US 7,540,795 B2
	Watercraft propulsion apparatus and watercraft
Takashi Okuyama, Shizuoka (Japan); and Noriyoshi Ichikawa, Shizuoka (Japan)
Assigned to Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha, Shizuoka (Japan)
Filed on Mar. 14, 2007, as Appl. No. 11/686,134.
Claims priority of application No. 2006-068575 (JP), filed on Mar. 14, 2006.
Prior Publication US 2007/0218785 A1, Sep. 20, 2007
Int. Cl. B63H 21/21 (2006.01)

U.S. Cl. 440—85  [440/1; 701/21]

17 Claims

17. A watercraft propulsion system having an engine configured to produce thrust under control of a remote controller that remotely controls shifting between forward, neutral, and reverse modes, the watercraft propulsion apparatus comprising a shifting mechanism configured to shifting gears between forward, neutral, and reverse gears, a shift actuator configured to drive the shifting mechanism, a shift position sensor configured to detect a position of the shift actuator with respect to the forward, neutral, and reverse gears, a controller configured to control the shift actuator in accordance with a signal provided from the shift position sensor, and a start-regulation circuit including a plurality of semiconductor devices, the circuit including means for deactivating a starter of the engine even when the starting switch of the engine is turned on and an intermediate zone between the neutral and forward positions or an intermediate zone between the neutral and reverse positions is detected by the shift position sensor, and when the start-regulation circuit determines that a position other than neutral is detected.