Boat Launch Trailer Control System and Method

A system for facilitating a boat launch operation with a tow vehicle, a connected trailer, and a boat positioned on the trailer, the system comprising:

• data processing hardware;
• and
• memory hardware in communication with the data processing hardware, the memory hardware storing instructions that, when executed on the data processing hardware, cause the data processing hardware to perform operations comprising:
• receiving, at data processing hardware, image data from at least one camera supported by the vehicle as the tow vehicle and trailer move in a reverse direction towards a body of water;
• determining, by the data processing hardware, a hull-pitch angle relative to an image horizon of the boat based upon the image data, an overlap ratio between a lower half of a hull of the boat and water into which the boat is being launched, and a submersion depth ratio measured from a hull keel of the boat;
• and
• transmitting, by the data processing hardware, an instruction to a user interface of the vehicle or a drive system thereof to cease movement of the tow vehicle and trailer in the reverse direction based upon the hull-pitch angle relative to an image horizon, the overlap ratio between a lower half of the hull and water, and a submersion depth ratio measured from a hull keel of the boat all exceed respective predetermined thresholds for at least a predetermined number of consecutive image frames of the image data from the at least one camera.