Joystick system for a watercraft

A watercraft comprising:

• a hull;
• a deck disposed on the hull;
• at least two thrust generation devices operatively connected to one of the hull and the deck;
• a joystick system operatively connected to the at least two thrust generation devices, the joystick system comprising:
• a joystick pivotable about an axis, the joystick having:
• a low range of motion about the axis, the low range spanning from a rest angle to a threshold angle, and
• a high range of motion about the axis, the high range spanning from the threshold angle to a maximum angle;
• a joystick position sensor operatively connected to the joystick, the joystick position sensor being adapted for producing pivot signals in response to sensing the joystick pivoting about the axis;
• and
• a control module operatively connected to the joystick position sensor, the control module producing engine thrust request signals operative to control a resultant thrust of the at least two thrust generation devices in response to receiving the pivot signals from the joystick position sensor,
• the resultant thrust increasing from a minimum thrust to a threshold thrust at a first rate of increase as the joystick moves from the rest angle toward the threshold angle in the low range,
• the resultant thrust increasing from the threshold thrust to a maximum thrust at a second rate of increase as the joystick moves from the threshold angle toward the maximum angle in the high range,
• the second rate of increase being greater than the first rate of increase.

A method for controlling movement of a watercraft using a joystick system, the joystick system having a joystick operatively connected to at least one joystick position sensor, the joystick position sensor being operatively connected to a control module, the control module being adapted for controlling at least two thrust generation devices of the watercraft, the method comprising the steps of:

• in response to the control module receiving a signal from the at least one joystick position sensor indicative of the joystick being pushed forward about a first axis from a rest angle, sending, by the control module, signals operative to move the watercraft in a forward direction at a first rate of increase of a resultant thrust of the at least two thrust generation devices;
• in response to the control module receiving a signal from the at least one joystick position sensor indicative of the joystick being pushed forward past a threshold angle, sending, by the control module, signals operative to move the watercraft in the forward direction at a second rate of increase of the resultant thrust of the at least two thrust generation devices,
• the second rate of increase being greater than the first rate of increase;
• and
• in response to the control module receiving a signal from the at least one joystick position sensor indicative of the joystick being returned to the rest angle, sending, by the control module, signals operative decrease the resultant thrust of the at least two thrust generation devices.