;   said hook extends away from said yoke;   said hook is curved between said yoke and a free end of said hook such that said free end of said hook is spaced from said arm;   said closure has a coupled end being pivotally coupled to said arm;   said closure is biased into a closed position having a free end of said closure engaging said free end of said hook wherein said closure is configured to inhibit said hook from being removed from the cleat on the dock;   said closure is urgeable into an open position having said free end of said closure being disengaged from said free end of said hook wherein said closure is configured to enable said hook to be removed from the cleat on the dock.   
     
     
         4 . The ratcheting mooring line device according to  claim 3 , wherein:
 said ratcheting mechanism comprises a cam being positioned in said yoke;   said cam having a perimeter surface which has a first side and a second side;   said first side curves away from said second side;   said second side is planar;   said perimeter surface has a plurality of teeth being integrated into said first side;   said teeth are evenly spaced apart from each other and are distributed along a substantial length of said first side;   said clamp includes a pin which extends through said yoke and said cam thereby rotatably attaching said cam to said yoke; and   said pin is positioned closer to a first intersection between said first side and said second side than a second intersection between said first side and said second side.   
     
     
         5 . The ratcheting mooring line device according to  claim 4 , wherein:
 said cam is biased to rotate in a first direction having said first side being positioned in said space between said yoke and said arm thereby enabling said first side to compress against said mooring line;   said teeth engage said mooring line when said cam is biased to rotate in said first direction such that said cam inhibits said mooring line from being pulled in said second direction;   said cam is rotatable in a second direction having said first side being displaced from said space between said yoke and said arm such that said teeth on said first side disengages said mooring line thereby enabling said mooring line to be pulled in said second direction;   said cam has a finger extending laterally away from said second intersection between said first side and said second side wherein said finger is configured to be manipulated by a user to rotate said cam in said second direction;   said clamp has a rib extending laterally away from an outwardly facing surface of said arm;   said coupled end of said closure is pivotally attached to said rib; and   said rib is positioned above said hole in said arm.   
     
     
         6 . The ratcheting mooring line device according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said boat fender has an outer wall being continuously arcuate about an axis extending between an upper end of said boat fender and a lower end of said boat fender such that said boat fender has a cylindrical shape wherein said boat fender is configured to enable the boat to press against said boat fender without sustaining impact damage;   each of said upper end and said lower end is rounded;   said boat fender has a pair of tabs each being coupled to and extending away from a respective one of said upper end and said lower end;   each of said pair of tabs has a hole extending through a front face and a back face of a respective tab;   said device includes a rope being attached to said boat fender;   said rope extends through said hole in a respective one of said tabs having said rope being tied to itself for securing said rope to said respective tab;   said device includes a clasp being attached to a distal end of said rope with respect to said boat fender;   said clasp has a gate being movably attached to said clasp;   said gate is urgeable into an open position such that said clasp and said gate form an open loop thereby enabling said clasp to be positioned on said mooring line wherein said rope is configured to suspend said boat bender from said mooring line thereby enabling said boat fender to be positioned between the boat and the dock when the boat is moored to the dock;   said gate is biased into a closed position such that said clasp and said gate form a closed loop thereby enabling said rope to be retained on said mooring line wherein said boat fender is configured to be retained between the boat and the dock.   
     
