Trailering support device and method, and marine vessel including trailering support device

A trailering system comprising:

• a marine vessel including a hull;
• a trailering support device for loading the hull onto a trailer, the trailering support device including:
• one or more controllers configured or programmed to function as:
• a vessel steering controller to perform an automatic vessel steering control to move the hull toward the trailer;
• an estimation unit to estimate, based on a content of the automatic vessel steering control, a predicted position of the hull at a predetermined time after a start of the automatic vessel steering control and a predicted azimuth of the hull at the predetermined time, the content of the automatic vessel steering control including at least one of a control of a steering angle of the hull or a control of an output of a propulsion device that propels the hull;
• a detector to detect a position of the hull, the steering angle of the hull, and an azimuth of the hull;
• a determination unit to compare the predicted position and the predicted azimuth estimated by the estimation unit, respectively, with the position and the azimuth detected by the detector at the predetermined time, and to determine, based on a comparison result, whether the loading of the hull onto the trailer is able to be performed or not;
• and
• a notifier to provide notification, in a case where the determination unit determines that the loading of the hull onto the trailer is not able to be performed, that the loading of the hull onto the trailer is not able to be performed;
• wherein
• the vessel steering controller is configured to cause the hull to move rearward in the case where it is determined that the loading of the hull onto the trailer is not able to be performed;
• and
• the vessel steering controller is configured to store the steering angle at a time when it is determined that the loading of the hull onto the trailer is not able to be performed, and to set the steering angle of the hull being moved rearward to a steering angle in a direction opposite to the stored steering angle.

A trailering support method for loading a hull onto a trailer, the trailering support method comprising:

• performing an automatic vessel steering control to move the hull toward the trailer;
• estimating, based on a content of the automatic vessel steering control, a predicted position of the hull at a predetermined time after a start of the automatic vessel steering control and a predicted azimuth of the hull at the predetermined time, the content of the automatic vessel steering control including at least one of a control of a steering angle of the hull or a control of an output of a propulsion device that propels the hull;
• detecting a position of the hull, the steering angle of the hull, and an azimuth of the hull;
• comparing the estimated predicted position and the estimated predicted azimuth, respectively, with the position and the azimuth detected at the predetermined time, and determining, based on a comparison result, whether the loading of the hull onto the trailer is able to be performed or not;
• providing notification, in a case where it is determined that the loading of the hull onto the trailer is not able to be performed, that the loading of the hull onto the trailer is not able to be performed;
• in the case where it is determined that the loading of the hull onto the trailer is not able to be performed, causing the hull to move rearward;
• and
• storing the steering angle at a time when it is determined that the loading of the hull onto the trailer is not able to be performed, and setting the steering angle of the hull being moved rearward to a steering angle in a direction opposite to the stored steering angle.