Power steering control system and method for an outboard engine of a watercraft

A method of controlling power steering of an outboard engine on a watercraft, the outboard engine comprising a bracket mounted to the watercraft and a drive unit pivotably connected to the bracket about a steering axis, the method comprising:

• providing electrical power to a motor for actuating a steering actuator of the outboard engine, the motor being mounted to the bracket and rotationally fixed with respect to the bracket about the steering axis;
• sensing a temperature of a thermal element electrically connected to the motor, the thermal element being fixed with respect to the drive unit, the sensed temperature of the thermal element being indicative of a temperature of the motor;
• and
• controlling a duty cycle of the motor based at least in part on the sensed temperature of the thermal element, and controlling the duty cycle of the motor comprising:
• controlling the duty cycle to be a first duty cycle when the sensed temperature of the thermal element is one of lower than a first threshold temperature and the first threshold temperature;
• controlling the duty cycle to be smaller than the first duty cycle when the sensed temperature of the thermal element is higher than the first threshold temperature by decreasing the duty cycle at a first rate as a function of increasing sensed temperature when the sensed temperature of the thermal element is higher than the first threshold temperature and lower than a second threshold temperature;
• controlling the duty cycle to be a second duty cycle when the sensed temperature of the thermal element is the second threshold temperature, the second duty cycle being lower than the first duty cycle;
• and
• controlling the duty cycle to be smaller than the second duty cycle when the sensed temperature of the thermal element is higher than the second threshold temperature by decreasing the duty cycle at a second rate as a function of increasing sensed temperature when the sensed temperature of the thermal element is higher than the second threshold temperature.