Abstract: A boat line handling device attachable to a boat hook or like instrument comprised of a length of resilient, strong wire such as aluminum having its end section or length of sufficient dimension for turning into a pair of approximately two inch (2") loops, diametrically measured, and having the end portion for gathering and tying the loops together where the loop wire adjoins a straight segment, the straight segments joined by the common length of wire and having near one intermediate end a turn of wire forming a pole eye for receiving an end of a boat hook and the straight segment near the other end contoured to form a pole hook member to rest over the boat hook in a generally parallel relation while in use, the loops being used for receiving in resiliency relation a boat line for handling and passing a securing line from a boat to a piling, mooring cleat, and the like.

Abstract: A boats hardware system--especially, although not exclusively designed for pleasure boating--involves massive clamping parts fashioned from a plastic, which is light enough to float. The parts are shaped and proportioned to fit over and be clamped to a rail of a boat. Clamping is preferably accomplished by large head nuts which may be fully tightened responsive to finger pressure. A rubber or other friction forming plug or screw head may be used to increase the friction or immobilize the clamp on the boat rail so that it will not turn about the rail. For convenience of description the term "anti-torque" is used hereinafter to mean this non-turning immobilization. The various parts may be used together in different combinations to make a system which easily fits into place, even when bulky items are installed by one person. An important advantage of the invention is its ability to be mounted on a boat without requiring either an undue amount of time or any special tools.

Abstract: An anchor bracket for suspending the anchor of a power boat above the deck comprising a base support which is affixed directly to the deck of the boat and an upper lock which is spaced from the base support. The base support and upper lock respectively engage the anchor pivot bar and the anchor shank to secure the anchor in position above the boat deck.

Abstract: Docking apparatus is provided for aiding in the docking or mooring of a boat. The apparatus is particularly advantageous for larger pleasure boats which may have but one pilot or operator but which normally require more than one person to dock the boat. The apparatus includes a line held in an extended position by a mooring post on the side which the boat approaches. A line-engageable member is mounted on the boat and is positioned to engage the line as the boat approaches the docking area. In a preferred form, the line-engageable member is a hook and is mounted so as to be swung or extended outwardly from the boat in one position and to be retracted and out of the way in another position. The line is preferably releasably held relative to the post so that it will be partly released when engaged by the hook but will still be fastened to the dock or the post. Once the hook engages the line and the boat is stopped, the operator can then fasten additional mooring lines as desired.

Abstract: A device for mounting a lightweight anchor on the rail of a boat. The device is made up of a base, a pair of hooks and a clamp. The hooks are attached to the base and extend vertically downward from the base. The clamp is attached to the top of the base. The device is mounted on the rail by means of the clamp and is positioned such that one of the hooks is lower than the other hook. In use, the shank of the anchor is seated on the two hooks.

Abstract: A telescoping pole is provided with a protruding-shaped foot arrangement at the foward end of its smaller diameter section. This section is provided with a sealed, flotation chamber. Protected alignment markers are provided on the smaller diameter section. The feet are provided with a device for catching a piling or the like from behind, for pulling a boat forwards and with a device for guiding the pole down a fishing line for freeing a snagged lure.

Abstract: A frangible container is pivotally connected to the sweep wire of mine sweeping equipment so as to intercept the mine mooring wire passing therealong and be pivoted thereby so as to connect thereto during the pivot motion and to be severed as the mooring wire continues to pass along the sweep wire, thereby providing a force to sever the frangible container to allow release of its tethered marker for floating to the surface with the buoyant mine when the mooring wire is severed, following the marker releasing operation.

Abstract: A double braided line comprises a core covered by a sheath and a fid comprises an elongated flexible handle having a pointed end and a hooked end. After the size of the eye is established, a predetermined length of the core is pulled out of the sheath through an opening formed in the sheath and a knot is tied in the free end of the core. The hook of the fid is hooked around the knot and the end of the core is whipped to the fid. The fid and attached end of the core are snaked through the empty portion of the sheath back out the opening. The fid is removed from the end of the core and the hook attached to the end of the sheath with whipping, as before. The fid and attached end of the sheath are then pulled through the exposed portion of the core for a certain distance and the fid is removed from the end of the sheath. The core and sheath are thereafter alternately pulled to tighten the crossover of the core and sheath and bury the same in the sheath to complete the splice.

