The present invention relates to a winged boat comprising a main body including a passenger space and a closed space at an edge, buoyant wing parts protruding from both sides of the main body, disposed in a front and a rear area of the main body, and each including a wing body protruded from a side of the main body; a buoyant space formed inside the wing body in a closed state; a water storage part disposed in an opposite direction to the main body with respect to the buoyant space and having an opening and closing part at a lower portion and an inlet formed at an upper portion, and a buoyancy control part provided in an opposite direction to the buoyant space with respect to the water storage part and adjusting buoyancy of the wing body by controlling an amount of water stored therein.

The present invention relates to a winged boat comprising a main body including a passenger space and a closed space at an edge, buoyant wing parts protruding from both sides of the main body, disposed in a front and a rear area of the main body, and each including a wing body protruded from a side of the main body; a buoyant space formed inside the wing body in a closed state; a water storage part disposed in an opposite direction to the main body with respect to the buoyant space and having an opening and closing part at a lower portion and an inlet formed at an upper portion, and a buoyancy control part provided in an opposite direction to the buoyant space with respect to the water storage part and adjusting buoyancy of the wing body by controlling an amount of water stored therein.

Systems, devices, and methods are provided for operating a watercraft vessel. The system can include a communication unit configured to receive a position signal and a velocity signal of the first vessel. The system can include a first sensing unit configured to determine a relative position signal of one or more nearby vessels including the first vessel, a second sensing unit configured to detect and measure a fluid velocity field of a vortex around the watercraft vessel, and a third sensing unit configured to detect and measure an efficiency gain from a lifting force experienced by watercraft vessel operating in an upwash region of the vortex. And the system can include a control unit configured to maneuver the watercraft vessel from a first position to an optimum position.

The invention relates to a system for determining the distance between a boat and at least one object at least partially immerged in a water area, said system comprising a capturing module, configured to be mounted on said boat, for example on a mast, said capturing module comprising at least one camera, said at least one camera being configured to generate at least one sequence of images of said water area, and a processing module, configured to be embedded onboard said boat, said processing module being configured to receive the at least one sequence of images from said at least one camera, to detect at least one object in said at least one received sequence of images and to determine the distance between the boat and the at least one detected object using the received sequence of images.

The invention relates to a system for determining the distance between a boat and at least one object at least partially immerged in a water area, said system comprising a capturing module, configured to be mounted on said boat, for example on a mast, said capturing module comprising at least one camera, said at least one camera being configured to generate at least one sequence of images of said water area, and a processing module, configured to be embedded onboard said boat, said processing module being configured to receive the at least one sequence of images from said at least one camera, to detect at least one object in said at least one received sequence of images and to determine the distance between the boat and the at least one detected object using the received sequence of images.

A stern drive is for propelling a marine vessel in water. The stern drive has an upper drive unit with a lower mounting surface; a lower gearcase coupled to the lower mounting surface and a trailing end surface that is angled relative to the lower mounting surface; and a propeller shaft extending forwardly from the lower gearcase and being configured to rotate a propeller for pulling the marine vessel in the water. The upper drive unit and the lower gearcase are configured such that when a forward side of the lower gearcase impacts an underwater obstruction, the lower gearcase is caused to pivot relative to the upper drive unit until the trailing end surface impacts the lower mounting surface, which thereby causes the lower gearcase to completely uncouple from the upper drive unit.

A stern drive is for propelling a marine vessel in water. The stern drive has an upper drive unit with a lower mounting surface; a lower gearcase coupled to the lower mounting surface and a trailing end surface that is angled relative to the lower mounting surface; and a propeller shaft extending forwardly from the lower gearcase and being configured to rotate a propeller for pulling the marine vessel in the water. The upper drive unit and the lower gearcase are configured such that when a forward side of the lower gearcase impacts an underwater obstruction, the lower gearcase is caused to pivot relative to the upper drive unit until the trailing end surface impacts the lower mounting surface, which thereby causes the lower gearcase to completely uncouple from the upper drive unit.

In collision-avoidance maneuvering in congested waters, an own ship is decelerated by astern power. The own ship is continuously navigated on a current target course with a propulsion propeller always rotated forward at the stern of the own ship. The astern power is generated as the propulsion of a propeller slipstream with rudder angles formed at a pair of right and left high-lift rudders disposed behind the propulsion propeller. In the decelerating maneuvering, the rudder angles formed at the high-lift rudders are controlled within a range from a rudder angle for applying a maximum propeller slipstream as the astern power to a rudder angle for eliminating the ahead power of the propeller slipstream, and the deceleration of the own ship is controlled by changing the astern power according to the rudder angles.

In collision-avoidance maneuvering in congested waters, an own ship is decelerated by astern power. The own ship is continuously navigated on a current target course with a propulsion propeller always rotated forward at the stern of the own ship. The astern power is generated as the propulsion of a propeller slipstream with rudder angles formed at a pair of right and left high-lift rudders disposed behind the propulsion propeller. In the decelerating maneuvering, the rudder angles formed at the high-lift rudders are controlled within a range from a rudder angle for applying a maximum propeller slipstream as the astern power to a rudder angle for eliminating the ahead power of the propeller slipstream, and the deceleration of the own ship is controlled by changing the astern power according to the rudder angles.

A vessel docking system has a vessel such as a scow and/or a tugboat, a platform such as a barge and/or a dredger, an optical distance measuring means, a vessel display unit, and a control means. The vessel display unit is configured to display a position and a location of the vessel and/or the platform. The optical distance measuring means is in communication with the vessel display unit. The optical distance measuring means includes a sensor, a laser, and lens. The optical distance measuring means is configured to determine a distance and a pathway between the platform and the vessel.