A method of operating a steer-by-wire steering system on a marine vessel includes receiving an initial component position of a steerable component and receiving an initial wheel position of a manually rotatable steering wheel with respect to a zero position. An initial normalized steering value is then calculated based on the initial component position, and the initial normalized steering value is correlated to the initial wheel position. The correlation between a subsequently received wheel position and a subsequently calculated normalized steering value is then adjusted by a recovery gain until the steering wheel reaches an aligned position with the steerable component.

A steering apparatus comprises a rotatable steering shaft and a sensor which senses angular movement of the steering shaft. An electromagnetic actuator actuates a stop mechanism to releasable engage the steering shaft. There is a microcontroller which causes the electromagnetic actuator to actuate the stop mechanism to fully engage the steering shaft and prevent rotation of the steering shaft in a first rotational direction, which corresponds to movement towards the hardstop position, while allowing rotational play between the steering shaft and the stop mechanism in a second direction, which corresponds to rotational movement away from the hardstop position, when the sensor senses that the steering shaft has reached a hardstop position. A driver applies a reverse polarity pulse to the electromagnetic actuator when the stop mechanism is fully engaged and the steering shaft is rotated, as permitted by the rotational play, in the second rotational direction.

A marine electric power steering system includes an actuator assembly, a gear assembly, and a cable assembly. The actuator assembly has an actuator assembly input and an actuator assembly output. The actuator assembly input is operatively connected to a steering shaft that extends along a steering column axis. The gear assembly includes a first gear that is driven by a second gear and a crank arm extending from the first gear. The cable assembly extends from an end of the crank arm to a steering device.

An electric steering system (1) including a steering device (40), an actuating device (30) and a related method for controlling the electric steering system. The steering device (40) is configured to transmit steering signals in response to user operations. The actuating device (30) is configured to control the electric motor (301) to rotate a link arm (202) according to the steering signal, bringing the rotatable assembly (203) to rotate along an axis of the ship propulsion apparatus (20), thereby adjusting an orientation of the propeller (2034). The actuating device (30) is rotatably coupled to an end of the link arm (202).

A method for maintaining position and/or heading of a marine vessel in a body of water includes accepting a command to maintain the vessel at an initial selected position and/or heading, and utilizing position/heading feedback control to determine initial steering angles, gear positions, and engine speeds for the vessel's propulsion devices that cause the propulsion devices to produce thrust that counteracts a net external force and moment on the vessel and maintains the vessel at the initial selected position/heading. The method also includes propelling the vessel to a new selected position/heading, and accepting a command to maintain the vessel at the new selected position/heading. The method next includes utilizing information related to one of the position/heading feedback control and the propulsion devices' thrust to predict control parameters required to maintain the vessel at the new selected position/heading, and controlling the propulsion device according to the predicted control parameters.

A marine power steering system includes a first steering input device and a second steering input device. The first steering input device includes a first steering sensor that provides a first signal indicative of at least one of a torque and an angular position of a first steering wheel. The first steering input device further includes a controller arranged to receive the first signal. The second steering input device includes a second steering sensor that provides a second signal indicative of at least one of a torque and an angular position of a second steering wheel to the controller.

A failure prediction system having small boats operable by operators, each mounted with an outboard motor equipped with an engine and an Electronic Control Unit and a computer located in a land office connected to the ECU. The ECU acquires boat ID assigned to one small boat on which one operator boards and his personal ID, accesses the computer to acquire past manipulation data of the acquired personal ID for all boats, acquires manipulation data of the one operator during current run, merge the data with past data to generate merged data. Then, it select a parameter in the generated data and set a normal value range by the parameter, assesses whether parameter in the data during current run is within the range, and determines the outboard motor mounted on the one boat is in failure when the parameter is out of the range.

A watercraft includes a transversely leftward moving switch and a transversely rightward moving switch attached to a steering wheel. A controller is configured or programmed to control a marine propulsion device so as to move a vessel body of the watercraft transversely leftward when the transversely leftward moving switch is operated. The controller is configured or programmed to control the marine propulsion device so as to move the vessel body transversely rightward when the transversely rightward moving switch is operated.

A steering apparatus for a marine vessel includes a central portion supported rotatably around a rotation fulcrum with respect to a hull, a wheel portion, a spoke portion that connects the central portion and the wheel portion, first switches, second switches near the first switches, and paddles operable to cause a thrust to be applied in a front-rear direction to the hull. The first and second switches control the hull in different modes. The first switches are located at positions where a marine vessel operator is able to operate the first switches with the fingers of hands operating the paddles. The first and second switches are on the spoke portion and have different heights in a pressing direction.

Example systems and methods are provided herein for stabilizing a watercraft during a turn of the watercraft. Such systems include a navigation assembly and a stabilization mechanism configured to apply forces to maintain the watercraft within a relative orientation with a body of water. The systems also include a memory and a processor, and the processor is configured to receive data from the navigation assembly to determine when a turn is being made or will be made, determine and apply an adjustment to the stabilization mechanism, and cause the adjustment to be applied to the stabilization mechanism.