Abstract: In the placement of an anchor in the sea bed for mooring of a vessel a chaser in the form of a loop or hook is attached to a service line and the chaser is positioned on the anchor to support the anchor. A service vessel with the service line secured thereto pulls the anchor and anchor chain from the parent vessel to be moored and simultaneously lowers the anchor to the sea bed via the service line. The anchor is subsequently set in the sea bed for mooring and the chaser can then be removed from the anchor chain or returned up the chain to the moored vessel.To retrieve the anchor, the chaser is run down the anchor chain until it engages the anchor, and the service vessel then pulls the anchor from the sea bed by means of the service line and takes the anchor aboard. The anchor is then returned to the parent vessel.

Abstract: A device for docking and mooring a boat including an elongate member having a series of convolutions formed therein to provide a continuous convoluted surface. When a throwline having an enlarged end portion is engaged with the convoluted surface, contact will be maintained therebetween so long as tension is maintained no matter what directional changes are made between the line and the surface. Several embodiments are disclosed ranging from catching devices alone to such devices which may be released from a remote location.

Abstract: A chock assembly for a lightweight anchor. The assembly is made up of two parts, a hollow heel shaped unit for holding the crown of the anchor and a unit having an oval ring shaped structure for holding the fluke tips and shank of the anchor.

Abstract: A docking device is provided for aiding in the docking or mooring of a boat. The device is particularly advantageous for larger pleasure boats which may have but one pilot or operator but which normally require more than one person to dock the boat. The docking device includes a line held in an extended position by a mooring post on the side which the boat approaches. A line-engageable member is mounted on the boat and is positioned to engage the line as the boat approaches the docking area. In a preferred, form, the line-engageable member is a hook and is mounted so as to swung or extended outwardly from the boat in one position and to be retracted and out of the way in another position. The line is preferably releasably held relative to the post so that it will be partly released when engaged by the hook but will still be fastened to the dock or the post. Once the hook engages the line and the boat is stopped, the operator can then fasten additional mooring lines as desired.

Abstract: A twin fluke marine anchor chock for securing a marine anchor to the deck or hull of a vessel whenever the anchor is not in use. The anchor is removeably locked to the chock by the interaction of an anchor body (crown or stock) securing connector disposed at one end of the chock and a shank down-lock which secures the shank to the chock. The chock may include a shank actuated, resilient fluke locking means. An anchor may be quickly secured or released from the chock by manual rotation of the shank.

Abstract: A jet drive boat propulsion unit cover for purposes of covering the fluid intake of a jet powered boat. The cover accommodates itself to the intake opening including the grillwork thereof, in a manner whereby it covers and seals the intake from foreign objects which might contaminate and adversely affect the wear and operation of the jet power unit, such as the impeller, bearing surface, and other wear areas. The cover is secured by means of an overcenter latching linkage having a member that moves eccentrically around an axis to cause a hook to engage the grating or grillwork of the opening so that it can be easily latched and unlatched. The foregoing provides a generally sealed relationship around the edges of the opening to prevent the migration of foreign matter into the jet drive unit.

Abstract: A mine anchor line cutter is slidable lengthwise of a cutter body provided with a bore behind the cutter for receiving an explosive charge that is detonated by the mine anchor line that is to be cut, whereby to drive the cutter forward. The cutter body is supported by a stabilizing fin, the front portion of which is overlapped by a retaining member shaped to hook over a sweep line. Extending through the retaining member and fin and into the cutter body is a shear screw that connects them together but that is weak enough to be sheared off by movement of the cutter body rearwardly, due to recoil when the tool is fired, whereby all of the tool will separate from the sweep line supporting it.

