Boat control system and boat

Abstract

A boat control system includes a plurality of boat propulsion devices each steerable 180 degrees or more about a steering axis, a controller, and an operator. The plurality of boat propulsion devices include a first boat propulsion device including a first drive source to generate a propulsion power and a first output sensor to detect an output of the first drive source and output a detection signal to the controller, and a second boat propulsion device including a second drive source to generate a propulsion power and a second output sensor to detect an output of the second drive source and output a detection signal to the controller. When the outputs of the first and second drive sources have a difference when the operator is not accepting a turning operation, the controller is configured or programmed to change the output of at least one of the first and second drive sources to cancel the difference.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A boat control system for controlling a boat including a boat body, the boat control system comprising:
 a plurality of boat propulsion devices each steerable 180 degrees or more about a steering axis;   a controller configured or programmed to control a thrust and a steering angle of each of the plurality of boat propulsion devices; and   an operator to accept an operation request to move the boat body and output an operation signal to the controller; wherein   the plurality of boat propulsion devices including:
 a first boat propulsion device including a first drive source to generate power to propel the boat body and a first output sensor to detect an output of the first drive source and output a detection signal to the controller; and 
 a second boat propulsion device including a second drive source to generate a power to propel the boat body and a second output sensor to detect an output of the second drive source and output a detection signal to the controller; and 
   the controller is configured or programmed to perform, when the controller determines that the output of the first drive source and the output of the second drive source have a difference when the operator is not accepting an operation request to turn the boat body, an output adjustment process to change the output of at least one of the first drive source and the second drive source so as to cancel the difference in the outputs.   
     
     
         2 . The boat control system according to  claim 1 , wherein the operator includes:
 a joystick; and   a mode switch to accept an operation request to switch on and off a joystick mode in which the joystick is able to accept operation requests to move the boat body; wherein   the controller is configured or programmed to perform the output adjustment process when the mode switch accepts an operation request to switch the joystick mode from off to on.   
     
     
         3 . The boat control system according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured or programmed to perform the output adjustment process while performing a holding control to hold the boat body in a specific orientation. 
     
     
         4 . The boat control system according to  claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured or programmed to perform the output adjustment process while performing a holding control to hold the boat body in a specific orientation. 
     
     
         5 . The boat control system according to  claim 1 , wherein the output adjustment process increases the output of one of the first drive source and the second drive source having a lower output until the output becomes equal to the output of the other of the first drive source and the second drive source. 
     
     
         6 . The boat control system according to  claim 2 , wherein the output adjustment process increases the output of one of the first drive source and the second drive source having a lower output until the output becomes equal to the output of the other one of the first drive source and the second drive source. 
     
     
         7 . The boat control system according to  claim 1 , wherein the output adjustment process increases the output of one of the first drive source and the second drive source having a lower output and decreases the output of the other one of the first drive source and the second drive source. 
     
     
         8 . The boat control system according to  claim 2 , wherein the output adjustment process increases the output of one of the first drive source and the second drive source having a lower output and decreases the output of the other one of the first drive source and the second drive source. 
     
     
         9 . The boat control system according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of boat propulsion devices further include a third boat propulsion device between the first boat propulsion device and the second boat propulsion device. 
     
     
         10 . The boat control system according to  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of boat propulsion devices further include a third boat propulsion device between the first boat propulsion device and the second boat propulsion device. 
     
     
         11 . The boat control system according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a turning sensor to detect a turning of the boat body and output a detection signal to the controller; wherein   in the output adjustment process, the controller is configured or programmed to steer the third boat propulsion device in a direction in which the boat body is turning.   
     
     
         12 . The boat control system according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a turning sensor to detect a turning of the boat body and output a detection signal to the controller; wherein   in the output adjustment process, the controller is configured or programmed to steer the third boat propulsion device in a direction in which the boat body is turning.   
     
     
         13 . A boat comprising:
 the boat control system according to  claim 1 .   
     
     
         14 . A boat comprising:
 the boat control system according to  claim 2 .