Systems and methods for automatically controlling attitude of a marine vessel with trim devices

A trim control system for automatically controlling a trim angle of a trimmable marine propulsion device with respect to a marine vessel, the trim control system comprising:

• a memory that stores a plurality of trim profiles, each trim profile defining a unique relationship between a plurality of vessel speeds and respective trim angles of the marine propulsion device with respect to the marine vessel, wherein the unique relationship defined by each trim profile is a calibrated relationship developed by determining optimal trim angles for a particular marine propulsion device powering a particular marine vessel at a number of tested vessel speeds and at a number of different conditions, including at least one of under a number of tested loading conditions, in a number of different environmental conditions, and with a number of tested propellers;
• a user interface including an input device that allows a user to select one of the plurality of trim profiles from the memory so as to specify an aggressiveness of trim angle relative to vessel speed;
• and
• a controller that thereafter determines a setpoint trim angle corresponding to a measured vessel speed according to the selected trim profile;
• wherein the trim control system thereafter positions the marine propulsion device at the setpoint trim angle.

A trim control system for automatically controlling a trim angle of a trimmable marine propulsion device with respect to a marine vessel, the trim control system comprising:

• a memory that stores a plurality of trim profiles, each trim profile defining a unique relationship between a plurality of vessel speeds and respective trim angles of the marine propulsion device with respect to the marine vessel;
• a user interface including an input device that allows a user to select one of the plurality of trim profiles from the memory so as to specify an aggressiveness of trim angle relative to vessel speed;
• a vessel speed sensor that measures a speed of the marine vessel;
• an informational sensor that measures information relating to a condition of or acting on the marine vessel;
• and
• a controller that receives the user's selected trim profile, the measured vessel speed, and the information relating to the condition of or acting on the marine vessel;
• wherein based on the condition of or acting on the marine vessel, the controller determines a setpoint trim angle corresponding to the measured vessel speed according to the user's selected trim profile or according to an alternative trim profile;
• and
• wherein the trim control system thereafter positions the marine propulsion device at the setpoint trim angle.