Techniques for monitoring windlass rotation

An apparatus for determining a length of rode traversing a gypsy of a windlass on a boat in real time during an anchoring operation, the apparatus comprising a windlass module configured to securely attach onto the windlass in a fixed position, wherein the windlass module comprises electronic and/or electromechanical motion sensing instrumentation configured to provide parameter values determining a rate and amount of angular rotation of the windlass, wherein the motion sensing instrumentation comprises:

• a processor and a wireless communications interface;
• at least one sensing device selected from the group consisting of a gyroscope, an accelerometer, a strain gage, a magnetometer, an inertial measurement unit, an eCompass, a directional electromagnetic radiation receiver, and a directional microphone;
• and
• tangible media comprising data and instructions operable for the processor to:
• acquire a plurality of measurement values from each of the sensing devices,
• determine a rotational motion of the windlass based on the measurement values acquired from at least one of the sensing devices, and
• transmit information selected from the group consisting of the measurement values acquired from at least one of the sensing devices, a characteristic of the rotational motion of the windlass, a direction of windlass rotation, and an angle of windlass rotation to a remote computing device in real time through the wireless communications interface;
• whereby the remote computing device is operable to determine a signed incremental angle of windlass rotation based on the information received from the windlass module.

A system for determining a length of rode traversing a gypsy of a windlass on a boat in real time during an anchoring operation comprising:

• a windlass rotation detection system comprising a windlass module configured to securely attach to the windlass in a fixed position, and two or more radiation elements selected from the group consisting of a radiation emitter, a radiation receiver, and a radiation reflector, wherein the two or more radiation elements are arranged in a configuration selected from the group of radiation element configurations consisting of (1), (2), (3), and (4):
• (1) one or more radiation emitters attached to the windlass module in distinct positions, wherein each radiation emitter is configured to emit radiation in a generally radial direction from the windlass into an environment facing the windlass, and
• at least two radiation receivers, each radiation receiver being configured to be supported in the environment of the boat at a respectively different fixed position having an unobstructed line of sight to the windlass, wherein each radiation receiver is operable to receive radiation from a radiation emitter attached to the windlass;
• (2) a plurality of radiation emitters, each radiation emitter being configured to be supported in the environment of the boat at a respectively different fixed position having an unobstructed line of sight to the windlass, wherein each radiation emitter is operable to transmit radiation to the windlass, and
• one or more radiation receivers attached to the windlass module in distinct positions, wherein each radiation receiver is adapted to receive radiation from at least one of the radiation emitters in the environment;
• (3) a radiation emitter configured to be supported in the environment of the boat at a first fixed position having an unobstructed line of sight to the windlass, wherein the radiation emitter is adapted to transmit radiation to the windlass from the first fixed position,
• two or more radiation reflectors attached to the windlass module in distinct positions, wherein each of the radiation reflectors is adapted to reflect a portion of radiation emanating from the radiation emitter at the first fixed position in the environment to a second fixed position in the environment of the boat having an unobstructed line of sight to the windlass, and
• a radiation receiver configured to be supported in the environment of the boat at the second fixed position, wherein the radiation receiver is adapted to receive a portion of the emanating emitter radiation reflected from each of the radiation reflectors to the second fixed position;
• and
• (4) a radiation emitter attached to the windlass module in a first distinct position, wherein the radiation emitter is adapted to emit radiation reaching a fixed position in the environment of the boat having an unobstructed line of sight to the windlass;
• a radiation reflector configured to be supported in the environment of the boat at a fixed position having an unobstructed line of sight to the windlass, wherein the radiation reflector is adapted to reflect a portion of emitted radiation reaching the fixed position in the environment back to the windlass, and
• a radiation receiver attached to the windlass module in a second distinct position wherein the radiation receiver is adapted to receive the portion of emitted radiation reflected from the radiation reflector at the fixed position in the environment;
• and
• tangible media comprising data and instructions operable for a processor to determine the length of rode traversing the gypsy of the windlass on a boat in real time during an anchoring operation, based on the emitting, reflecting, and receiving of the radiation.