An apparatus that facilitates search and rescue, for example, in open water. The apparatus comprises a substrate with a particular geometry and a perimeter. The apparatus further comprises a cover positioned atop the substrate with the cover also having a particular geometry and perimeter, which correspond to the geometry and perimeter of the substrate. An air-tight seal seals the substrate perimeter to the cover perimeter and creates a sealed internal region. A breakable vessel holding an activator is located in the sealed internal region, along with illuminable dyes that are also located in the sealed internal region. When the breakable vessel is broken, the activator reacts with the illuminable dyes and illuminates the illuminable dyes.

A wireless lanyard system for a marine vessel propelled by at least one propulsion device, the system comprising an operator fob configured to be worn by an operator of the marine vessel, a helm transceiver configured to receive radio signals from the operator fob an a controller. The controller is configured to define a permitted zone with respect to a helm area of the marine vessel based on at least one vessel condition, determine based on communications between the operator fob and the helm transceiver whether the operator is within the permitted zone with respect to the helm area, and generate a lanyard event when the operator is not within the permitted zone.

A watercraft maneuvering system includes a watercraft maneuvering input on a watercraft operable by an operator of the watercraft so as to command generation of a propulsive force, a controller on the watercraft and configured or programmed to control operation of a propulsion system of the watercraft according to the operation of the watercraft maneuvering input, and a disembarkation sensor to detect disembarkation of the operator from the watercraft. The controller is configured or programmed to perform an operation state maintaining control operation to maintain the propulsion system in a propulsive force non-generation state when the disembarkation sensor detects that the operator has disembarked from the watercraft irrespective of the operation of the watercraft maneuvering input.

A watercraft maneuvering system includes an overboard sensor to detect an operator overboard event when a watercraft operator falls overboard from a watercraft, and a controller provided on the watercraft and configured or programmed to control a propulsion system of the watercraft. The controller is configured or programmed to perform a fixed point holding control operation to control the propulsion system to maintain a fixed position of the watercraft when the overboard sensor detects the operator overboard event. The overboard sensor is provided on the watercraft, and includes a communicator that wirelessly communicates with an operator fob to be carried by the operator. The operator sensor may detect the operator overboard event based on a state of communication between the operator fob and the communicator.

An overboard detection system includes a fob to be carried by a user on a watercraft, an overboard sensor to detect a user overboard event when the user carrying the fob falls overboard, and a communicator on the watercraft to wirelessly communicate with the fob and to transmit a rescue intention notification indicating a rescue intention to the fob carried by the user involved in the overboard event. The fob includes a transmitter operable to provide the rescue intention notification to the overboard user upon reception of the rescue intention notification.

An object detection device includes an external sensor, an inertia sensor, and a control device. The external sensor is fixed to a ship. The external sensor detects an object. The inertia sensor detects information related to an inertial force applied to the ship. The control device acquires a state of relative displacement of a detection object on the basis of a signal output from the external sensor. The control device acquires a state of an attitude change of the ship on the basis of a signal output from the inertia sensor. The control device determines whether a detection object is present outside the ship according to a correlation between the state of the attitude change of the ship and the state of the relative displacement of the detection object.

A watercraft of an automatic maneuvering system includes an actuator configured to generate a propulsive force and a turning moment, an operation unit, and a watercraft control device.

A signal device for maritime distress rescue and a surveillance device for maritime distress rescue are provided. The signal device for maritime distress rescue which is carried by a user aboard a vessel may include a first communicator configured to communicate with a surveillance device for maritime distress rescue of the vessel, a first position detector configured to generate first position information of the signal device at a predetermined time interval, and a first controller configured to receive second position information of the surveillance device from the surveillance device at a predetermined time interval and determine whether the first position information is within a safe area of the vessel that is set on the basis of the second position information. Accordingly, when a distress occurs, it is possible to transmit a distress signal without operating a switch while minimizing power consumption of the signal device.

A watercraft includes a steering unit, a rudder unit, a transmission unit configured to connect the steering unit and the rudder unit and mechanically transmit an input operation on the steering unit to the rudder unit, a drive unit configured to operate the rudder unit without any need of an input operation on the steering unit, and a watercraft control device for controlling the drive unit.

A signal device for maritime distress rescue and a surveillance device for maritime distress rescue are provided. The signal device for maritime distress rescue which is carried by a user aboard a vessel may include a first communicator configured to communicate with a surveillance device for maritime distress rescue of the vessel, a first position detector configured to generate first position information of the signal device at a predetermined time interval, and a first controller configured to receive second position information of the surveillance device from the surveillance device at a predetermined time interval and determine whether the first position information is within a safe area of the vessel that is set on the basis of the second position information. Accordingly, when a distress occurs, it is possible to transmit a distress signal without operating a switch while minimizing power consumption of the signal device.