Watercraft with control system for controlling wake and method for controlling wake
AssigneeAB Volvo Penla
InventorKent Lundgren
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A watercraft with a control system includes at least two propulsion units carried by a hull of the watercraft. Each propulsion unit is independently turnable. The watercraft includes a control system arranged to control orientation of the propulsion units. The control system includes a first control mode in which turning of two of the propulsion units is limited to turning through less than an entire range of motion of the two propulsion units, in equal amounts, and in opposite directions relative to a longitudinal centerline of the watercraft.
Claims15
A watercraft with a control system, comprising:
- at least two propulsion units carried by a hull of the watercraft, each propulsion unit being independently turnable;
- a control system arranged to control orientation of the propulsion units, the control system including a first control mode in which turning of two of the propulsion units is limited to turning through less than an entire range of motion of the two propulsion units, in equal amounts, and in opposite directions relative to a longitudinal centerline of the watercraft;
- and
- operator controls for controlling turning of the propulsion units at least when the control system is not switched to first control mode, the control system being arranged such that, when the control system is in the first control mode, the operator controls for controlling turning of the propulsion units are deactivated.
A watercraft with a control system, comprising:
- at least two propulsion units carried by a hull of the watercraft, each propulsion unit being independently turnable;
- a control system arranged to control orientation of the propulsion units, the control system including a first control mode in which turning of two of the propulsion units is limited to turning through less than an entire range of motion of the two propulsion units, in equal amounts, and in opposite directions relative to a longitudinal centerline of the watercraft;
- and
- an operator control for switching the control system from the first control mode to another operating mode different from the first control mode,
- wherein, upon receipt of a first input signal from the operator control, the control system switches from the first control mode to another operating mode, and
- wherein, upon receipt of the first input signal from the operator control, the control system is arranged to switch to an automatic control mode in which turning of the propulsion units is controlled by the control system.
A method of operating a watercraft, the watercraft comprising at least two, independently turnable propulsion units carried by a hull of the watercraft, comprising:
- operating the watercraft in a first control mode in which turning of two of the propulsion units is limited to turning through less than an entire range of motion of the two propulsion units, in equal amounts, and in opposite directions relative to a longitudinal centerline of the watercraft;
- operating the watercraft in a second control mode different from the first control mode;
- operating the watercraft by operator input in the second control mode;
- and
- deactivating at least one operator control when operating the watercraft in the first control mode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.