A method for controlling a thruster of a marine vehicle includes a body and a thruster mounted on the body of the vehicle, the vehicle being at least partially immersed in a liquid and moving with respect to the liquid along an axis of displacement in a direction of displacement and rotating about at least one axis of rotation perpendicular to the axis of displacement with a rotational speed, the thruster including an upstream propeller and a downstream propeller along the axis of displacement in the direction of displacement. The method including a stabilization step, in which the thruster is controlled such that the main axis of the upstream flow generated by the upstream propeller at a given instant t is an estimated main axis on which a position of a center of the downstream propeller, situated substantially on the axis of rotation of the downstream propeller, is estimated to be situated at a later instant t+dt at which the flow generated by the upstream propeller at the given instant t reaches the downstream propeller, the estimated main axis depending on the rotational speed of the vehicle.

Apparatuses and methods for maneuvering marine vessel are disclosed. In an embodiment, the apparatus is configured to: receive a location command defining a future geographic location; receive an orientation command defining an orientation in the future geographic location; and generate required control data for a steering and propulsion system of the marine vessel based on the future geographic location and the orientation. In another embodiment, the apparatus is configured to: receive control data of a current power and angle of the steering and propulsion system; receive control data of a reference power and angle of the steering and propulsion system; and display simultaneously a current representation of the current power and angle, and a reference representation of the reference power and angle, wherein the current representation and the reference representation are both arranged and positioned co-centrically in relation to a representation of the marine vessel.

A trolling device for a boat includes a trolling motor and a control mechanism. The control mechanism controls at least one of the speed and the direction of the trolling motor. The control mechanism is configured to receive control instructions from an electronic GPS mapping computer to cause the trolling motor to maintain a controlled drift of the fishing boat with respect to an anchor point, water current rate, water current direction, wind, and/or wave action.

A device for coupling a propulsor to a marine vessel. A rail is configured for attachment to the marine vessel. A carriage is moveable relative to the rail into first and second positions. A shaft has a first end pivotally coupled to the marine vessel and a second end for coupling to the propulsor. An actuator is configured to pivot the shaft relative to the marine vessel to thereby move the propulsor into and between stowed and deployed positions. A lock is manually operable to fix the carriage in the first position in which the actuator prevents manual pivoting of the shaft and alternatively in the second position in which the shaft is permitted to be manually pivoted.

A device for coupling a propulsor to a marine vessel. The device includes a mounting bracket configured for attachment to the marine vessel. A support frame has a carriage and is configured for the propulsor to be coupled thereto, where the carriage is configured to slidably engage with the mounting bracket into a fixed position. A member is manually engageable to prevent the carriage from sliding out of the fixed position. The propulsor is coupled to the marine vessel by sliding the carriage into the fixed position and engaging the member, where the propulsor is operable to propel the marine vessel in water when the carriage is in the fixed position, and where the propulsor is configured for decoupling from the marine vessel by disengaging the member and sliding the carriage out of engagement with the mounting bracket.

A steering system (1) is employed in a ship to which left and right propulsors (2L, 2R) are attached. The steering system (1) includes a first input device (11) configured to receive an input of any one of a forward thrust parameter and a reverse thrust parameter of the propulsors, a second input device (15) configured to receive an input of the other of the forward thrust parameter and the reverse thrust parameter of the propulsors, and a controller (17) configured to reflect the forward thrust parameter and the reverse thrust parameter to the propulsors in real time. In the steering system, the first input device and the second input device receive the inputs in parallel when a steering pattern for a ship is set.

A system for controlling movements of a marine surface vessel includes a hull, a bow and a stern. A control unit being controls movements of one or more fins, which control movements of the vessel, in dependence on signals from a position input device, and on signals from a position detecting device. The fin(s) is connected to a respective actuator via a rotation shaft adapted to protrude from the vessel hull, wherein the rotation shaft defines a rotational axis of the fin. Each fin comprises a fin base adapted to be at a first distance from the hull, and a fin tip adapted to be at a second distance from the hull, which second distance is larger than the first distance, wherein a leading edge of the fin, and a trailing edge of the fin extend on opposite sides of the fin, from the fin base to the fin tip.

A catamaran oil production apparatus is disclosed for producing oil in a marine environment. The apparatus includes first and second vessels that are spaced apart during use. A first frame spans between the vessels. A second frame spans between the vessels. The frames are spaced apart and connected to the vessels in a configuration that spaces the vessels apart. The first frame connects to the first vessel with a universal joint and to the second vessel with a hinged connection. The second frame connects to the second vessel with a universal joint and to the first vessel with a hinged or pinned connection. At least one of the frames supports an oil production platform. One or more risers or riser pipes extends from the seabed (e.g., at a wellhead) to the production platform (or platforms). In one embodiment, the production apparatus includes crew quarters.

A boat drive for a boat having a boat hull with a bottom. The boat drive includes an underwater pod; an electric motor disposed in the underwater pod, the electric motor driving, via a drive shaft, a propeller attached to the underwater pod; and an electrical supply line for supplying energy to the electric motor. The boat drive further includes an inner tube connected to the underwater pod and displaceably disposed in an outer tube, wherein the electrical supply line is routed through the inner tube. The boat drive further includes a mounting body attachable to the bottom of the boat hull, wherein the outer tube is passed through the mounting body. At least one annular sealing element is disposed between the inner and outer tubes, wherein the at least one annular sealing element seals the inner tube and the outer tube in a radial direction relative to the longitudinal axis of the inner tube.

A watercraft propulsion system includes a main propulsion device attachable to a hull, an auxiliary propulsion device attachable to the hull and having a lower rated output than the main propulsion device, a lift to move up and down a propeller of the auxiliary propulsion device between an underwater position and an above-water position, and a controller. The controller includes a plurality of control modes including a combined use mode in which a propulsive force generated by the main propulsion device and a propulsive force generated by the auxiliary propulsion device are used in combination. The controller is configured or programmed to restrict the main propulsion device and the auxiliary propulsion device from being driven according to the combined use mode when the propeller of the auxiliary propulsion device is in the above-water position.