A vessel speed control system includes a lever operator on which an operation is performed to increase or decrease a propulsion speed of the vessel, a transition operator on which a transition operation is performed to transition a normal operation mode to a speed control mode, and a controller configured or programmed to perform a control to prevent transition to the speed control mode even when the transition operation is performed on the transition operator during a restriction period of time including at least an acceleration/deceleration period of time during which a rotation speed of an engine or the propulsion speed of the vessel is changed by the lever operator in the normal operation mode.

A marine propulsion system for a marine vessel includes a first marine propulsion device rotatable with respect to the marine vessel about at least one of a first steering axis and a first tilt-trim axis and a second marine propulsion device rotatable with respect to the marine vessel about at least one of a second steering axis and a second tilt-trim axis. A first control module controls operation of the first marine propulsion device, and a second control module controls operation of the second marine propulsion device. In response to one of the first and second marine propulsion devices being commanded to rotate about at least one of its respective first or second steering axis and its respective first or second tilt-trim axis, the respective first or second control module of the other of the first and second marine propulsion devices is turned ON.

A ground effect craft having a ground effect wing, a plurality of sponsons, and a control system is disclosed. The ground effect wing may include a fore ground effect wing and an aft ground effect wing. The ground effect wing may generate a stabilizing moment on at least one sponson to stabilize the around effect craft. The plurality of sponsons may be dynamically coupled to the body. The plurality of sponsons may be dynamically coupled to each other. The dynamic coupling may permit the sponsons to move relatively independent of the body and each other, thereby stabilizing the ground effect craft. The ground effect craft may include a stabilizing wing.

A method of controlling at least one marine drive on a marine vessel includes determining that a trim position sensor has failed for a first marine drive, determining an allowable steering angle range for the first marine drive based on a first assumed trim position, and determining a steering position adjustment based on the allowable steering angle range. A steering actuator is controlled to automatically adjust the steering position of the marine drive based on the steering position adjustment. A trim position adjustment is determined based on a second assumed trim position for the marine drive and a trim actuator is controlled to adjust the trim position of the first marine drive based on the trim position adjustment.

A method for maintaining a marine vessel propelled by a marine propulsion device in a selected position includes determining a current global position of the marine vessel and receiving a signal command to maintain the current global position. The current global position is stored as a target global position in response to receiving the signal command. A subsequent global position of the marine vessel is determined and a position error difference between the subsequent global position and the target global position is determined. The method includes determining marine vessel movements required to minimize the position error difference, and causing the marine propulsion device to produce a thrust having a magnitude, a direction, and an angle calculated to result in achievement of the required marine vessel movements. At least one of timing and frequency of discontinuity of thrust production is controlled while the position error difference is minimized.

A vessel operation system includes an outboard motor or other propulsion apparatus on a hull, an electrically-driven trolling motor mounted externally to the hull, and a controller configured or programmed to control the outboard motor and the trolling motor. The outboard motor generates a thrust and electric power with an engine. The trolling motor generates a thrust by being driven by electric power from a battery that is charged by the electric power generated by the outboard motor. In a state in which the trolling motor is generating the thrust, the controller is configured or programmed to control the outboard motor so as to generate an assist thrust that hastens a behavior of the hull by the thrust generated by the trolling motor.

A ship propulsion system includes authentication devices that respectively stores different authentication codes. Each of the authentication devices corresponds to one or more ship propulsion devices. Two or more authentication devices among the plurality of authentication devices do not simultaneously correspond to one ship propulsion device. Each of the authentication devices operates as a master authentication device when an authentication code transmitted from a communication device matches an authentication code stored in the authentication devices. The master authentication device recognizes whether a malfunction occurs in the authentication devices; and to select a ship propulsion device disposed in a manner of being bilaterally symmetrical about the center of the ship in the left-right direction from ship propulsion devices corresponding to an authentication device in which no malfunction occurs. A control device brings the ship propulsion device selected by the master authentication device into an operable state.

A method of controlling a plurality of marine drives on a multi-hull marine vessel includes determining, based on steering information, that the multi-hull marine vessel is entering a turn and then receiving a running trim position for each marine drive. A trim position of at least a portion of the plurality of marine drives is then adjusted from each respective running trim position so as to induce roll of the multi-hull marine vessel during the turn.

A controller of a boat maneuvering control system for a boat is configured or programmed to perform a control to switch from controlling a propulsion device based on a first operation signal that includes error information, to controlling a propulsive force of the propulsion device based on a second operation signal different from the first operation signal upon acquiring the error information.

A watercraft control system comprises a digital controller that controls outboard propulsion units to produce a predetermined lateral thrust to hold a watercraft against a docking structure during a dock holding mode, sets at least one of a target position and a target heading based on at least one of a current position and a current heading during the dock holding mode, and performs a correction operation to restore at least one of the target position and the target heading by generating at least one of a forward-rear thrust using the outboard propulsion units upon determining a deviation of the current position from the target position and a moment using the outboard propulsion units upon determining the current heading has deviated from the target heading while generating the predetermined lateral thrust during the dock holding mode.