The present invention provides an improved device for attaching a watercraft to another structure such as another watercraft or a fixed structure, such as a dock. The apparatus comprises a spacing bar and specialized, quick connecting and releasing attachment devices that allow the watercraft to be quickly and effectively moored to other structures on the water without the risk of collision or damage to the watercraft. The quick-connect devices may be positioned near ends of the spacing bars to effectively hold the watercraft at a predetermined distance from the other structure. The device may further include tensioning mechanisms that are operable to keep the spacing bars at a substantially orthogonal orientation relative to the watercraft to maintain the pre-determined spacing between the watercraft and the other structure.

The present invention provides an improved device for attaching a watercraft to another structure such as another watercraft or a fixed structure, such as a dock. The apparatus comprises a spacing bar and specialized, quick connecting and releasing attachment devices that allow the watercraft to be quickly and effectively moored to other structures on the water without the risk of collision or damage to the watercraft. The quick-connect devices may be positioned near ends of the spacing bars to effectively hold the watercraft at a predetermined distance from the other structure. The device may further include tensioning mechanisms that are operable to keep the spacing bars at a substantially orthogonal orientation relative to the watercraft to maintain the pre-determined spacing between the watercraft and the other structure.

A mooring ball system comprising: a mooring ball; a collar attached to the top of the mooring ball; an extendible, retractable, and lockable mast attached to the collar, and extending from the top of the mooring ball; a hook attached near or at the top of the mast; a chain attached to the mooring ball; a mooring line attached to the chain; a loop located at one end of the mooring line; and where the loop is configured to removeably attach to the hook, and where the loop is further configured to be removed from the hook and attached to a watercraft. A mooring apparatus comprising: a collar configured to attach to the top of a mooring ball; an extendible, retractable, and lockable mast configured to attach to the collar, and configured to extend from the top of the mooring ball; and a hook attached near or at the top of the mast.

A mechanical attachment mechanism includes a clamp and a receptacle. The clamp includes a trigger arm and catchment fingers biased to pivot toward the trigger arm. The receptacle includes an aligner and curved grooves. The curved grooves each have open exterior and closed interior ends. The trigger arm of the clamp is biased from a triggered position toward secured and extended positions. The extended position is for the trigger arm beginning and ending contact between the trigger arm and the aligner. The extended position is also for the trigger arm capturing the catchment fingers of the clamp from the open exterior end of the curved grooves of the receptacle. The triggered position is for the trigger arm releasing the catchment fingers into the curved grooves. The secured position is for securing the clamp and the receptacle together with the catchment fingers engaging the closed interior end of the curved grooves.

A boat tie down apparatus including a tubular member, the tubular member has a length that provides for the displacement of a boat from the dock during mooring, the tubular member has a rope extending therethrough, the front end of the rope extends out the front of the tubular member, and locates approximate the front end of the tubular member, to form a variable sized loop, for securement over a cleat or other structure at the dock. The back end of the rope, that extends through the tubular member, can be pulled for tightening the apparatus to the dock, and then the back end of the rope can be tied to a structure on the boat, such as a cleat, to provide for securement of the boat to the dock, displaced from the dock, during its mooring.

The present invention provides an improved device for attaching a watercraft to another structure such as another watercraft or a fixed structure, such as a dock. The apparatus comprises a spacing bar and specialized, quick connecting and releasing attachment devices that allow the watercraft to be quickly and effectively moored to other structures on the water without the risk of collision or damage to the watercraft. The quick-connect devices may be positioned near ends of the spacing bars to effectively hold the watercraft at a predetermined distance from the other structure. The device may further include tensioning mechanisms that are operable to keep the spacing bars at a substantially orthogonal orientation relative to the watercraft to maintain the pre-determined spacing between the watercraft and the other structure.

A mooring latch includes a passive foundation portion and a latching portion. The latching portion includes a mechanism, a conical surface shaped to mate with a conical surface of the passive portion, a connector for connection to a mooring structure and permitting rotation about a horizontal axis. The mechanism has a latched configuration that mates the conical surfaces and permits rotations about a shared vertical axis of the conical surfaces. A mooring line threaded through the passive and latching portions and equipped with one or more stops may be used to guide the latching portion to or from the passive portion and to actuate latching or unlatching or the mooring latch.

A recessed and retractable mooring line device includes a housing having a mooring head that is configured for projecting through an opening or recess of a mounting structure so that an upper surface of the mooring head does not project from an outer surface of the mounting structure. A reel assembly is coupled to the housing and positioned below the mooring head to take up a flexible mooring line. The reel assembly includes a rotatable spool for winding the line. A ratchet wheel and spool that is engaged by a pawl prevents rotation of the ratchet wheel and spool when engaged. A moor head assembly that includes a pawl actuator actuates the pawl. An actuator lock of the moor head assembly engages the pawl actuator to keep it engaged with the pawl. A line anchor is used for securing to an end of the mooring line.

The present invention relates to the use of a cyclic peptide comprising the tripeptide reproducing a binding site of fertilin beta to the oocyte integrin, for improving cellular energy metabolism. More particularly, the invention concerns the use of a cyclic peptide comprising the tripeptide FEEc for stimulating the energy metabolism of gametes or embryonic cells in the context of medically assisted procreation (MAP) protocols, in particular promoting the in vitro maturation of the oocyte, the fertilization rate and the birth rate.

A release mechanism for separating sections of mooring lines has a main body with two separable first and second halves or sections. A hydraulic assembly within the main body is controlled by an acoustic system, and moves a rod and button so as to move locking shoes within the main body. The locking shoes hold the first and second sections locked together, or alternatively release them to disconnect the mooring line. In addition to the acoustically controlled hydraulic assembly, the release mechanism has a mechanical disconnect, which is operated by pulling the release mechanism into a chain fairlead or the like, or by pulling an encircling member such as a trigger sleeve into the release mechanism. The release mechanism may include instrumentation to transmit various operating conditions of the release mechanism when in use.