A marine propulsion unit of a marine vessel includes a casing provided above a duct to house a steering shaft and a controller configured or programmed to control driving of a propeller, the casing being rotatable by the steering shaft, a power supply wire to supply power to a stator, and a signal wire to transmit a drive signal to the controller. The power supply wire and the signal wire are located outside and along the casing so as to pass in front of the steering shaft along a rotation direction of the steering shaft from a first side to a second side of the casing, the first and second sides being opposite to each other with respect to a forward-rearward direction in a plan view thereof.

A marine propulsion unit of a marine vessel includes a casing provided above a duct to house a steering shaft and a controller configured or programmed to control driving of a propeller, the casing being rotatable by the steering shaft, a power supply wire to supply power to a stator, and a signal wire to transmit a drive signal to the controller. The power supply wire and the signal wire are located outside and along the casing so as to pass in front of the steering shaft along a rotation direction of the steering shaft from a first side to a second side of the casing, the first and second sides being opposite to each other with respect to a forward-rearward direction in a plan view thereof.

A marine propulsion unit of a marine vessel includes a casing provided to house the steering shaft and a controller configured or programmed to control driving of a propeller, the casing being rotatable by the steering shaft, a power supply wire to supply power to the stator, and a signal wire to transmit a drive signal to the controller. The power supply wire and the signal wire are located outside and along the casing so as to pass behind the steering shaft from a first side to a second side of the casing, the first and second sides being opposite to each other with respect to a forward-rearward direction in a plan view thereof.

A method for controlling an elastic mount configured to support a propulsion device with respect to a marine vessel, wherein the elastic mount contains an electromagnetic fluid and an electromagnet and is configured such that adjusting an amount of electricity applied to the electromagnet changes a shear strength of the electromagnetic fluid in the elastic mount and thereby controls an elasticity of the elastic mount. The method includes applying a first amount of electricity to the electromagnet to produce an initial elasticity of the elastic mount measuring an oscillation of the propulsion device with a motion sensor, determining that the oscillation of the propulsion device exceeds a threshold oscillation, and adjusting the amount of electricity applied to the electromagnet to change the elasticity of the elastic mount to reduce the oscillation.

A trolling motor includes a rotatable trim module which effectuates trim adjustment of the trolling motor by adjusting a vertical position of a motor shaft assembly. A rotatable steering module is mounted below the trim module. The steering module and trim module are assembled on a rotatable motor shaft having a motor mounted at one end of the motor shaft. A conductive cord is coiled around the motor shaft. The conductive cord is configured to transmit electrical power from a power source to an internal control module and a drive motor in the trim module. In further embodiments, the conductive cord also transmits control signals from an internal control device to an internal control module in the trim module.

A method for operating a propulsion device having a propulsor with a propeller, the propulsion device having a base coupled to a marine vessel and being configured to propel the marine vessel in water. The method includes moving the propulsor from a deployed position towards a stowed position, where the propulsor is closer to the marine vessel in the stowed position than in the deployed position, and where the propulsor is configured to propel the marine vessel in the deployed position. The method further includes rotating the propeller so as to fit between sides of the base coupled to the marine vessel when the propulsor is in the stowed position.

A method for operating a propulsion device having a propulsor with a propeller, the propulsion device having a base coupled to a marine vessel and being configured to propel the marine vessel in water. The method includes moving the propulsor from a deployed position towards a stowed position, where the propulsor is closer to the marine vessel in the stowed position than in the deployed position, and where the propulsor is configured to propel the marine vessel in the deployed position. The method further includes rotating the propeller so as to fit between sides of the base coupled to the marine vessel when the propulsor is in the stowed position.

A control system for a watercraft can provide various modes of joystick propulsion control including cruise control, sub-idle watercraft speed operation, composite lateral propulsion, and shiftless docking maneuvers. The system can be used with peripheral motors having retractable 360-degree rotatable units together with a central motor both of which have mechanism to selectively deploy or retract their propellers in and out of water by a controller by manually or automatically.

A control system for a watercraft can provide various modes of joystick propulsion control including cruise control, sub-idle watercraft speed operation, composite lateral propulsion, and shiftless docking maneuvers. The system can be used with peripheral motors having retractable 360-degree rotatable units together with a central motor both of which have mechanism to selectively deploy or retract their propellers in and out of water by a controller by manually or automatically.

A suspension structure includes a clamp bracket attachable to a hull, a main load bearing portion to support an outboard motor body to mainly bear the weight of the outboard motor body, a tilt shaft, a coupling, and a cylinder to change a trim angle or a tilt angle of the outboard motor body. The coupling includes a first end rotatably supported by the tilt shaft, and a second end fixed to the main load bearing portion. The cylinder includes a first end supported by the clamp bracket at a position lower than the tilt shaft and rotatable about a first rotation shaft in an up-down direction, and a second end supporting the coupling and rotatable about a second rotation shaft in the up-down direction. The second rotation shaft is provided in or near the main load bearing portion.