Marker buoy

An autonomously operational marker buoy configured to mark and maintain a location substantially above an anchor on the surface of a water body, the marker buoy comprising:

• a housing including a substantially watertight compartment, the housing also comprising a spool bay;
• a spool including a spool body, the spool rotatably mounted in a spool bay, the spool including one or more magnets attached to the spool;
• a line wound onto the spool, the line adapted for attachment to an anchor;
• an electric motor mounted within the substantially watertight compartment of the housing;
• a magnetic clutch mounted within the substantially watertight compartment of the housing, the magnetic clutch operatively connected between the electric motor and the spool, the magnetic clutch including a clutch body including one or more magnets, the one or more magnets magnetically coupleable with the one or more magnets attached to the spool body permitting rotation of the spool with rotation of the magnetic clutch;
• a battery mounted within the substantially watertight compartment of the housing, the battery connected to the electric motor;
• a solar panel conductively connected to the battery, the solar panel configured to generate a charging current for the battery;
• and
• a control device conductively connected to the battery and the electric motor, the control device configured to activate the electric motor in response to a tilting of the housing of the marker buoy.

An autonomously operational marker buoy configured to mark and maintain a location substantially above an anchor on the surface of a water body, the marker buoy comprising:

• a housing including a substantially watertight compartment and the housing also comprising a spool bay;
• a spool including a spool body, the spool rotatably mounted in the spool bay, the spool including one or more magnets attached to the spool body;
• a line wound onto the spool, the line adapted for attachment to an anchor;
• an electric motor mounted within the substantially watertight compartment of the housing;
• a magnetic clutch operatively connected between the electric motor and the spool, the magnetic clutch including a clutch body including one or more magnets, the one or more magnets magnetically coupleable with the one or more magnets attached to the spool body permitting rotation of the spool with rotation of the magnetic clutch;
• a torsion spring connected between the electric motor and the magnetic clutch, the torsion spring configured to be placed under increasing tension as the spool counter-rotates to dispense line, the torsion spring further configured to release tension rotating the spool to retract line;
• a battery mounted within the substantially watertight compartment of the housing, the battery connected to the electric motor;
• a solar panel conductively connected to the battery, the solar panel adapted to charge the battery;
• a control device conductively connected to the battery and the electric motor, the control device responsive to a tilting of the housing of the marker buoy to selectively energize and de-energize the electric motor;
• a controller conductively connected to the solar panel and the battery;
• a light conductively connected to the controller, the controller configured to energize the light during low ambient light conditions, the controller further configured to de-energize the light during daylight conditions.