Sensors in water sports This article reviews some of the leisure applications for our non-contact sensors, rotary sensors or linear sensors - in particular water sports; including rudders on model boats and jet ski propulsion. Many of the applications of our sensors are in commercial and industrial machinery, infrastructure development and manufacturing, but there are some leisure applications of sensors that rely on our non-contact technology, as it is especially suited to underwater use. Water, especially at sea, contains a lot of potential contaminants and microscopic marine life that could occlude other types of sensors, leading to system failure and requiring frequent repairs and replacement activities, reducing the up-time of a piece of equipment.It is for this reason that non-contact sensors are used in the propulsion and steering systems for jet skis, as failure of the machinery could lead to people being stranded at sea and needing to be rescued from the already stretched, coastguard services. The same safety aspect applies to the use of sensors on the rudder of autonomous sailing boats; if the system were to fail with inexperienced people on board, there could be lives at stake in more remote areas; although this technology is still in development the concept has been used on remote controlled model boats for some time.Model boat builders spend a lot of time creating their machines, not just on the painting and sail making but on the control systems of the boat. It is vital to have total control over the boat at all times, as sailing them on public ponds presents a risk of collision with wildlife and other users of the water; such as other remote control boaters, swimmers and kayakers. Fitting sensors to the rudder, which controls the direction of the boat, allows the pilot to maintain control over the direction of the boat at all times and prevents the rudder from turning too far either way; limits can be set on how far the rudder can turn, which prevents it from making tight circles that could capsize the ship. The sensors also allow the pilot to know where the rudder is at any given time, which then informs the need to change direction, stay on course or straighten up, depending on the obstacles around.In jet skis sensors are used to detect the throttle action and the steering bar position to affect the off throttle steering system. This system was developed to address the issue of the loss of steering control when the throttle is released (and therefore water-jet propulsion is stopped), which is a common problem among inexperienced and nervous riders when faced with an obstacle. The off throttle steering system allows the machine to be manoeuvred slowly, by activating the engine just enough for evasive action to be taken without the rider needing to use the throttle at all. Many new users of jet skis don't even know the system exists, as they have no experience of riding them pre-2008, when the system was widely introduced. Rotary sensors or linear sensors (depending on the throttle design) can be used to detect the throttle action, and linear sensors can detect the direction in which the steering bars have been turned. By working together to provide feedback to the off throttle steering system, enough power is sent to enable the rider to get where they need to at a slow speed before continuing on at full power.If the jet ski is stored inside a luxury yacht, then sensors are also at work lowering the tail ramp and raising it again when it is inside. Sensors can detect the level of the boat in the water and ensure that the ramp is lowered the correct amount, allowing easy passage in and out of the water for whatever equipment is kept inside the hull.There are plenty more applications of non-contact sensors under the water, which we will discover in the coming weeks. Article published on: 13/01/2017 Article last updated on: 13/01/2017