Method and apparatus for controlling a waterjet-driven marine vessel

Abstract

A system for controlling a marine vessel having first and second steering nozzles and corresponding first and second reversing buckets, comprises a processor configured to receive a first vessel control signal including at least a component corresponding to a translational thrust command in a port direction, and that is configured to provide a set of actuator control signals coupled to and control the first and second reversing buckets. The processor is configured to provide the set of actuator control signals so as to maintain the first reversing bucket substantially in a first discrete position and the second reversing bucket substantially in a second discrete position as long as the first vessel control signal includes a component corresponding to a translational thrust command in the port direction.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . A method for controlling a marine vessel, the marine vessel comprising a first engine, a first laterally-fixed reversing deflector corresponding to the first engine, a second engine, and a second laterally-fixed reversing deflector corresponding to the second engine, the method comprising:
 obtaining a first translational thrust command having a first non-zero magnitude in a port direction of the marine vessel and a second magnitude in a forward or in a reverse direction of the marine vessel;   obtaining a second translational thrust command having a third non-zero magnitude in the port direction of the marine vessel and a fourth magnitude in the forward or in the reverse direction of the marine vessel, the third non-zero magnitude being different from the first non-zero magnitude and/or the fourth magnitude being different from the second magnitude; and   controlling revolutions per minute (RPM) of the first engine, RPM of the second engine, the first laterally-fixed reversing deflector, and/or the second laterally-fixed reversing deflector to change an amount of thrust applied to the marine vessel in the port direction without inducing rotational force to the marine vessel.