A marine autopilot system is disclosed. While in autopilot mode, the marine vessel's autopilot system autonomously steers the marine vessel's rudder. Steering input provided using the helm typically results in counter-steering to the autopilot. If the autopilot is following a current heading or course (route), the autopilot may continue its efforts to remain on the heading or course in response to the deviation caused by steering input to the helm. The disclosed autopilot system improves this problem by including one or more sensors that measure helm movement and wirelessly transmit helm movement data to one or more components of the marine vessel's electronic network. If the operator of the marine vessel manually steers the helm to deviate from a current heading or course, helm movement exceeding a predetermined autopilot disengagement threshold may cause the autopilot control to temporarily disengage, allowing a user to manually steer the marine vessel.

A marine autopilot system is disclosed. While in autopilot mode, the marine vessel's autopilot system autonomously steers the marine vessel's rudder. Steering input provided using the helm typically results in counter-steering to the autopilot. If the autopilot is following a current heading or course (route), the autopilot may continue its efforts to remain on the heading or course in response to the deviation caused by steering input to the helm. The disclosed autopilot system improves this problem by including one or more sensors that measure helm movement and wirelessly transmit helm movement data to one or more components of the marine vessel's electronic network. If the operator of the marine vessel manually steers the helm to deviate from a current heading or course, helm movement exceeding a predetermined autopilot disengagement threshold may cause the autopilot control to temporarily disengage, allowing a user to manually steer the marine vessel.

An outboard motor includes an oil chamber, an oil passage connected to the oil chamber via an oil passage connection port, and an air guide, located in a vicinity of or adjacent to the oil passage connection port in a right-left direction of an outboard motor body, to guide air remaining in the oil chamber to the oil passage connection port when hydraulic oil is discharged from the oil chamber via the oil passage.

An outboard motor includes an outboard motor body, a steering shaft, a steering cylinder including a piston rod extending in a right-left direction of the outboard motor body, a piston fixed to the piston rod, and a cylinder body including an oil chamber and the piston therein, and an oil passage inside the piston rod and connected to the oil chamber. The steering cylinder is operable to rotate the steering shaft and the outboard motor body in the right-left direction by adjusting an amount of oil in the oil chamber and moving the cylinder body in the right-left direction.

A steering system for a marine vessel, the steering system comprises a first steering apparatus having a first steering actuator for steering the first steering apparatus and a second steering apparatus having a second steering actuator for steering the second steering apparatus. There is a mechanical steering linkage operatively connecting the first steering apparatus to the second steering apparatus so the steering apparatuses are steered synchronously. A user input device provides user inputted steering commands. A control apparatus operatively connects to the actuators and to the user input device. The control apparatus controls the steering of the steering apparatuses so both of the steering apparatuses are simultaneously steered the same amount.

A steering system for a marine vessel, the steering system comprises a first steering apparatus having a first steering actuator for steering the first steering apparatus and a second steering apparatus having a second steering actuator for steering the second steering apparatus. There is a mechanical steering linkage operatively connecting the first steering apparatus to the second steering apparatus so the steering apparatuses are steered synchronously. A user input device provides user inputted steering commands. A control apparatus operatively connects to the actuators and to the user input device. The control apparatus controls the steering of the steering apparatuses so both of the steering apparatuses are simultaneously steered the same amount.

A steering assembly for a hydraulic steering system is disclosed. The steering assembly includes a steering input device and an auxiliary drive assembly. The auxiliary drive assembly includes a lock valve body with one or more fluid passages that facilitates regulation of a fluid flow in response to an input from the steering input device. The lock valve body has a surface and a guide bore. Further, an electric pump is included that has an electric motor with a drive train unit. The electric pump is adapted to be mounted to the surface and the drive train unit is adapted to be positioned through the guide bore and operably coupled to the one or more fluid passages to regulate the fluid flow in the one or more fluid passages.

A steering assembly for a hydraulic steering system is disclosed. The steering assembly includes a steering input device and an auxiliary drive assembly. The auxiliary drive assembly includes a lock valve body with one or more fluid passages that facilitates regulation of a fluid flow in response to an input from the steering input device. The lock valve body has a surface and a guide bore. Further, an electric pump is included that has an electric motor with a drive train unit. The electric pump is adapted to be mounted to the surface and the drive train unit is adapted to be positioned through the guide bore and operably coupled to the one or more fluid passages to regulate the fluid flow in the one or more fluid passages.

A tiller assist hydraulic marine dampener and brake assembly has a fluid flow path with two potential flow restrictors in series. These include a solenoid valve and a hydraulic needle valve. A single cylinder piston serves to close both ends of the flow path. The tiller assist marine dampener and brake assembly in a second embodiment has a central coupling rod with recesses, a coupling link to a tiller arm, a co-axial tube, a nut adjacent each distal end of the co-axial tube securing the co-axial tube to a mounting bracket, a pair of springs co-axial with and surrounding the coupling rod and interior of the co-axial tube, a pair of adjustable end caps closing the gap between the ends of the co-axial tube and the coupling rod while also acting as stops for the springs, and a slide located between the pair of springs, and a set pin.

A tiller assist hydraulic marine dampener and brake assembly has a fluid flow path with two potential flow restrictors in series. These include a solenoid valve and a hydraulic needle valve. A single cylinder piston serves to close both ends of the flow path. The tiller assist marine dampener and brake assembly in a second embodiment has a central coupling rod with recesses, a coupling link to a tiller arm, a co-axial tube, a nut adjacent each distal end of the co-axial tube securing the co-axial tube to a mounting bracket, a pair of springs co-axial with and surrounding the coupling rod and interior of the co-axial tube, a pair of adjustable end caps closing the gap between the ends of the co-axial tube and the coupling rod while also acting as stops for the springs, and a slide located between the pair of springs, and a set pin.