US 7,494,390 B2
	Action control device for small boat
Makoto Mizutani, Shizuoka-ken (Japan)
Assigned to Yamaha Marine Kabushiki Kaisha, Shizuoka (Japan)
Filed on Aug. 21, 2006, as Appl. No. 11/507,399.
Claims priority of application No. 2005-238450 (JP), filed on Aug. 19, 2005.
Prior Publication US 2007/0049139 A1, Mar. 01, 2007
Int. Cl. B63H 5/20 (2006.01); B63H 5/125 (2006.01); B63H 20/08 (2006.01); B63H 21/22 (2006.01); B63H 23/00 (2006.01); B63H 25/04 (2006.01); B63H 25/10 (2006.01); B60L 1/14 (2006.01); G05D 1/02 (2006.01)

U.S. Cl. 440—53  [440/1; 440/2; 114/144 R]

7 Claims

3. An action control device for a boat comprising a running condition detecting means, a running environment determining means for determining a running environment based upon the running condition, a steering control means for setting a steering handle operative characteristic in response to the running environment, a propulsion unit mounted on a hull of the boat, a steering handle adapted to be operated by a human operator, a steering angle sensor for detecting a steering angle of the steering handle, a steering unit configured to pivot the propulsion unit relative to the hull in response to the steering angle, a load sensor configured to detect a load of the pivotal movement of the propulsion unit, a reaction force motor configured to apply a reaction force to the steering handle in response to the load of the pivotal movement of the propulsion unit, and a control unit configured to compute a pivotal movement angle of the propulsion unit by the steering unit based upon the steering angle of the steering handle and a pivotal movement characteristic of the propulsion unit, the control unit forming the running environment determining means and the steering control means.