Abstract: A combination gaff and boat hook includes a rigid longitudinal handle element and a gaff element affixed thereon. A rigid enclosure conforming generally to the shape of the gaff element is adapted to sheath the gaff element and be affixed to the handle element. The enclosure, when in position sheathing the gaff serves as a boat hook.

Abstract: A device for protecting the inlet or draft port of a water-jet propulsion system is disclosed. In a forward part of the inlet port of a drafting duct of a propulsion pump, a grate is mounted rotatable around a shaft which in turn is supported by a bracket. The bracket is secured to a lower part of the pump casing. A pin, passing through the grate, is urged by a spring to engage a part of the bracket to lock the grate in a position to block large objects from entering the duct. When the pin is disengaged against the force of the spring the grate is rotated to a position to permit manual entry into the duct for repair purposes.

Abstract: A boat hook is provided with a series of attachments engagable with a coupling device on the prod end. The coupling preferably includes a threaded section, and is set back from the point of the prod for the dual purpose of protecting the threads, and for utilizing the point as the means of assuring positive coaxial alignment of the coupling. The attachments provide a variety of areas of utility, and the preferred form of the invention has a telescoping handle capable of being locked in a plurality of degrees of extension appropriate to the particular attachments that may be coupled to the basic device. The original utility of the boat hook is not impaired by the provision for the attachments. One of the attachments is a hoop with a provision for temporarily retaining a loop in a mooring line.

Abstract: An extensible telescoping pole device for aid in mooring boats to mooring posts, docks and other objects. It includes a hollow main tubular base section with an attached handle which may be floatable to sustain the pole device if dropped into the water, and has one or more extension tubes which fit one into the other telescopically for extension in length. An outer loop portion which may be annular in shape, is carried on the end of the outermost extension tube to fit over a mooring post for bringing the boat carefully and slowly up to the dock for tying up. The entire device may be made of lightweight metal, or strong plastic tubing, and retractable for easy storage.

Abstract: A system for emergency release of a ship from its mooring cables is disclosed wherein pressurized actuating fluid stored in accumulators may be selectively released to actuate fluid powered cutters to sever the mooring cables. In its preferred form the system includes fire inerting apparatus adapted to operate in conjunction with the cable cutters to provide a fire inert atmosphere and thereby eliminate the possibility of fire or explosion resulting from sparks generated during the cutting operation. The system is remote controlled and operates on a power source independent from the ship's normal power. This abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which of course is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.

Abstract: The invention is an automatically controlled magnetic marine mine sweeping ystem that does not constitute a safety hazard to the ship deploying it. It includes a ship that trails a pair of electrodes within the water which are, in turn, electrically energized by a variable current generator to induce a magnetic field therein. The intensity of said magnetic field is sensed by a magnetometer; and by means of a closed-loop, negative-feedback circuit incorporating said magnetometer, said current generator, and said sea water, the intensity of said magnetic field is limited to the extent that it does not extend under the ship and detonate marine mines that are close enough to be destructive thereto.

Abstract: A device for use with a conventional loop-provided boat line to effect docking or mooring of boats comprising a pair of rigid arms for detachable engagement upon opposed portions of the strands of the loop near the base thereof; there being a pivotal connection between each of the rigid arms adjacent their rearward or loop remote ends for swingable movement of the same away from and toward each other, or into open or closed condition, respectively. The rearward ends of these arms are formed to provide cooperating jaws for clamping relationship upon an interposed implement as the arms are moved away from each other for loop opening through a pulling force upon the line.

Abstract: A system for protecting the personnel and the electrical equipment of power boats having non-metallic hulls, and for the cathodic protection of the hulls of the metal fittings of such boats when docked and supplied from a shore-based alternating current supply, in which circuit breakers are inserted in the hot leg and the neutral leg of the shore-based alternating current supply, and including a polarity alarm and a polarity light socket in which is inserted a polarity light tester as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,383,588, and in which the negative lead of the battery ground, the equipment ground, and the neutral leg of the shore-based alternating current supply are connected electrically with both the ground plate and the bonding ground of the boat.