Abstract: A robotic fish includes a front body, a rear body that includes a first segment and a second segment, and a driving unit. The first segment has a front engaging portion projecting toward and pivotally connected to the front body, and a rear engaging portion formed with a recess that recedes toward the front body and pivotally connected to the second segment. The driving unit includes a motor disposed in the front engaging portion, and a shaft extending along a dorsoventral axis and connecting the motor and the rear connecting portion. A ratio of a distance between the shaft and a foremost edge of the front engaging portion to a distance between the foremost edge and an extreme point of the recess ranges from 0.075 to 0.75.

Abstract: A passively controlled fluid foil has a span; and a rigid spar extending in the spanwise direction, a cellular material and a flexible outer surface defining a profile of the outer surface of the foil and encapsulating the cellular material and the spar.

Abstract: An outrigger for holding an object on a boat is described. The outrigger includes a mounting cylinder for attaching the outrigger to a boat, a hub having a first gear set, where the hub is adapted to be placed in one end of the mounting cylinder. The outrigger further includes an arm for holding an object. The arm is adapted to be inserted into the other end of the mounting cylinder and has a second gear set for locking with the first gear set in the hub. The arm can be rotated with respect to the mounting cylinder by pulling the arm outward from the mounting cylinder, rotating the arm with respect to the mounting cylinder, and reengaging it with the first gear set in the hub.

Abstract: A fin mount for an inflatable watercraft is an apparatus used as a universal fin box that connects a variety of fins. The apparatus includes a clamp and a fin. The clamp mounts the fin into a fin box-receiving hole of an inflatable watercraft. The clamp includes a lower press, an upper press, and a length-adjustable fastener. The lower press and the upper press seal the fin box-receiving hole. The lower press and the upper press tighten together with the length-adjustable fastener. The lower press and the upper press tensionably tether to each other by the length-adjustable fastener. The apparatus further includes a fin-attachment mechanism that secures the fin into the lower press. The fin removably attaches into a fin-receiving slot of the lower press. The apparatus further includes a plurality of lower counterforts and a plurality of upper counterforts which structurally reinforce the lower press and the upper press.

Abstract: A survival craft comprises a hull (10) formed from inflatable members (12, 13) and mounting a powered propulsion system (18, 19) for the survival craft. A superstructure (11) is mounted on the hull and formed from inflatable members (25, 26, 29a-29i) and a flexible roof (28) supported by the inflatable members (25, 26, 29a-29i). The superstructure provides the hull (10) with increased longitudinal rigidity that reduces the tendency of the hull (10) to bow longitudinally when the propulsion system (18, 19) is operating. The survival craft forms part of a marine escape system with the survival craft deflated and packed in a container including an inflation system for the survival craft. The system has a deployment system for amounting on a marine structure and carrying the container with the deployment system transferring the container from the structure to the water where the inflation system inflates the survival craft for access by persons.

Abstract: Icebreaker (10) for a vessel (12), where the icebreaker (10) is connected to a bow (12a) of a vessel (12) for breaking up solid ice (40) floating on a water surface, the icebreaker (10) comprises a central part (14) sliding on a first side of the ice (40) and two or more side parts (16) sliding on an opposite part of the ice (40). The centre part (14) and the side parts (16) extend in parallel forward and works against each other when breaking the ice (40) to prevent the ice (40) from lifting, wherein a lower edge of the side parts (16), being in contact with the ice (40), is narrow and sharp to initiate breaking lines (50) in the ice (40), and the centre part (14) comprises a forward protruding cam structure (14a) to break the ice (40) between the side parts (16).

Abstract: In one implementation, an accessory mount system for a watersport tow boat includes a boat mount that is configured to be attached to a boat mounting surface that is adjacent to or part of a swim platform that extends from a rear of the watersport tow boat. The accessory mount system can further include an accessory arm that includes a first end and a second end, where the first end is configured to be fixedly attached to the accessory arm mounting surface of the boat mount and the second end is configured to be positioned above a top surface of the swim platform when the accessory arm is attached to the watersport tow boat via the boat mount. The accessory mount system can further include an accessory adapter positioned at the second end of the accessory arm.

Abstract: A water safety garment and apparatus configured to avoid drowning can be configured to permit submergence for a predetermined period of time without inflation. After the predetermined time has passed, the garment or other apparatus can be configured to inflate to help a person wearing the garment float on top of the water to avoid drowning or other potentially harmful condition that may result from being underwater for too long. In some embodiments, a circuit may be utilized to detect the submergence condition of a person wearing the apparatus or garment. Upon a determination that the detected submergence condition has occurred continuously for a pre-determined period of time, an inflation mechanism can be actuated to force the person wearing the apparatus or garment to float to the top of the water.

Abstract: The invention relates to a water sports device comprising an inflatable body component (1) having a longitudinal direction (L) and inflatable arms (8a, 8b) on a rear end, the arms being distanced from one another and orientated in the longitudinal direction (L), between which arms a receptacle (2) having an inner contour is formed, and comprising a drive component (7) having a tread surface (4) and an underwater surface (3), which drive component is formed with a complimentary contour (10a, 10b, 11) on two longitudinal sides (10a, 10b) that are distanced from one another and which component can be inserted into the receptacle (2) from the rear end, wherein the inner contour and the complimentary outer contour (10a, 10b, 11) form a connection to one another and a position of the inserted drive component (7) in the receptacle (2) is secured in the direction of the tread surface.

