A system for controlling a marine vessel has a sonar depth finder which displays a chart, stored in memory, for a body of water. The chart includes an underwater feature contour that defines a boundary of an underwater feature. The sonar depth finder includes a processor to create or update the topographical chart based on sonar data from a sonar transducer assembly. The sonar data includes information on the underwater feature. The processor can display and store the topographical chart. The user may select from the underwater feature contours on the depth finder display. The depth finder can generate a route for the marine vessel that includes a path along the selected underwater feature contours. A vessel control device, in communication with the depth finder, may receive transmissions, from the depth finder, which include the generated route. The vessel control device can automatically direct the marine vessel along the route.

A system for controlling a marine vessel has a sonar depth finder which displays a chart, stored in memory, for a body of water. The chart includes an underwater feature contour that defines a boundary of an underwater feature. The sonar depth finder includes a processor to create or update the topographical chart based on sonar data from a sonar transducer assembly. The sonar data includes information on the underwater feature. The processor can display and store the topographical chart. The user may select from the underwater feature contours on the depth finder display. The depth finder can generate a route for the marine vessel that includes a path along the selected underwater feature contours. A vessel control device, in communication with the depth finder, may receive transmissions, from the depth finder, which include the generated route. The vessel control device can automatically direct the marine vessel along the route.

A method for maintaining a marine vessel at a target position in a body of water, the method being carried out by a processing system and including: estimating at least one roughness condition of the body of water based on measurements related to an attitude of the marine vessel; calculating a desired linear velocity based on a difference between an actual position of the marine vessel and the target position; filtering an actual linear velocity of the marine vessel based on the roughness conditions; and operating a propulsion system of the marine vessel to move the marine vessel to minimize a difference between the desired linear velocity and the filtered actual linear velocity. A method for maintaining a marine vessel at a target heading in a body of water is also disclosed.

A method for maintaining a marine vessel at a target position in a body of water, the method being carried out by a processing system and including: estimating at least one roughness condition of the body of water based on measurements related to an attitude of the marine vessel; calculating a desired linear velocity based on a difference between an actual position of the marine vessel and the target position; filtering an actual linear velocity of the marine vessel based on the roughness conditions; and operating a propulsion system of the marine vessel to move the marine vessel to minimize a difference between the desired linear velocity and the filtered actual linear velocity. A method for maintaining a marine vessel at a target heading in a body of water is also disclosed.

A usage management system includes a use rights management server and a user terminal. A controller of a vessel propulsion apparatus operates a prime mover in a permission mode to permit an output exceeding a predetermined limit output if use permission is provided from the user terminal, and operates the prime mover in a non-permission mode to prohibit an output exceeding the predetermined limit output if use permission is not provided from the user terminal. The user terminal enters an active state to allow issuance of use permission if a use-permission notification is received from the use rights management server, and enters a non-active state to prohibit issuance of use permission if a use-permission notification is not received from the use rights management server. The use rights management server transmits a use-permission notification or a use-non-permission notification in accordance with use rights information concerning the vessel propulsion apparatus.

A ship-mounted auxiliary sail system featuring a plurality of sail units mountable and movable about the ship on a rail system. The sail units can have automatic reefing safety features and/or automatic mast release safety features.

A ship-mounted auxiliary sail system featuring a plurality of sail units mountable and movable about the ship on a rail system. The sail units can have automatic reefing safety features and/or automatic mast release safety features.

A vessel load measurement system includes a laser measurement system configured to measure distances and angles by directing a laser of the laser measurement system onto remote laser targets and a controller configured to use the laser measurement system to measure a height of a first laser target placed at a known location on a vessel, obtain pitch and roll measurements of the vessel, and compute at least one vessel corner height based on the measured height of the first laser target at the known location on the vessel, the pitch and roll measurements of the vessel, and known dimensions of the vessel. The first laser target may be part of a jig that can be placed at a known location on the vessel. The jig may include at least one tilt sensor. An additional laser target may be used to measure the water level.

A vessel load measurement system includes a laser measurement system configured to measure distances and angles by directing a laser of the laser measurement system onto remote laser targets and a controller configured to use the laser measurement system to measure a height of a first laser target placed at a known location on a vessel, obtain pitch and roll measurements of the vessel, and compute at least one vessel corner height based on the measured height of the first laser target at the known location on the vessel, the pitch and roll measurements of the vessel, and known dimensions of the vessel. The first laser target may be part of a jig that can be placed at a known location on the vessel. The jig may include at least one tilt sensor. An additional laser target may be used to measure the water level.

The present invention relates to a vessel data integration system and a vessel comprising same. Accordingly, the present invention preferably comprises: a first vessel data conversion device for converting first vessel data which have a non-standard format and are received from first equipment; a second vessel data conversion device for converting second vessel data which have a standard format and are received from second equipment; a data processing device for classifying, by type, the integrated vessel data received from the vessel data conversion device; a complex event processing (CEP) device for filtering out integrated vessel data, which needs to be transmitted in real-time; and a real-time data transmission device for transmitting in real-time the integrated vessel data.