A personal watercraft auto-return system includes a user device having a rider location determination unit, a user interface, and a communication unit. The system also includes an autopilot unit that is positioned within a personal watercraft. The autopilot unit including a steering unit for controlling the steering the watercraft, and a controller having a processor and memory for controlling the engine and throttle controls of the watercraft. The controller selectively activates the steering unit, engine, and throttle of the personal watercraft to navigate to the location of the user device upon receiving a request from the user interface.

A system for automatically returning a flotation device to a user when the user becomes separated from it and is greater than some predetermined distance away. The user may have a tracking device that is operable to determine its location and transmit this information to an automatic recovery unit coupled to the flotation device. The recovery unit may be configured to activate when it is greater than the predetermined distance from the tracking device, and may be operable to propel the flotation device steering it toward the tracking device to close the distance between them.

In a small boat emergency stop apparatus having an operator's cockpit and a passenger seat installed spaced apart from the cockpit, there are provided with an operator transmitter wearable by the operator to transmit a radio-wave signal of a predetermined strength, a passenger transmitters wearable by the passenger to transmit a radio-wave signal of the same predetermined strength and a receiver installed at a location closer to the cockpit than the passenger seat to receives the radio-wave signals transmitted by the operator and passenger transmitters successively. It is identified which of the operator and the passenger is a wearer of the transmitter and is then discriminated whether strength of the radio-wave signal transmitted from the identified wearer is smaller than a predetermined value. When it is, it is discriminated that emergency occurred in the wearer and an emergency action of engine stopping or engine speed reducing is performed.

A system for automatically returning a flotation device to a user when the user becomes separated from it and is greater than some predetermined distance away. The user may have a tracking device that is operable to determine its location and transmit this information to an automatic recovery unit coupled to the flotation device. The recovery unit may be configured to activate when it is greater than the predetermined distance from the tracking device, and may be operable to propel the flotation device steering it toward the tracking device to close the distance between them.

A safety system for a boat, watercraft or other vehicle includes a kill switch connected to the motor for preventing the motor from running under dangerous circumstances. The system includes at least one proximity sensor operatively connected to the kill switch, so that the motor only runs when the proximity sensor detects a person properly positioned at the captain's console. Other sensors may form an array to communicate with the kill switch, either hard-wired together or wirelessly, upon detection of dangerous situations, including proximity sensors to detect if a swimmer is near the propeller or if the captain is not in position at the helm, gate sensors to detect when gates on the boat are in an open position, and ladder sensors to detect when a ladder is in a down position. The system may also include a plurality of cameras around the periphery of the watercraft for monitoring purposes.

A system for a marine vessel propelled by a propulsion device includes a controller operable in an automatic navigation mode in which the controller automatically controls a thrust of the propulsion device to propel the marine vessel through a body of water. A portable device is carried on an individual on the marine vessel. The controller enables a person overboard detection algorithm in response to enablement of the automatic navigation mode. The person overboard detection algorithm disables the automatic navigation mode in response to detecting a given status of the portable device.

In a small boat emergency stop apparatus having an operator's cockpit and a passenger seat installed spaced apart from the cockpit, there are provided with an operator transmitter wearable by the operator to transmit a radio-wave signal of a predetermined strength, a passenger transmitters wearable by the passenger to transmit a radio-wave signal of the same predetermined strength and a receiver installed at a location closer to the cockpit than the passenger seat to receives the radio-wave signals transmitted by the operator and passenger transmitters successively. It is identified which of the operator and the passenger is a wearer of the transmitter and is then discriminated whether strength of the radio-wave signal transmitted from the identified wearer is smaller than a predetermined value. When it is, it is discriminated that emergency occurred in the wearer and an emergency action of engine stopping or engine speed reducing is performed.