Retractable surfboard leash

Claim 1

An improved retractable leash for attaching a surfboard to a surfer, said leash comprising: a) an elongated line; b) a storage unit for said line, said storage unit including a housing having a side aperture, and a spool rotatively carried within said housing to allow said line to pass through said aperture in said housing and wrap about said spool; c) means for mounting said storage unit onto the surfboard and allowing said storage unit to rotate three hundred and sixty degrees, said mounting means including an anchor nut embedded into a top surface of said surfboard, and a bolt having a threaded shank which extends centrally through said housing, through said spool and threadably engages with said anchor nut, thereby allowing said housing to rotate three hundred and sixty degrees; d) means for attaching a free end of said line to the surfer, so that when the surfer falls off the surfboard in any direction said line will pull out more directly from said storage unit, said attaching means is a cuff which fits about an ankle of the surfer; and e) means for retracting said line into said storage unit, so that the slack of said line is taken up to eliminate long line drag in the water as the surfer rides the surfboard on the waves, said retracting means including a spring biasing assembly coupled between said housing and said spool, so as to cause rotation of said spool within said housing to normally pull said line back upon said spool, said housing being cylindrical shaped having a perforated top surface and an opened bottom to allow water to enter therein and exit therefrom to lubricate said spool.