     
         7 . A ratcheting mooring line device for simplifying the process of mooring a boat to a dock, said device comprising:
 a mooring line having a coupled end being attached to said mooring line to define a closed loop in said mooring line wherein said closed loop is configured to be tied to a cleat on a gunnel of a boat, said mooring line including a sleeve, said mooring line extending through a front end of said sleeve at a point being spaced from said coupled end of said mooring line, said mooring line being looped through a back end of said sleeve such that said coupled end is positioned adjacent to said front end of said sleeve thereby enabling said closed loop to be formed in said mooring line having said closed loop extending away from said back end of said sleeve, said sleeve being compressed onto said mooring line thereby inhibiting said mooring line from being pulled through said sleeve for retaining said closed loop in said mooring line, said mooring line including a stop, said mooring line extending through said stop such that a free end of said mooring line is positioned adjacent to said stop, said mooring line being knotted at said free end thereby inhibiting said free end from being pulled through said stop;   a clamp having a hook and a ratcheting mechanism and a closure being biased to engage said hook wherein said hook is configured to be extended through a cleat on a dock for attaching said clamp to the cleat on the dock having said closure inhibiting said hook from being disengaged from the cleat on the dock, said mooring line slidably extending through said clamp, said ratcheting mechanism being biased to engage said mooring line, said ratcheting mechanism enabling said mooring line to be pulled in a first direction through said clamp wherein said ratcheting mechanism is configured to enable said mooring line to be shortened to a desired length for securing the boat to the dock without requiring a user to tie an approved knot in said mooring line on the cleat of the dock, said ratcheting mechanism inhibiting said mooring line from being pulled in a second direction through said clamp wherein said ratcheting mechanism is configured to inhibit the boat from floating away from the dock, said clamp having a yoke being spaced from and being oriented parallel to an arm to define a space between said yoke and said arm thereby enabling said mooring line to extend through said space, said clamp having a hole extending through said arm, said mooring line extending through said hole in said arm such that said stop is spaced from said arm thereby enabling said stop to inhibit said mooring line from being pulled through said hole when said mooring line is pulled in said second direction, said hook extending away from said yoke, said hook being curved between said yoke and a free end of said hook such that said free end of said hook is spaced from said arm, said closure having a coupled end being pivotally coupled to said arm, said closure being biased into a closed position having a free end of said closure engaging said free end of said hook wherein said closure is configured to inhibit said hook from being removed from the cleat on the dock, said closure being urgeable into an open position having said free end of said closure being disengaged from said free end of said hook wherein said closure is configured to enable said hook to be removed from the cleat on the dock, said ratcheting mechanism comprising a cam being positioned in said yoke, said cam having a perimeter surface which has a first side and a second side, said first side curving away from said second side, said second side being planar, said perimeter surface having a plurality of teeth being integrated into said first side, said teeth being evenly spaced apart from each other and being distributed along a substantial length of said first side, said clamp including a pin which extends through said yoke and said cam thereby rotatably attaching said cam to said yoke, said pin being positioned closer to a first intersection between said first side and said second side than a second intersection between said first side and said second side, said cam being biased to rotate in a first direction having said first side being positioned in said space between said yoke and said arm thereby enabling said first side to compress against said mooring line, said teeth engaging said mooring line when said cam is biased to rotate in said first direction such that said cam inhibits said mooring line from being pulled in said second direction, said cam being rotatable in a second direction having said first side being displaced from said space between said yoke and said arm such that said teeth on said first side disengages said mooring line thereby enabling said mooring line to be pulled in said second direction, said cam having a finger extending laterally away from said second intersection between said first side and said second side wherein said finger is configured to be manipulated by a user to rotate said cam in said second direction, said clamp having a rib extending laterally away from an outwardly facing surface of said arm, said coupled end of said closure being pivotally attached to said rib, said rib being positioned above said hole in said arm;   a boat fender being comprised of a resiliently compressible material wherein said boat fender is configured to be positioned between the boat and the dock to inhibit the boat from striking against the dock and to absorb energy from the momentum of the boats motion as a result of waves, said boat fender having an outer wall being continuously arcuate about an axis extending between an upper end of said boat fender and a lower end of said boat fender such that said boat fender has a cylindrical shape wherein said boat fender is configured to enable the boat to press against said boat fender without sustaining impact damage, each of said upper end and said lower end being rounded, said boat fender having a pair of tabs each being coupled to and extending away from a respective one of said upper end and said lower end, each of said pair of tabs having a hole extending through a front face and a back face of a respective tab;   a rope being attached to said boat fender, said rope extending through said hole in a respective one of said tabs having said rope being tied to itself for securing said rope to said respective tab; and   a clasp being attached to a distal end of said rope with respect to said boat fender, said clasp having a gate being movably attached to said clasp, said gate being urgeable into an open position such that said clasp and said gate form an open loop thereby enabling said clasp to be positioned on said mooring line wherein said rope is configured to suspend said boat bender from said mooring line thereby enabling said boat fender to be positioned between the boat and the dock when the boat is moored to the dock, said gate being biased into a closed position such that said clasp and said gate form a closed loop thereby enabling said rope to be retained on said mooring line wherein said boat fender is configured to be retained between the boat and the dock.