A small marine vessel includes a vessel body, a propulsion device, a propulsion device housing provided in a rear portion of the vessel body and that houses the propulsion device, a first cover that substantially covers and seals the propulsion device housing, and a second cover disposed above the first cover and that covers the first cover and an opening of the propulsion device housing.

A ship (100) including: an out-drive unit (20) that exerts a propulsion force on a ship hull (1) by power from an engine (10); a detection device (5) for detecting a current position, a bow direction, and a moving speed of the ship hull; a shift lever (41) that changes magnitude and direction of an output from the out-drive unit; a lever sensor (53) that detects a manipulation position of the shift lever; and a ship steering control device (30) that is connected to the out-drive unit, the detection device, and the lever sensor. The ship steering control device acquires the operating status of the out-drive unit and the detection results obtained by the detection device and the lever sensor and controls the out-drive unit based on the detection results. The ship steering control device performs a dynamic positioning control when the shift lever is in the positioning position.

A ship steering device including: an engine; an auto-drive unit that exerts propulsive power on a ship hull by power from the engine; detection means for detecting a current position and an orientation of the ship hull; a ship steering control device that controls an output of the engine and propulsive power of the auto-drive unit; and a calibration switch (8) that starts calibration of a ship. When the ship steering control device detects that the calibration switch is turned on, the ship steering control device controls the engine and the auto-drive unit to cause the ship hull to move in a predetermined direction or to turn, and if a difference between, for instance, a traveling amount and speed in the predetermined direction and an intended traveling amount and speed exceeds a predetermined value, the ship steering control device corrects control values of the engine and the auto-drive unit.

A boat comprises a hull, a primary steering mechanism carried by the hull, a control station located on the hull, a helm located at the control station, and a thruster system carried by the hull. The primary steering mechanism, such as a rudder, is operable via the helm with a helm input being derived from operation of the primary steering mechanism thereby. The thruster system includes at least one thruster mounted to the hull, distinct from the primary steering mechanism, and a controller. The controller receives the helm input and is configured with program instructions to operate the at least one thruster responsive to the helm input to supplement a corresponding movement of the hull. The controller can also automatically operate the thruster responsive to direction, speed and ballast inputs.

Described herein are paddlecraft such as kayaks modified to include a motor to assist the paddling action of a user of the paddlecraft. The paddlecraft has a motor driven propeller located in an elongated channel within a paddlecraft base which drives water flow from an inlet side to an outlet side of the motor driven propeller via the elongated channel to drive movement of the paddlecraft. At least one movement sensor may be located on the paddlecraft and motor driven propeller actuation is driven by a user when the at least one movement sensor senses paddling movement by the user. A network comprising multiple paddlecraft and movement sensor communication is also described along with a method of assisting a paddlecraft user to generate motion.

An electrically powered watercraft, comprising a hull (1), a propulsion device (2) provided at a stern of the hull and including a motor (10) and a propulsion unit (11) driven by the motor, an electrical box (6) that is placed on one side of a rear part of the hull and houses an electric component therein, a battery box (5) for housing a battery for supplying electric power for driving the motor, the battery box being positioned at a predetermined distance in front of the electrical box, a first cable (6) extending from the battery box to the electrical box, and a second cable (7) extending from the electrical box to the motor.

A personal watercraft comprises a body; a driving power source mounted in the body; a water jet pump driven by the driving power source to eject a water jet in a rearward direction; a handle bar gripped by a rider; a rider operation member provided on the handle bar, the rider operation member being operated by the rider to be movable to an acceleration position for providing a forward movement command, a deceleration position for providing a rearward movement command, and a neutral position for providing an idling command, the neutral position being set to a position between the acceleration position and the deceleration position in a movement path of the rider operation member; and a control unit which controls the driving power source in response to the rider's operation for moving the rider operation member.

A submersible electric thruster operable to propel underwater vehicles, surface vehicles, amphibious vehicles, etc. The submersible electric thruster includes a stator assembly having a base, stator, windings, and bearings and an external rotor assembly having a cylindrical arrangement of permanent magnets with a hub that is secured to a shaft. The stator forms the center of the motor and the permanent magnets spin around the stator. A propeller hub is integrally connected to the rotor assembly with angularly spaced propeller blades extending radially from the propeller hub. An annular nozzle surrounds the propeller and motor, forming an inlet and outlet for water flow. A nose cone is connected to the stator assembly and a tail cone is integrally connected to the nozzle assembly. Supporting arms may extend from the stator assembly to support the nozzle and/or supporting arms may extend from the nozzle to the support the tail cone.

A marine vessel includes a hull assembly, and the hull assembly includes a deck assembly, a first battery assembly, a second battery assembly and an electric motor assembly. The deck assembly is contained within the hull assembly. The first battery assembly is located completely under the deck assembly. The second battery assembly is located completely under the deck assembly and is physically separate from the first battery assembly. The electric motor assembly receives electric power from the first battery assembly and the second battery assembly to propel the hull assembly through water during operation.

A personal watercraft comprises a body including a deck and a hull, the body being provided with an engine room; an engine disposed in the engine room; a maintenance opening provided in the deck and located above the engine to in such a manner that an outside region of the body is in communication with an interior of the engine room through the maintenance opening; at least one duct mounting hole provided in the deck at a location different from a location of the maintenance opening in such a manner that the outside region is in communication with the interior of the engine room through the duct mounting hole; at least one ventilation duct fitted to the duct mounting hole to guide air from the outside region to the engine room; and an engine hood covering the maintenance opening and an air inlet of the ventilation duct.