Brunswick Corporation

Glenn E Anderson

Brad E Taylor

Mark T Lokken

Kenneth G Gable

Thomas J Walczak

David M Van Buren

William R Robertson

Timothy D Krupp

David M Schmidt

John O Scherer

A system configured for controlling a trim position of a trimmable drive unit with respect to a marine vessel. The system includes a trim actuator coupled to the trimmable drive unit and configured to rotate the trimmable drive unit about a horizontal trim axis, at least one obstruction sensor configured to sense obstructions proximate the trimmable drive unit, and a controller operably coupled to the trim actuator and the at least one obstruction sensor. The controller is configured to operate the trim actuator to rotate the trimmable drive unit about the horizontal trim axis, receive a signal from the at least one obstruction sensor indicating an obstruction within a predetermined threshold distance of the trimmable drive unit, and perform a mitigation operation to prevent the trimmable drive unit from impacting the obstruction.

Systems and methods for controlling trimmable marine devices to prevent object impact

Systems and methods are for maneuvering a marine vessel having a plurality of steerable propulsion devices. The plurality of propulsion devices are controlled to achieve a lateral movement by controlling the steering orientation of port and starboard propulsion devices so that forward thrusts provided by the port and starboard propulsion devices intersect at or forwardly of a center of turn of the marine vessel. One of the port and starboard propulsion devices is operated to provide a forward thrust and the other of the port and starboard propulsion devices is operated to provide a reverse thrust so that the lateral movement is achieved and a resultant yaw component is applied on the marine vessel. An intermediate propulsion device is controlled to apply an opposing yaw component on the marine vessel that counteracts the resultant yaw component.

Systems and methods for laterally maneuvering marine vessels

A tiller arm is provided with a lock mechanism that retains the tiller arm in an upwardly extending position relative to an outboard motor when the tiller arm is rotated about a first axis and the lock mechanism is placed in a first of two positions. Contact between an extension portion of the lock mechanism and the discontinuity of the arm prevents the arm from rotating downwardly out of its upward position.

Outboard motor tiller handle with upward position locking device

A cowl latching system provides a retainer that is attached to the outboard motor and a catch device which is attached to a cowl structure. The catch device is shaped to allow the retainer to move between first and second extension portions. The retainer is provided with first and second retention members that can each move from a retracted position to an extended position under the urging of a resilient member such as a spring. The first and second retention members can also be urged from their respective extended positions to their respective retracted positions by the movement of the first and second extension portions of the catch device when the cowl structure is installed unto the outboard motor. The arrangement of the catch device and retainer simplifies the installation and removal of the cowl structure from the outboard motor by allowing the operator of a marine vessel to more easily and simply move the cowl structure relative to the stationary components of the outboard motor during both the installation and removal procedures.

Cowl latching system which simplifies the cowl removing process

First and second pliable members are each attached to an outboard motor and to a fixed location on the transom or transom bracket associated with the outboard motor. One pliable member is used on the starboard side of the outboard motor while another is used on the port side. As the outboard motor is tilted about its trim axis, the two pliable members work in coordination with each other to exert a force on the outboard motor in a direction away from any direction in which the outboard motor is rotated about its steering axis as it is being tilted about its trim axis. This coordinated action by the two pliable members aligns the outboard motor in a straight ahead position when it is tilted upward into an inoperable position for transportation.

Alignment system for an outboard motor

A Vee bottom planing boat hull (32) has right and left steps (44 and 46) positioned so as to optimize the boat's trim angle at top speed, and defining right and left notches (48 and 50) in which are pivotally mounted left and right trim tabs (56 and 58) having forward leading edges (60 and 62) along oblique pivot axes (64 and 66) causing outer corners (102 and 104) of trailing edges (68 and 70) of the trim tabs to move downwardly more than inner corners (106 and 108) during downward pivoting of the trim tabs, providing an active hull to control boat trim angle and effectively reduce deadrise angle while maintaining a running surface trailing edge substantially free of discontinuities in the vertical direction.

Growing community of inventors

Omro, WI, United States of America

Glenn E Anderson