Enhanced steering control system

An enhanced steering control system for a steering system of a personal watercraft including a jet powered propulsion system with a steering handle of the steering system being coupled to the jet powered propulsion system to turn the personal watercraft, and the personal watercraft including one or more mechanical dampers coupled to the steering system that resist movement of the steering system, the enhanced steering control system comprising:

• an electrically actuated device adapted to be coupled to the steering system of the personal watercraft for applying force to the steering system;
• a sensor adapted to be positioned adjacent the steering system when the electrically actuated device is coupled to the steering system that generates data indicating an operational state of the personal watercraft;
• and
• a controller coupled to the electrically actuated device and the sensor and configured to:
• estimate a first torque applied to the steering system by the one or more mechanical dampers based on the operational state of the personal watercraft indicated by the sensor data;
• calculate a second torque to apply to the steering system by the electrically actuated device based on the estimated first torque and the operational state of the personal watercraft indicated by the sensor data;
• and
• operate the electrically actuated device to apply the second torque to the steering system of the personal watercraft.

A method for enhancing steering of a personal watercraft including a jet powered propulsion system, a steering system having a steering handle coupled to the jet powered propulsion system for turning the personal watercraft, one or more mechanical dampers coupled to and that resist movement of the steering system, an electrically actuated device coupled to the steering system for applying torque to the steering system, and a sensor positioned adjacent the steering system that generates data indicating an operational state of the personal watercraft, the method comprising the steps of:

• rotating the steering handle to a apply a corresponding force on the jet powered propulsion system;
• responsive to the rotation of the steering handle, estimating a first torque applied to the steering system of the personal watercraft by the one or more mechanical dampers based on the operational state of the personal watercraft indicated by the sensor data;
• calculating a second torque to apply to the steering system of the personal watercraft by the electrically actuated device based on the estimated first torque and the operational state of the personal watercraft indicated by the sensor data;
• and
• operating the electrically actuated device to apply the second torque to the steering system of the personal watercraft.