Abstract: A watercraft and associated pedal drive system are provided. The pedal drive system allows for unassisted manual pedaling to provide thrust to the watercraft. The pedal drive system also provides on demand pedal assistance of varying levels via an assist drive train having an electric motor to supplement the manual pedal force input provided by a user at the pedals of pedal drive system.

Abstract: An outboard motor includes an engine, a crankshaft, a crankcase, a support that contacts a lower end of the crankcase, and a damper connected to a lower portion of the crankshaft and disposed in an isolated space defined by the crankcase and the support.

Abstract: A shade system includes a first track and a second track spaced a distance away from the first track, a shade is connected or interconnected to the track to slide along the track, and a cassette positioned at an end of the shade to receive the wound shade therein. The shade system may be configured to cover an area where the distance between the first and second track may varies. The shade may comprise a top section and a bottom section, and a central overlap portion to allow the top and bottom sections to slide with respect to each other. The shade may further include a plurality of adjacent panels configured to slide with respect to each other to provide shade coverage of an area where the first and second tracks are spaced apart at varying distances. The panels may be interconnected by guide wires and top and bottom sections may be supported by telescoping support rods.

Abstract: An underwater recreation system for diving instruction and method of its use. The method includes providing a series of learning steps with diving techniques and instructions to practice at incrementally deeper depths and providing a surface floating depth limitation device that restricts the learning user to the particular maximum depth of their learning step. The apparatus for carrying out the method of diving instruction includes a surface floating depth limitation device with the means to connect to the breathing hose of a surface supplied air supply.

Abstract: A tiller for an outboard marine drive includes a tiller body that is elongated along a tiller axis between a fixed end connected to an outboard marine drive and a distal end. A lanyard switch on the tiller body is configured to prevent operation of the outboard marine drive when a lanyard clip is not attached to the lanyard switch. A controller is configured to identify that an operator has provided user input to start the outboard marine drive and that the lanyard clip is not connected to the lanyard switch. The controller then generates a lanyard error alert identifying that the lanyard clip is not connected to the lanyard switch.

Abstract: A watercraft and a waterproof electronics container are provided. The watercraft includes a flotation portion. A strut is removably affixed to a portion of the watercraft. A first connector portion is mounted to the upper end of the strut. A waterproof electronics container includes a second connector portion is disposed such that the second connector forms at least one electrically conductive pathway with the first connector portion when both are affixed to the watercraft. The waterproof electronics container is removably affixed to the said watercraft. In one aspect, the waterproof electronics container houses a power source capable of powering an electric motor that propels the watercraft.

Abstract: A tiller assist hydraulic marine dampener and brake assembly has a fluid flow path with two potential flow restrictors in series. These include a solenoid valve and a hydraulic needle valve. A single cylinder piston serves to close both ends of the flow path. The tiller assist marine dampener and brake assembly in a second embodiment has a central coupling rod with recesses, a coupling link to a tiller arm, a co-axial tube, a nut adjacent each distal end of the co-axial tube securing the co-axial tube to a mounting bracket, a pair of springs co-axial with and surrounding the coupling rod and interior of the co-axial tube, a pair of adjustable end caps closing the gap between the ends of the co-axial tube and the coupling rod while also acting as stops for the springs, and a slide located between the pair of springs, and a set pin.

Abstract: A cooling system is for cooling a marine engine having an engine block and a cylinder head, and a supercharger configured to provide charge air for combustion in the marine engine. The cooling system has a charge air cooler configured to cool the charge air prior to combustion in the marine engine. The cooling system is configured to circulate cooling water from a body of water in which the marine engine is operating to the marine engine and then back to the body of water. The cooling system is further configured to convey the cooling water in parallel to the marine engine and the charge air cooler. A sprayer is configured to spray the cooling water into exhaust gas discharged from the marine engine. The cooling system is configured to convey the cooling water in series to the charge air cooler and then to the sprayer.

Abstract: An evacuation system may comprise a packboard, an evacuation slide configured to deploy from the packboard, and a canopy support apparatus is disclosed. The canopy support apparatus may comprise a valve extending from a proximal end of a canopy support tube toward a distal end of the canopy support tube and into an internal cavity of the canopy support tube. The valve may be configured to open a channel during inflation. The valve may be configured to seal the channel via internal pressure in the internal cavity acting on a sealing component of the valve when the canopy support tube is in an inflated state.

Abstract: An underwater vehicle may include a first propulsion element disposed on a first swivel holder, a first drive motor that is able to drive the first propulsion element, and a swivel mechanism that is able to move the first swivel holder relative to an outer hull of the underwater vehicle from a swiveled-in position into a swiveled-out position. The underwater vehicle can detect a given event automatically under water. In response to the detection of the event, the underwater vehicle may activate the swivel mechanism. The activated swivel mechanism may then move the first swivel holder into the swiveled-out position.

Abstract: A universal receiver for transporting a watercraft may include a first knuckle receiver attachable to the watercraft, an adapter repositionable within the knuckle receiver, and a wheeled support leg. Typically, the adapter is detachable from the support leg and includes a ridge to mate with a corresponding channel and recessed cavity in the receiver. The result is a wheel assembly to repositionably secure the support leg between a first position and at least a second position that is generally angular offset from the first position, thereby securing the leg and preventing rotation about the watercraft.