Data acquisition apparatus and method

A portable data acquisition unit, comprising:

• a portable housing;
• a local data storage device contained in the housing;
• a plurality of peripheral device couplings that are communicatively couplable to a plurality of peripheral devices including at least one operational system of the vessel and/or at least one sensor mounted to the vessel;
• a communications module operable to transmit to and receive data from a remote device;
• and
• a processor that is operatively coupled to the local data storage device, the plurality of peripheral device couplings and the communications module, the processor being configured to:
• (a) receive operational data and/or sensor data from at least one operational system of the vessel and/or the at least one sensor, respectively;
• and (b) store the operational data and/or sensor data on the local data storage device and/or transmit the operational data and/or sensor data via the communications module to the remote device.

A method, wherein the method comprises:

• receiving data from a subject vessel over a period of time, the data including hydrophone data;
• detecting an abnormality in the hydrophone data;
• associating the abnormality with an operational system component of the subject vessel;
• and
• generating a maintenance alert identifying the operational system component needs further attention.