An open water marine barrier system is provided. Embodiments include a marine barrier with two elongate buoyant members, an elongate net support member between the two buoyant members and above the buoyant members, and an elongate lower ballast member between the two buoyant members and below the buoyant members. Stanchions extend between the members to support them and maintain the spacing between them. An impact net is attached to the net support member and a stanchion extending between the two buoyant members. When a moving vessel impacts the impact net, the net deflects to transfer a force of the impact to the net support member, the stanchions, and the buoyant members, which engage the water to transfer the impact force to the water and arrest the motion of the vessel. The ballast member provides a force to restore the barrier to an upright position when the barrier rotates from vertical.

An open water marine barrier system is provided. Embodiments include a marine barrier with two elongate buoyant members, an elongate net support member between the two buoyant members and above the buoyant members, and an elongate lower ballast member between the two buoyant members and below the buoyant members. Stanchions extend between the members to support them and maintain the spacing between them. An impact net is attached to the net support member and a stanchion extending between the two buoyant members. When a moving vessel impacts the impact net, the net deflects to transfer a force of the impact to the net support member, the stanchions, and the buoyant members, which engage the water to transfer the impact force to the water and arrest the motion of the vessel. The ballast member provides a force to restore the barrier to an upright position when the barrier rotates from vertical.

A marine barrier has a line of buoyant column modules, and an impact net attached to and extending between the column modules. First and second lines of buoyant flotation modules are respectively disposed parallel to and on opposing sides of the line of column modules, and are connected to the column modules by legs such that each of the flotation modules is retained between two adjacent ones of the center column modules. When the barrier is floating in a body of water and a moving vessel impacts the impact net, the impact net deflects to transfer a force of the impact to one or more of the column modules and flotation modules, which in turn engage the water to transfer the force of the impact to the water, to arrest the motion of the vessel.

A marine barrier has a line of buoyant column modules, and an impact net attached to and extending between the column modules. First and second lines of buoyant flotation modules are respectively disposed parallel to and on opposing sides of the line of column modules, and are connected to the column modules by legs such that each of the flotation modules is retained between two adjacent ones of the center column modules. When the barrier is floating in a body of water and a moving vessel impacts the impact net, the impact net deflects to transfer a force of the impact to one or more of the column modules and flotation modules, which in turn engage the water to transfer the force of the impact to the water, to arrest the motion of the vessel.

A system is provided for automatic operation and status indication of a marine barrier gate. Embodiments include a system having a buoyant barrier gate that is movable between a closed position and an open position. An actuator moves the gate between the open and closed positions, and a sensor is operably connected to the actuator to generate data relating to a position of the barrier gate between the open and closed positions. A processor receives the data from the sensor and processes the data to move the gate between the open and closed positions, and detect the position of the gate. A human-machine interface is operably connected to the processor for communicating the detected position of the barrier gate to a user.

FIG. 7 shows an air cannon system loaded with a launch canister containing a prop-fouler. A pressure vessel (28) contains an inlet including a poppet valve (100) that, upon command, can be selectively placed in either a one-way flow position to permit charging of the pressure vessel or otherwise opened to trigger rapid discharge through pressure equalization with the ambient environment. The air cannon may include multiple splayed barrels or a single barrel (158). A launch canister (202), realized in the form of a tube, has a driving plate (350) that closes an end of the launch tube. The driving plate is the first point loaded into the barrel. Within the launch canister (202) a first portion of a floating prop-fouling line is stored. The prop-fouling line, such as made from Dyneema, has at its ends two drogues that, upon entry into the water, fill with water to produce drag resistance to movement of the prop-fouling line. To avoid undue stress on canopy panels of each drogue and to avoid twisting of shroud lines (312) to the canopy, a rotating shackle (310a, 310b) acts as a coupling point between the shroud lines (312) and the prop-fouling line. Only one drogue (306), its associated coupling and a selected length prop-fouling line are loaded into the launch canister, with the other drogue and its rotating shackle (310b) loaded into a cradle (166). Upon firing, gas expansion causes the rapid acceleration and ejection of the launch tube (202) and generally straight line deployment of the prop-fouling line (302).

FIG. 7 shows an air cannon system loaded with a launch canister containing a prop-fouler. A pressure vessel (28) contains an inlet including a poppet valve (100) that, upon command, can be selectively placed in either a one-way flow position to permit charging of the pressure vessel or otherwise opened to trigger rapid discharge through pressure equalization with the ambient environment. The air cannon may include multiple splayed barrels or a single barrel (158). A launch canister (202), realized in the form of a tube, has a driving plate (350) that closes an end of the launch tube. The driving plate is the first point loaded into the barrel. Within the launch canister (202) a first portion of a floating prop-fouling line is stored. The prop-fouling line, such as made from Dyneema, has at its ends two drogues that, upon entry into the water, fill with water to produce drag resistance to movement of the prop-fouling line. To avoid undue stress on canopy panels of each drogue and to avoid twisting of shroud lines (312) to the canopy, a rotating shackle (310a, 310b) acts as a coupling point between the shroud lines (312) and the prop-fouling line. Only one drogue (306), its associated coupling and a selected length prop-fouling line are loaded into the launch canister, with the other drogue and its rotating shackle (310b) loaded into a cradle (166). Upon firing, gas expansion causes the rapid acceleration and ejection of the launch tube (202) and generally straight line deployment of the prop-fouling line (302).

An open water marine barrier system is provided. Embodiments include a marine barrier with two elongate buoyant members, an elongate net support member between the two buoyant members and above the buoyant members, and an elongate lower ballast member between the two buoyant members and below the buoyant members. Stanchions extend between the members to support them and maintain the spacing between them. An impact net is attached to the net support member and a stanchion extending between the two buoyant members. When a moving vessel impacts the impact net, the net deflects to transfer a force of the impact to the net support member, the stanchions, and the buoyant members, which engage the water to transfer the impact force to the water and arrest the motion of the vessel. The ballast member provides a force to restore the barrier to an upright position when the barrier rotates from vertical.

An open water marine barrier system is provided. Embodiments include a marine barrier with two elongate buoyant members, an elongate net support member between the two buoyant members and above the buoyant members, and an elongate lower ballast member between the two buoyant members and below the buoyant members. Stanchions extend between the members to support them and maintain the spacing between them. An impact net is attached to the net support member and a stanchion extending between the two buoyant members. When a moving vessel impacts the impact net, the net deflects to transfer a force of the impact to the net support member, the stanchions, and the buoyant members, which engage the water to transfer the impact force to the water and arrest the motion of the vessel. The ballast member provides a force to restore the barrier to an upright position when the barrier rotates from vertical.

A marine gate has a buoyant variable length barrier and a cable management system employing two cables or lines. An opening line extends through the barrier to move the barrier from an expanded position (gate is closed) to a retracted position (gate is open) via a winch. A closing line moves the barrier from the retracted position to the expanded position using a winch. A weight is attached to the closing line for moving a submerged portion of the line to the seafloor when the barrier gate is retracted and the closing line is payed out by operation of its winch. The weighted line allows a portion or the entire cable system to be under tension at all times. The resulting cable geometry allows vessel operators confidence in knowing the cable location in the water depths at the gate, whether the gate is fully or partially opened.