Speed control system

A watercraft speed controller, comprising:

• an engine throttle lever;
• an actuator;
• a co-axial cable having an outer sheath extending between a buttress and said engine throttle lever and an inner cable operatively associated with said actuator and extending through said outer sheath to a support positioned beyond said engine throttle lever;
• said outer sheath being relatively incompressible along its longitudinal axis and relatively flexible transversely of its longitudinal axis, said sheath having a length greater than the distance between said buttress and said engine throttle lever, at least when said engine throttle lever is in a closed throttle position;
• a water speed sensor;
• and
• a controller input by said water speed sensor and outputting a control signal to said actuator.

A method for controlling the speed of a vehicle, comprising the following steps:

• (a) accepting an operator input of a set speed when a current speed of said vehicle is less than said set speed;
• (b) after accepting an operator input of a set speed, refraining from controlling the current speed of said vehicle while said current speed of said vehicle remains less than said set speed:
• (c) when an engine throttle for said vehicle is opened by said operator and said vehicle reaches approximately said set speed, providing an indication to said operator;
• and
• (d) thereafter adjusting said engine throttle in order to maintain the speed of said vehicle within a pre-selected tolerance from said set speed.