Devices and methods for indicating an external factor on the hull of a boat

A method performed by a device connected to a wireless communications network, the method comprising:

• receiving, from a first communication device operating in the wireless communications network, a first indication of an external factor on the hull of a boat, the external factor causing friction against water, the first indication being based at least on:
• i) a first set of one or more values indicating an observed speed of the boat in water relative to a first indication of a power of an engine of the boat, the power being used to provide the speed and ii) a threshold indicating an expected speed of the boat in the water relative to the first indication of the power of the engine of the boat for a set of conditions;
• and
• providing, on an interface of the device, a second indication based on the received first indication.

A first communication device configured to operate in a wireless communications network, the first communication device being further configured to perform a method comprising:

• obtaining a first set of one or more values indicating an observed speed of a boat in water relative to a first indication of a power of an engine of the boat, the power being used to provide the speed, the speed of the boat and the first indication of the power of the engine over a first number of time periods being obtained from two or more sensors in the boat;
• obtaining a second indication of an external factor on the hull of the boat, the external factor causing friction against the water, the obtaining of the second indication being based at least on:
• i) the obtained first set of one or more values, and ii) a threshold indicating an expected speed of the boat in the water relative to the first indication of the power of the engine of the boat for a set of conditions;
• and
• initiating providing a third indication of the external factor on the hull of the boat to a second device based on the obtained second indication.

A device configured to be connected to a wireless communications network, the device being further configured to:

• receive, from a first communication device configured to operate in the wireless communications network, a first indication of an external factor on the hull of a boat, the external factor causing friction against water, the first indication being configured to be based at least on:
• i) a first set of one or more values configured to indicate an observed speed of the boat in water relative to a first indication of a power of an engine of the boat, the power being used to provide the speed and ii) a threshold configured to indicate an expected speed of the boat in the water relative to the first indication of the power of the engine of the boat for a set of conditions;
• and
• provide, on an interface of the device, a second indication based on the first indication.

An apparatus for providing a notification indicating that an external frictional factor has been detected, the apparatus comprising:

• memory;
• and
• processing circuitry coupled to the memory, wherein the apparatus is configured to perform a method comprising:
• obtaining a first speed value, wherein the first speed value either i) indicates an observed speed of a boat or ii) was obtained using a value indicating an observed speed of the boat and a value indicating a power of an engine of the boat;
• obtaining a first reference value;
• and
• determining, based on the set of one or more speed values and the set of one or more reference values, whether or not to initiate providing the notification indicating that an external frictional factor has been detected, wherein
• determining whether or not to initiate providing the notification comprises determining a difference between the first speed value and the first reference value and determining whether the difference between the first speed value and the first reference value satisfies a condition.