The disclosure relates to a method and a control unit to control a marine vessel comprising two or more drive units. The method involving the steps of registering an operating command indicating a requested vessel direction and plotting a course represented by a reference line for the requested vessel direction from an initial position. It is then monitored if the vessel has deviated from the reference line and if a deviation from the reference line is detected, then a value for current vessel speed is detected. The detected vessel speed value is compared to a predetermined reference speed value to determine if the current vessel speed value is within a high speed interval or a low speed interval relative to the reference speed value. Depending on the determined speed interval the vessel is controlled according a low speed control strategy; or a high speed control strategy in order to move the vessel from a current vessel heading to the reference line and the requested vessel direction.

A marine vessel includes propulsion devices, an operator to move the marine vessel in a tilting direction of the operator, and a controller to control a magnitude and a direction of a thrust generated by each of the propulsion devices to move the marine vessel in the tilting direction of the operator. When the operator is tilted toward a lateral direction, the controller executes a first control to move the marine vessel in the lateral direction, and causes each of the propulsion devices to generate a thrust to eliminate a deviation of the marine vessel in a front-rear direction from a position of the marine vessel when the operator was tilted. When the operator is tilted in the front-rear direction of the marine vessel while the marine vessel moves in the lateral direction, the controller interrupts the first control and executes a second control to cause each of the propulsion devices to generate a thrust corresponding to the tilting of the operator.

A marine vessel includes propulsion devices, an operator to move the marine vessel in a tilting direction of the operator, and a controller to control a magnitude and a direction of a thrust generated by each of the propulsion devices to move the marine vessel in the tilting direction of the operator. When the operator is tilted toward a lateral direction, the controller executes a first control to move the marine vessel in the lateral direction, and causes each of the propulsion devices to generate a thrust to eliminate a deviation of the marine vessel in a front-rear direction from a position of the marine vessel when the operator was tilted. When the operator is tilted in the front-rear direction of the marine vessel while the marine vessel moves in the lateral direction, the controller interrupts the first control and executes a second control to cause each of the propulsion devices to generate a thrust corresponding to the tilting of the operator.

An outboard motor has a cowling, a gearcase, a midsection located axially between the cowling and the gearcase, a steering arm extending forwardly from the midsection, and an anti-ventilation plate between the midsection and the gearcase. A wing extends laterally from the steering arm. The wing, a lateral side of the cowling, and a lateral side of the gearcase together define a side tripod which supports the outboard motor in a side laydown position. The anti-ventilation plate has a rear edge with laterally outer rear support members, which together with the rear of the cowling form a rear tripod which supports the outboard motor in a rear laydown position.

An outboard motor has a cowling, a gearcase, a midsection located axially between the cowling and the gearcase, a steering arm extending forwardly from the midsection, and an anti-ventilation plate between the midsection and the gearcase. A wing extends laterally from the steering arm. The wing, a lateral side of the cowling, and a lateral side of the gearcase together define a side tripod which supports the outboard motor in a side laydown position. The anti-ventilation plate has a rear edge with laterally outer rear support members, which together with the rear of the cowling form a rear tripod which supports the outboard motor in a rear laydown position.

A device for steering a trolling motor of a watercraft is provided. The device comprises a housing and a joystick attached to the housing, pivotably supported for movement from a neutral position in directions radial to an axis of the joystick. The movement from the neutral position generates a steering command for the trolling motor. The device has a transmitter within the housing and a processor communicatively coupled to the transmitter and the joystick. The device may further include a memory including a computer program code. The computer program code is configured when executed by the processor to receive movement data from the joystick, generate a steering command from the movement data, and transmit the steering command to the trolling motor. The steering command causes the trolling motor to rotate to aim in the steer direction to cause the watercraft to travel based on the joystick movement.

A device for steering a trolling motor of a watercraft is provided. The device comprises a housing and a joystick attached to the housing, pivotably supported for movement from a neutral position in directions radial to an axis of the joystick. The movement from the neutral position generates a steering command for the trolling motor. The device has a transmitter within the housing and a processor communicatively coupled to the transmitter and the joystick. The device may further include a memory including a computer program code. The computer program code is configured when executed by the processor to receive movement data from the joystick, generate a steering command from the movement data, and transmit the steering command to the trolling motor. The steering command causes the trolling motor to rotate to aim in the steer direction to cause the watercraft to travel based on the joystick movement.

A system for controlling a marine vessel comprises an input device for inputting an operator command, a sensor which senses and signals an engine function variable or a vessel dynamic variable, and a first structural element and a second structural element. The first structural element and the second structural element each control speed or direction of motion of the marine vessel, and the first structural element and the second structural element each affect the marine vessel dynamic variable. There is a controller which receives the operator command and the engine function variable or the vessel dynamic variable. The controller moves the first structural element and the second structural element based on the engine function variable or the vessel dynamic variable, after receiving the single operator command.

A system for controlling a marine vessel comprises an input device for inputting an operator command, a sensor which senses and signals an engine function variable or a vessel dynamic variable, and a first structural element and a second structural element. The first structural element and the second structural element each control speed or direction of motion of the marine vessel, and the first structural element and the second structural element each affect the marine vessel dynamic variable. There is a controller which receives the operator command and the engine function variable or the vessel dynamic variable. The controller moves the first structural element and the second structural element based on the engine function variable or the vessel dynamic variable, after receiving the single operator command.

A wireless voice controlled system for a trolling motor assembly which enables fully automatic usage of the trolling motor assembly in different modes of operation, including automatic voice controlled storage/locking of the trolling motor assembly at the boat base, launching the trolling motor assembly from a horizontal/storage position to a vertical position for operation in water, locking the trolling motor assembly in the vertical position, and retrieving the trolling motor back to a horizontal/storage/lock position on the bow mounted base using voice commands entered by a boat operator in a microphone on a wireless command transmitter. The system enables the boat operator to control the steering of the trolling motor and speed of the propeller for the boat propulsion using voice commands transmitted wirelessly from the handheld (or stationary) wireless command transmitter to a receiver embedded in a positioning and operation control unit having a logic and mechanical drive mechanism for transitioning the trolling motor assembly into any desired mode of operation and controlling the operation of the motor.