Wakeboat Performance Controller for Accurate Wake Reproduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wakeboat operators face challenges in accurately controlling and duplicating desired wakes due to the complex interplay of variables affecting the wakeboat's mass, including passengers, fuel, and equipment, which existing methods fail to account for, leading to frustration and inconsistent performance.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a controller that measures and displays the wakeboat's potential performance range, current performance, and available performance, using sensors and actuators to adjust ballast and control surfaces, and communicates this information to the operator through graphical displays, enabling informed decisions and optimized wake control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If operators manually estimate and experiment with wakeboat variables day-by-day, then they can attempt to reproduce desired wakes, but the process is time-consuming and yields inconsistent results due to inability to accurately account for all variables
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary measurement and recording of all wakeboat variables (ballast, control surfaces, passengers, fuel, equipment) before the operator attempts to reproduce a wake. This advance preparation eliminates the need for time-consuming day-by-day experimentation and ensures accurate wake reproduction by having all necessary data ready in advance.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides feedback to the operator by displaying the aggregate effect of all variables and their impact on wake characteristics. This feedback loop allows the operator to understand how each variable contributes to the overall wake, enabling precise adjustments and consistent reproduction without repeated experimentation.
2Measurement precision
If operators account for all variables affecting wakeboat mass (passengers, fuel, equipment), then wake control accuracy improves, but the system complexity increases due to need to measure and integrate multiple parameters
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges multiple measurement functions into a single integrated controller that simultaneously tracks ballast amounts, control surface parameters, passenger weight, fuel level, and equipment mass. This consolidation simplifies the user interface and data management while maintaining comprehensive variable monitoring, resolving the complexity issue through unified system architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller serves multiple functions: it measures various physical quantities, calculates aggregate mass effects, stores variable data, displays information, and guides operators. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate systems for each measurement and control task, reducing overall system complexity while improving wake control accuracy.
3Device complexity
If existing methods only measure and record ballast and control surface parameters, then the system remains simple, but the wake reproduction fails when other variables (passengers, fuel, equipment) change
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the total wakeboat mass into distinct components: ballast, control surfaces, passengers, fuel, and equipment. Each component is measured and recorded separately, allowing the operator to understand the contribution of each variable to the overall wake characteristics. This segmentation ensures reliable wake reproduction even when individual variables change.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller acts as an intermediary that integrates data from multiple sources (ballast sensors, control surface position sensors, passenger weight inputs, fuel level sensors, equipment registers) and synthesizes this information into a comprehensive wake prediction model. This intermediary function ensures that no variable is overlooked, maintaining reliability while managing complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A wakeboat creates a wake, the performance level of the wake varying depending upon the mass of the wakeboat, the wakeboat including a hull; an engine supported by the hull; a controller supported by the hull; a processor coupled to the controller; a memory coupled to the processor; a sensor configured to measure at least one parameter of the wakeboat, the controller being coupled to the sensor and being configured to receive data from the sensor, the controller being configured to derive the present mass of the wakeboat from said sensor data, the controller being configured to determine the present wake performance level of the wakeboat based on the present mass of the wakeboat; and a tablet computer coupled to the controller, the controller being configured to use the tablet computer to indicate the present wake performance level of the wakeboat.