Abstract: A fender for marine use is described having an outer flexible shell forming a chamber, compressible buoyant material within the chamber and a mooring fitting connected to the shell to secure the fender. The shell is composed of a single piece of homogeneous elastomeric material, having a thickened annularly shaped lip extending around an orifice providing access to the chamber for filling. The mooring fitting is formed with a cavity and the lip of the shell is captured within this cavity to secure the fitting to the shell, so that the shell permits stretching of the fender when it is pinned between two objects while a tensile force is applied to said mooring fitting. The mooring fitting captures the lip without compressing it, so that the fitting may swivel with respect to the shell while still securing the shell from separating from said fitting.

Abstract: A power driven traction winch for drawing up rope having two spaced, parallel, power-driven drums journaled on a bearing support structure; a pulley mounted coaxially on one of the drums and free to turn with respect thereto for receiving a final turn of the rope; a pressure roller mounted on the support structure, positioned with its axis parallel to the axis of the pulley and pivoted for movement towards and away from the pulley in alignment therewith; means for urging the roller towards the pulley to press a turn of rope against the pulley; means for applying torque to the pulley in the wind-up direction, the torque being independent of rotation of and torque applied to the one drum, whereby rope is drawn into the winch under tension and released from said winch free of tension; v-shaped circumferential grooves on the drums and on the pulley for receiving turns of rope; a support structure affixed to a boat, holding the axis of the drums vertical, and wholly between said drums to provide access to said win

Abstract: A system for containing an oil spill comprising a plurality of barrier modules each composed of a composite structure having a buoyant upper section and a water absorbing lower section which represents concurrently the sole ballast for said upper section and the subsurface barrier for the module.