Morphéis: GPS buoy for protecting yachts at night

Morphéis Smart GPS Buoy

The sea is an unpredictable place. Even at the very coast, when the shore seems to be very close, unpleasant surprises can lie in wait for yachtsmen at every step. What can we say about the night mooring, when the yacht crew usually sleeps off after a busy day?

Towards the end of spring 2025, two students from the Marseille Central School presented an interesting invention called Morphéis. This small buoy is designed to provide a high level of safety and awareness of the surrounding environment during an overnight stay. Named after the ancient Greek god Morpheus, the GPS buoy protects the peace of sleepers and notifies of potential danger.

Birth of an idea

Meet Louis Bridlance and Emile Raison. The young men, like many other Frenchmen, are involved in yachting, and therefore the issue of personal safety is familiar to them first-hand. Moreover, the idea of creating Morphéis came to the guys during an extremely unpleasant incident off the coast of Italy.

Louis Bridlance (left) and Emile Raison (right). Source: mooring-solution.com

Emile Raison recalls the incident: "We were sailing in northern Italy. We decided to anchor in a picturesque bay - we were sure that the anchor and chain were firmly attached to the ground, but we were wrong. At night, the anchor broke loose, and only by a miracle did we notice that the boat was being carried straight onto the rocks."

All this time, the young men tried to steer, tracking their position via GPS. When the sea calmed down and the first rays of the sun flared on the horizon, the crew breathed a sigh of relief. After the incident, Emil wondered: “Why isn’t there a system that could instantly recognize the anchor slipping?”

It was this question that later led to the creation of Morphéis. It took 18 months of research and development before the final prototype was created.

How Morphéis works

While traditional anchor buoys and alarms are triggered based on the yacht's location, Morphéis connects directly to the anchor and tracks its location. This is the key differentiator between the buoy and similar products.

Source: mooring-solution.com

Morphéis can track the slightest signs of unwanted movement and sound an alarm. According to the developers, Morphéis has a maximum error of up to 5 meters. 

There are two versions of Morphéis - Essential, which includes a built-in receiver with an audible alarm, and Remote, which not only transmits a signal on board, but also sends SMS alerts. At the moment, the developers are considering the possibility of adding light alarm signals.

Advantages of Morphéis

However, it is not just technology. The Morphéis buoy is made with the ecological component in mind. The device is powered by solar energy, and it only takes two hours in the sun to fully charge. One such charge is enough for a week of autonomous operation. If there is no sun in sight (for example, in bad weather or in winter), then the electronic module can be disconnected from the buoy and charged directly on board the yacht.

Source: mooring-solution.com

The Morphéis hull is made from recycled plastic, reducing its environmental impact. The buoy is equipped with LED lights, ensuring good visibility of the signals both day and night. 

Another unique feature is the mooring buoy function, which makes it easier to release stuck anchors. Instead of using force or coming up with improvised solutions, the user can use the built-in high-strength rope with a maximum available load of 750 kg.

Market entry, acceptance and production

Announced in May of this year 2025, Morphéis quickly caught the attention of yachtsmen - both for its functionality and the eco-friendliness that comes with it. The startup also took third place in the national Les Entrep' competition and second place in the Start-Up Challenge in Seattle.

Source: mooring-solution.com

The buoy's creators, Louis Bridlance and Emile Raison, have already set up primary production. The Morphéis buoy is assembled in a workshop in the Bompard district of Marseille. The hull and some parts are 3D printed on site; the electronics are supplied from Normandy and Alsace. Production is currently at the level of one buoy per day: since July, around fifty units have been sold, priced between €1,100 and €1,300.

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22.07.2025