Outboard motor steering control system

A system for controlling steering of an outboard motor adapted to be mounted on a stern of a boat and having an internal combustion engine that powers a propeller, comprising:

• a steering wheel installed at a cockpit of the boat to be turned by an operator;
• an actuator which rotates the outboard motor about a steering shaft in response to turning of the steering wheel such that the outboard motor is steered relative to the boat;
• a steering wheel angle sensor which produces an output indicative of a turned angle of the steering wheel;
• a rotation angle sensor which produces an output indicative of a rotation angle of the steering shaft;
• and
• a controller which compares the outputs of the steering wheel angle sensor and the rotation angle sensor to determine whether there is a phase difference in steering angle when the engine is started, controls operation of the actuator so as to eliminate the difference, if the phase difference is found, only when the operator turns the steering wheel, and simultaneously informs the operator of the phase difference.