A floating buoy includes a buoy hull having a tower that extends outwardly from the hull. A plurality of sensors are mounted either on the buoy hull, within the buoy hull, and/or on the tower. The plurality of sensors includes at least one met-ocean sensor, at least one ecological sensor, and at least one wind speed measurement sensor. The floating buoy further includes an autonomous power system that is configured to provide electrical power to each of the plurality of sensors. The wind speed measurement sensor may be a Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) wind speed measurement sensor, a surface level wind speed sensor, an ultrasonic wind speed sensor, or SODAR.

Provided is a floating-type on-water support apparatus including: a ball; a floating unit including a floating part, wherein the floating part has an upper plate supporting the ball so that the ball is rotatable, an interior formed to be hollow, and a lower plate provided with a spherical surface portion and floats on water; a support rod coupled to the ball and having one end exposed above the water so that a structure is installable thereon and the other end heavier than the one end so as to stand vertically to be accommodated in the floating part; and a base unit having one end installed on a lower portion of the support rod to support the support rod and the other end in roll contact with the spherical surface portion.

A watercraft includes at least one float, a first frame supported by the at least one float, and a main panel affixed across the first frame. The watercraft further includes a second frame affixed to the first frame rotatably about a first edge and a second panel affixed across the second frame. In an embodiment, the first edge includes a shared frame member belonging to both said the frame and the second frame. In an embodiment, the watercraft includes a third frame affixed to the first frame rotatably about a second edge distinct from the first edge and a third panel affixed across the third frame. In an embodiment, the watercraft includes a shade rotatably affixed to a shade support edge member of the second frame and a shade panel affixed across the shade frame. The shade frame includes a pair of shade frame edge members rotatably affixed to the shade support edge member of the second frame.

A system for collection of rainwater in the open ocean may include: (a) one or more ocean-going vessels, wherein each ocean-going vessel is configured for collection and storage of rainwater, wherein each ocean-going vessel is configured to drift with surface ocean currents in order to navigate to one or more delivery locations, wherein each delivery location is on or near to a land mass; and (b) one or more delivery stations located at the one or more delivery locations, wherein each delivery station is configured to receive stored rainwater from one or more of the ocean-going vessels.

Techniques are provided for an unmanned surface vehicle including a vehicle body and a rigid square-rig wing coupled with the primary vehicle body. The rigid square-rig wing includes a first surface configured to interact with wind to generate a force that propels the primary vehicle body in a direction of travel that is primarily composed of drag, and a second surface configured to interact with the wind to generate a force that propels the primary vehicle body in a direction of travel that is primarily composed of lift. The unmanned surface vehicle further includes a rudder and a control system comprising a controller, the control system configured to determine a rudder position and generate a signal to position the rudder to the rudder position.

A method, system, and apparatus for collecting waste. In one embodiment, an autonomous plastic collecting robot (APCR) device for collecting waste may include a net structure that picks up micro plastic particles dispersed in water; a tube that transports the micro plastics collected by the net structure into a main internal container; an artificial tongue for collecting larger plastics, the artificial tongue comprised of a rolling staircase with fork-like structures in placed of the stairs; a plastic degrading medium contained in the main internal container; a no-joint tail structure which acts as the primary power source for the APCR, the no-joint tail structure housing dielectric elastomer materials and a rotation shaft located between at least two electric generators.

An autonomous sailing vessel may include a hull, a mast, a sail, and a sail release device. The mast may be mechanically coupled to the hull. The sail may be mechanically coupled to the mast. The sail release device may be operably coupled to the sail and may be configured to automatically release the sail to spill excess wind. Alternatively or additionally, the sail may include a fore sail element coupled to the mast and an aft sail element rotatably coupled at a fore of the aft sail element to an aft of the fore sail element. In this and other embodiments, the autonomous sailing vessel may further include a camber control assembly to automatically set a camber angle between the fore and aft sail elements.

A storage structure is configured to be buoyant or retained above a water line. The storage structure includes a frame having a back beam, a left beam attached to the back beam, a right beam attached to the back beam and a front beam attached to the left beam and the right beam to form a substantially rectangular configuration, wherein prior to a last of the beams being secured together an interior space accessible through an opening. The storage structure includes a bladder configured to be positioned through the interior space though the opening wherein the bladder is sized to be retained within the interior space whether the storage structure is above the water line or buoyant, the bladder including a vent, a fill port and a drain wherein an amount of water within the bladder is manipulated to provide ballast or buoyancy to the storage structure. The storage structure includes at least one floor panel secured to the frame over the bladder, side walls extending from a perimeter of the floor panel, wherein one side wall includes a door for ingress and egress to the storage structure. The storage structure includes a roof attached to the side walls.

A trimaran which includes a self-righting structure positioned near the stern that substantially raises the center of buoyancy. The trimarans two peripheral hulls are shorter than the main hull and positioned near the one end to create an unstable inverted environment wherein when inverted the vessel rests primarily on the self-righting structure and an end of the main hull, substantially raising the center of gravity and creating an unstable configuration. This causes a pitch or roll about the vessel's longitudinal axis, which continues until the vessel has returned to its more stable upright position resting on three hulls.

An electrically-propelled marine vehicle and method of making same, including providing a hull of the marine vehicle and mounting a submersible electric thruster to the hull. The thruster includes a stator assembly and a rotor assembly. The rotor assembly forms an internal cavity with a plurality of magnets arranged radially outwardly of the internal cavity. The stator assembly includes electrical windings that are disposed within the internal cavity of the rotor assembly. The thruster is configured to allow the internal cavity to be flooded with water when the thruster is submerged, and the electrical windings are covered by a protective barrier that prevents the flooded water from contacting the windings. The thruster of the marine vehicle is thus water cooled, and the electromotive forces provided by the windings generate sufficient thrust to propel the marine vehicle through the water.