Boat mooring device

An apparatus for storing and dispensing rope used to moor a boat or the like, comprising:

• a case including structure defining a rope receiving aperture:
• a reel assembly rotatably mounted within said case for windably storing said rope, said reel assembly including a spool having an external, rope supporting surface, a pair of opposed guidewalls operably coupled to said spool, each of said guidewalls having an outside edge line with ratchet teeth, and circular bearings received by said guidewalls for rotatably mounting said reel assembly within said case;
• biasing means operably coupled to said reel assembly for urging rotation of said reel assembly in a first, rope take-up direction;
• locking means selectively operably engagable with said reel assembly for selectively preventing rotation of said reel assembly in a second rope pay-out direction;
• and
• guiding means for guiding said rope into said case and on to said reel assembly when said reel assembly is rotated in said first direction, and off of said reel assembly and out of said case when said reel assembly is rotated in said second direction, said aperture defining a center axis, said guiding means including alignment means for aligning said rope generally along said center axis as it approaches said aperture from within said case.