Planing boat sailing assisting device

A planing boat sailing assisting device comprising:

• a sensor to be mounted on a planing boat to sense waves;
• and
• a data processing apparatus including a processor configured or programmed to generate wave data related to the waves around the planing boat based on data obtained by the sensor and output the wave data to at least one of a wave display to display information related to the waves in accordance with the wave data, or a controller to control a propulsion unit of the planing boat in accordance with the wave data;
• wherein
• the sensor includes an image sensor to obtain not reflected light of laser light applied to a water surface obliquely below the sensor but natural visible light or infrared light coming from the water surface obliquely below the sensor using a global shutter;
• and
• the processor is configured or programmed to (i) obtain, at a frame rate of equal to or higher than 10 FPS and equal to or lower than 100 FPS, sensor-obtained data obtained by the sensor and related to the natural visible light or infrared light coming from the water surface obliquely below the sensor so that at least one of a state in which the waves disappear due to mutual interference between the waves or a state in which the waves are amplified due to mutual interference between the waves is observable, (ii) based on sets of the sensor-obtained data, generate the wave data related at least to a height of a wave obliquely below the sensor and a time until arrival of the wave at the planing boat, at least once every second, and (iii) output the generated wave data to at least one of the wave display or the controller.