A remote 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 outboard motors having 360-degree rotatable lower units.

A method for maintaining a marine vessel at a global position and/or heading includes receiving measurements related to vessel attitude and estimating water roughness conditions based on the measurements. A difference between the vessel's actual global position and the target global position and/or a difference between the vessel's actual heading and the target heading are determined. The method includes calculating a desired linear velocity based on the position difference and/or a desired rotational velocity based on the heading difference. The vessel's actual linear velocity and/or actual rotational velocity are filtered based on the roughness conditions. The method includes determining a difference between the desired linear velocity and the filtered actual linear velocity and/or a difference between the desired rotational velocity and the filtered actual rotational velocity. The method also includes calculating vessel movements that will minimize the linear velocity difference and/or rotational velocity difference and carrying out the calculated movements.

A system for controlling a marine vessel having first and second steering nozzles and corresponding first and second reversing buckets, comprises a processor configured to receive a first vessel control signal including at least a component corresponding to a translational thrust command in a port direction, and that is configured to provide a set of actuator control signals coupled to and control the first and second reversing buckets. The processor is configured to provide the set of actuator control signals so as to maintain the first reversing bucket substantially in a first discrete position and the second reversing bucket substantially in a second discrete position as long as the first vessel control signal includes a component corresponding to a translational thrust command in the port direction.

A propulsion control system for a marine vessel includes a plurality of propulsion devices steerable to propel the marine vessel, at least one proximity sensor that determines a relative position of the marine vessel with respect to an object, wherein the at least one proximity sensor has a field of view (FOV). A controller is configured to identify a trigger condition for expanding the FOV of the at least one proximity sensor and control thrust and/or steering position of at least one of the plurality of propulsion devices to expand the FOV of the at least one proximity sensor by inducing a roll movement or a pitch movement of the marine vessel.

A method for performing a sideway displacement of a marine vessel. The marine vessel includes a first and a second propulsion unit, a first and a second rudder respectively associated with the first and the second propulsion units, and a bow thruster. The first and the second propulsion units, the first and the second rudders and the bow thruster are operable via a single driver interface. The method includes the steps of; via the single driver interface operate the first and the second propulsion units and the bow thruster so as to provide a total thrust and set the rudder angles of the first and the second rudders, to thereby steer the displacement of the marine vessel during the sideway displacement.

A method of controlling propulsion of a marine vessel includes receiving proximity measurements from one or more proximity sensors on the marine vessel and limiting user input authority over propulsion output in a direction of an object by at least one propulsion device based on the proximity measurement so as to maintain the marine vessel at least a buffer distance from the object. The method further includes suspending maintenance of the buffer distance from the object in response to a user-generated instruction. Then, when user control input is received via a user input device to move the marine vessel in the direction of the object, the at least one propulsion device is controlled based on the user control input such that the marine vessel approaches and impacts the object.

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.

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.