Systems and methods for shifting multi-speed transmissions

A marine propulsion device having a powerhead that transmits torque to a propulsor, the marine propulsion device comprising:

• a multi-speed transmission having a first gear, a second gear, and a transmission output shaft operatively coupled to the propulsor, wherein the first gear and the second gear are selectively engageable to transmit the torque from the powerhead to the transmission output shaft to rotate the propulsor;
• a shift schedule that indicates a shift recommendation for when to downshift the multi-speed transmission from the second gear to the first gear, wherein the powerhead rotating at a given RPM rotates the propulsor in first gear at a lower RPM than the second gear;
• and
• a control system configured to:
• cause the multi-speed transmission to downshift when the shift schedule indicates the shift recommendation;
• determine a requested speed of the marine propulsion device;
• measure an actual speed of the marine propulsion device;
• calculate an error between the requested speed and the actual speed and to compare the error to an error threshold;
• determine when the error has exceeded the error threshold longer than a duration threshold;
• and
• cause the multi-speed transmission to downshift, despite the shift schedule indicating a non-shift recommendation, when the duration threshold is exceeded so as to reduce the error between the requested speed and the actual speed.