Watercraft steering assist system

A watercraft comprising a hull, a water jet propulsion unit supported relative to the hull and including a steering nozzle, a steering system configured to influence a direction of travel of the watercraft, the steering system comprising an operator steering control movable between a first maximum turning position and a second maximum turning position and configured to permit an operator of the watercraft to control a position of the steering nozzle, a force detection assembly configured to sense a force further applied to the operator steering control after the operator steering control is turned to either of the first and second maximum turning positions, a pair of deflectors supported by the steering nozzle for pivotal motion about a generally vertical axis and straddling a flow of water issuing from the steering nozzle in a neutral position, and a control system configured to rotate the pair of deflectors relative to the steering nozzle to divert a flow of water issuing from the steering nozzle when the force further applied to the operator steering control exceeds a predetermined threshold.

A watercraft comprising a hull, a propulsion unit supported relative to the hull, a steering system configured to influence a direction of travel of the watercraft, the steering system comprising an operator steering control movable between a first maximum turning position and a second maximum turning position and configured to permit an operator of the watercraft to control a position of the steering system, a force detection assembly configured to sense a force further applied to the operator steering control after the operator steering control is turned to either of the first and second maximum turning positions, at least one rudder supported by the propulsion unit for pivotal motion about a generally horizontal axis from a first position not providing a substantial steering force to a second position configured to provide a steering force with a body of water on which the watercraft is operated, and a control system configured to rotate the at least one rudder toward the second position when the force further applied to the operator steering control exceeds a predetermined threshold.

A steering assist method for a watercraft having an operator steering control configured to be turnable between but not substantially beyond maximum port and starboard turning positions and a propulsion unit, the method comprising determining when the operator steering control has been turned to either one of a port or starboard maximum turning position and when a magnitude of a further steering force that has been applied to the operator steering control is greater than a predetermined magnitude, detecting variations in the magnitude of a force above the predetermined magnitude further applied to the operator steering control after the operator steering control is turned to one of the maximum turning positions, and varying a steering force of the watercraft in proportion with the variations in the magnitude of force further applied to the operator steering control above the predetermined magnitude at least during varying the steering force.

A watercraft comprising a hull, a propulsion unit supported relative to the hull, a steering system configured to influence a direction of travel of the watercraft, the steering system comprising an operator steenng control configured to rotate a steering shaft between port and starboard maximum steering positions, the steering system being configured such that the operator steering control cannot be rotated substantially beyond the port and starboard maximum steering positions, a control system configured to increase an output of the propulsion unit after the operator steering control has been rotated to either of the port and starboard maximum steering positions and a further force has been applied, the control system including means for varying the output of the propulsion unit in proportion with changes in magnitude of the further force applied to the operator steering control.

A watercraft comprising a hull, a propulsion unit supported relative to the hull, a steering system configured to influence a direction of travel of the watercraft, the steering system comprising an operator steering control configured to rotate a steering shaft between a first maximum turning position and a second maximum turning position to permit an operator of the watercraft to control a position of the steering system, a force detector configured to sense a force further applied to the operator steering control after the operator steering control is turned to either of the first and second maximum turning positions, and a control system configured to increase an output of the propulsion unit in response to the force sensed by the force detector.