Marine propulsion system enabling movement of marine vessel in lateral direction, and control method thereof

A control method of a marine propulsion system including a plurality of first propulsion devices located at a stern of a hull and including at least a first propulsion device on a port side of the hull with respect to a center line extending in a front-rear direction of the hull and a first propulsion device on a starboard side of the hull with respect to the center line, and a second propulsion device located toward a bow of the hull, the control method comprising:

• when moving the hull in a lateral direction:
• fully steering in a leftward turning direction the first propulsion device located on the port side of the hull, and fully steering in a rightward turning direction the first propulsion device located on the starboard side of the hull so that the first propulsion device on the port side and the first propulsion device on the starboard side form an inverted V shape in a plan view;
• causing the first propulsion device on the port side to generate a forward thrust or a rearward thrust and causing the first propulsion device on the starboard side to generate a thrust in a direction opposite to the thrust generated by the first propulsion device on the port side so that a point of action of a lateral movement force that is a resultant force of the thrust generated by the first propulsion device on the port side and the thrust generated by the first propulsion device on the starboard side is located in front of a turning center of the hull;
• and
• controlling the second propulsion device to generate another thrust to generate a counter yaw moment to cancel a yaw moment about the turning center generated by the lateral movement force.

A marine vessel comprising:

• a marine propulsion system including:
• a plurality of first propulsion devices located at a stern of a hull, and including at least a first propulsion device on a port side of the hull with respect to a center line extending in a front-rear direction of the hull, and a first propulsion device on a starboard side of the hull with respect to the center line;
• a second propulsion device located toward a bow of the hull;
• and
• a controller configured or programmed, when moving the hull in a lateral direction, to:
• fully steer in a leftward turning direction the first propulsion device located on the port side of the hull, and fully steer in a rightward turning direction the first propulsion device located on the starboard side of the hull so that the first propulsion device on the port side and the first propulsion device on the starboard side form an inverted V shape in a plan view;
• cause the first propulsion device on the port side to generate a forward thrust or a rearward thrust and cause the first propulsion device on the starboard side to generate a thrust in a direction opposite to the thrust generated by the first propulsion device on the port side so that a point of action of a lateral movement force that is a resultant force of the thrust generated by the first propulsion device on the port side and the thrust generated by the first propulsion device on the starboard side is located in front of a turning center of the hull;
• and
• control the second propulsion device to generate another thrust to generate a counter yaw moment to cancel a yaw moment about the turning center generated by the lateral movement force.