A control system for navigating a marine vessel employs at least a first motor and a second motor. The control system is configured to communicate with the first and second motors. The control system is configured to receive a position measurement and an orientation measurement for the marine vessel. The control system is further configured to generate at least one control signal for the first motor based on the position measurement and at least one control signal for the second motor based on the orientation measurement.

A marine propulsion system for a marine vessel has a first marine propulsion device coupled to the marine vessel and a second marine propulsion device coupled to the marine vessel. The first marine propulsion device has a first engine controlled by a first electronic control module. The second marine propulsion device has a second engine controlled by a second electronic control module. In response to the first marine propulsion device being keyed ON, the second electronic control module of the second marine propulsion device is turned ON.

A catamaran lifting apparatus is disclosed for lifting objects 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. Each of the frames provides a space under the frame and in between the barges that enables a package to be lifted and/or a marine vessel to be positioned in between the barges and under the frames. In this fashion, an object that has been salvaged from the seabed can be placed upon the marine vessel that is positioned in between the barges and under the frames.

A marine propulsion system includes at least two parallel propulsion devices that each generate forward and reverse thrusts, wherein the parallel propulsion devices are oriented such that their thrusts are parallel to one another, and at least one drive position sensor configured to sense a drive angle of the parallel propulsion devices. A lateral thruster is configured to generate starboard and port thrust to propel the marine vessel. A user input device is operable by a user to provide at least a lateral thrust command to command lateral movement of the marine vessel and a rotational thrust command to command rotational movement of the marine vessel. A controller is configured to control the parallel propulsion devices and the lateral thruster based on the lateral steering input and/or the rotational steering input and the drive angle so as to provide the lateral movement and/or the rotational movement.

A journey through a waterway along which a sea-faring vessel manually piloted is identified and stored. A second vessel is later autonomously navigated along the same journey based on the stored data.

A system includes an outboard motor including a lift actuator, a pitch angle sensor, a lift position sensor, and a controller configured or programmed to obtain at least either of a pitch angle of a watercraft and an angular velocity of the pitch angle. The controller is configured or programmed to obtain a lift position of the outboard motor, and controller selectively set either a lift-up direction or a lift-down direction as a lift direction based on the lift position of the outboard motor and at least either of the pitch angle of the watercraft and the angular velocity of the pitch angle. The controller is configured or programmed to control the lift actuator to cause the outboard motor to perform a lift motion in the lift direction.

A method of controlling a propulsion system on a marine vessel includes receiving proximity measurements describing locations of one or more objects with respect to the marine vessel, receiving a command vector instructing magnitude and direction for propulsion of the marine vessel with respect to a point of navigation for the marine vessel, and then determining a funnel boundary based on the command vector. When an object is determined to be within the funnel boundary, a propulsion adjustment command is calculated to move the marine vessel such that the object is no longer in the funnel boundary. At least one propulsion device is then controlled based on the propulsion adjustment command.

A control device for controlling a watercraft includes: a position detection module configured to detect a current position of the watercraft; a positioning module configured to determine a new position for the watercraft within a delimited region depending on at least one positioning parameter when the watercraft approaches a boundary of the delimited region to within a predetermined distance or a parameterizable distance.

To improve prediction accuracy in model predictive control.

The ship control device includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry estimates an initial search value of a throttle opening by an estimation method based on uncertainty with a distance between a position of the ship and a target position of dynamic positioning, and a true wind velocity as preconditions. The processing circuitry searches an action for moving the ship to the target position by a model predictive control in a search range having the initial search value as an origin, and determines a command throttle opening based on the search result.

A catamaran lifting apparatus is disclosed for lifting objects 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 arc 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. Each of the frames provides a space under the frame and in between the barges that enables a package to be lifted and/or a marine vessel to be positioned in between the barges and under the frames. In this fashion, an object that has been salvaged from the seabed can be placed upon the marine vessel that is positioned in between the barges and under the frames.