A method for aligning steering angles of marine propulsion devices. The method includes receiving a first steering request to steer the marine propulsion devices, where when the first steering request is received, steering for a first device is deactivated and steering for a second device is activated, and changing a steering angle of the second device according to the first steering request while leaving a steering angle of the first device unchanged. The method includes receiving a request to activate steering for the first device and receiving a second steering request, then changing the steering angles of both the first and second devices when the second steering request is received after receiving the request to activate steering, and changing the steering angle of the second device while leaving the steering angle for the first device unchanged when the second steering request is received before receiving the request to activate steering.

A system and method for steering a vessel includes correction by calibration with respect to displacement between a tilt direction of a joystick and a moving direction of the vessel. When receiving a command to start the calibration, a controller performs a calibration for right and left propulsion devices such that a tilt direction of a joystick is matched with a moving direction of a vessel. When performing a subsequent calibration, the controller additionally performs the calibration for the right and left propulsion devices to which the calibration has been previously applied.

In a vessel steering system including three or more propulsion devices, unintentional turning of a vessel is prevented when the vessel moves in an oblique direction. When a tilt direction of a joystick is an oblique direction between a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction, a controller is configured or programmed to correct at least one steering angle of a left propulsion device, a right propulsion device, and a central propulsion device so that a resultant force of propulsive forces of the left propulsion device, the right propulsion device, and the central propulsion device acts in a direction passing through a center of gravity of the vessel.

In a system for controlling a watercraft, when a first mode is selected, a controller determines a route on which a single or a plurality of specified spots including a destination are located, and controls a marine propulsion device such that the watercraft moves along the route with a bow thereof being kept oriented in a predetermined cardinal direction. When a second mode is selected, the controller controls the marine propulsion device such that the bow of the watercraft is kept oriented in the predetermined cardinal direction without determining the route. The controller obtains a position of the watercraft. In the first mode, the controller determines whether or not the watercraft has passed through the destination. When the watercraft has passed through the destination in the first mode, the controller performs a mode switching from the first mode to the second mode and controls the marine propulsion device in the second mode.

A zone in which a vessel is movable is expanded in a transverse moving mode using a joystick. When a tilt direction of a joystick is within a second range closer to a back-and-forth direction than a first range, a controller sets a steering angle of a right propulsion device and a left propulsion device such that the right and left propulsion devices are oriented bilaterally opposite to each other such that each is slanted at a predetermined angle with respect to the back-and-forth direction. The controller sets both the right and left propulsion devices to either a forward moving state or a rearward moving state. The controller controls a propulsive force of the right propulsion device and the left propulsion device such that a net force of the propulsive forces of the right and left propulsion devices is oriented in a direction corresponding to the tilt direction of the joystick.

A marine vessel maneuvering system includes an operator, propulsion device controllers each configured or programmed to control driving of a respective propulsion device based on an operation signal from the operator, a first communication bus to transmit the operation signal to some of the propulsion device controllers, a second communication bus to transmit the operation signal to a remainder of the propulsion device controllers excluding the some of the propulsion device controllers, and a gateway device to connect the first communication bus to the second communication bus such that the first communication bus and the second communication bus communicate with each other.

A controller for a watercraft controls first and second marine propulsion devices to start moving the watercraft by setting a first default angle, a second default angle, and a default thrust ratio as a first target rudder angle, a second target rudder angle, and a target thrust ratio respectively when a desired motion of the watercraft is straight sideways movement. The controller determines at least one of a first correcting angle, a second correcting angle, and a correcting thrust ratio to reduce an error between the straight sideways movement of the watercraft and an actual motion of the watercraft. The controller corrects the first target rudder angle, the second target rudder angle, and the target thrust ratio with the first correcting angle, the second correcting angle, and the correcting thrust ratio, respectively. The controller repeatedly detects the error and repeatedly updates the correcting angles and the correcting thrust ratio.

A ship propulsion system provides a first power transmission device that transmits power from an internal combustion engine to a propeller, a second power transmission device that transmits power from an electric motor to a propeller and that is mounted to the hull so as to be able to turn up and down independently from the first power transmission device, an actuator for causing the second power transmission device to turn up and down, and a control device. The control device is configured so as to be able to select a first drive mode in which the internal combustion engine is driven and the electric motor is not driven, and a second drive mode in which the internal combustion engine is not driven and the electric motor is driven. When the first drive mode is selected, the actuator is operated so that the second power transmission device turns up.

A controller for a marine propulsion device determines a route on which a single or a plurality of target spots are located. The controller controls the marine propulsion device such that a watercraft moves along the route. The controller obtains a position of the watercraft, and determines whether or not the watercraft has arrived at a destination. When it is determined that the watercraft has arrived at the destination, the controller controls the marine propulsion device in a fixed spot keeping mode to keep the watercraft located at the destination.

A marine vessel maneuvering system includes an operator to receive both a propulsive force operation to change a propulsive force of a propulsion device and a steering operation to turn the propulsion device to steer a marine vessel, and a controller configured or programmed to perform a control to automatically drive the propulsion device to move the marine vessel in an automatic marine vessel maneuvering mode. The controller is configured or programmed to perform a control to transition to the automatic marine vessel maneuvering mode based on a transition operation being performed on the operator.