US Patent 10437248 Sun adjusted station keeping methods and systems

A method of controlling position of a marine vessel in a body of water includes determining, at a control module, a relative heading instruction describing a position of the marine vessel relative to a position of the sun. A target global position for the marine vessel is received, and a position of the sun relative to the target global position is determined based on a current date and a current time. A sun adjusted heading is calculated for the marine vessel based on the position of the sun and the relative heading instruction. A current heading of the marine vessel is determined, and propulsion devices on the marine vessel are controlled to position the marine vessel at the target global position and align the current heading of the marine vessel at the sun adjusted heading.