Watercraft maneuvering system and watercraft

Abstract

A watercraft maneuvering system includes manual operators, actuators to cause a watercraft to travel, and a controller configured or programmed to control the actuators according to an operation state of the manual operators. The controller is configured or programmed to control the actuators according to any one of a plurality of watercraft maneuvering assist modes. The watercraft maneuvering system includes a proposal notifier to notify a user of a proposed execution of an appropriate watercraft maneuvering assist mode when a predetermined proposal condition is satisfied. The watercraft maneuvering system includes a command input to be operated by the user to command whether or not to execute a watercraft maneuvering assist mode proposed by the proposal notifier. When execution of the proposed watercraft maneuvering assist mode is commanded by the user, the controller is configured or programmed to control the actuators according to the watercraft maneuvering assist mode.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A watercraft maneuvering system comprising:
 manual operators to be operated by a user for watercraft maneuvering;   actuators to cause a watercraft to travel;   a controller configured or programmed to control the actuators according to an operation state of the manual operators and to control the actuators according to any one of a plurality of watercraft maneuvering assist modes to assist in watercraft maneuvering;   a proposal notifier to notify a user of a proposed execution of a watercraft maneuvering assist mode that matches a predetermined proposal condition among the plurality of watercraft maneuvering assist modes when an operation state of the manual operators and/or an activation state of the actuators satisfies the predetermined proposal condition; and   a command input to be operated by the user to command whether or not to execute the watercraft maneuvering assist mode proposed by the proposal notifier; wherein   the controller is configured or programmed to control the actuators according to the watercraft maneuvering assist mode when execution of the watercraft maneuvering assist mode proposed by the proposal notifier is commanded by the command input.   
     
     
         2 . The watercraft maneuvering system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the actuators include a propulsion device to generate a propulsive force to propel a hull of the watercraft;   the manual operators include an acceleration manual operator to adjust the propulsive force of the propulsion device;   the plurality of watercraft maneuvering assist modes include a low-speed traveling assist mode in which the controller is configured or programmed to control the propulsion device to maintain the propulsive force generated by the propulsion device at a predetermined low-speed traveling propulsive force irrespective of an operation on the acceleration manual operator;   the proposal condition includes a low-speed traveling assist mode proposal condition to determine a proposal of the low-speed traveling assist mode; and   the low-speed traveling assist mode proposal condition includes a condition that the propulsive force generated by the propulsion device is maintained at a value not higher than a low-speed traveling threshold for not shorter than a predetermined time.   
     
     
         3 . The watercraft maneuvering system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the actuators include a propulsion device to generate a propulsive force to propel a hull of the watercraft;   the manual operators include an acceleration manual operator to adjust the propulsive force of the propulsion device;   the plurality of watercraft maneuvering assist modes include a constant-speed traveling assist mode in which the controller is configured or programmed to control the propulsion device to maintain the propulsive force generated by the propulsion device at a set propulsive force that is able to be set by the user irrespective of an operation on the acceleration manual operator;   the proposal condition includes a constant-speed traveling assist mode proposal condition to determine a proposal of the constant-speed traveling assist mode; and   the constant-speed traveling assist mode proposal condition includes a condition that a change in an operation amount of the acceleration manual operator is maintained at a value not higher than a predetermined threshold for not shorter than a predetermined time.   
     
     
         4 . The watercraft maneuvering system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the actuators include a propulsion device to generate a propulsive force to propel a hull of the watercraft and that includes a plurality of driving states including forward driving and reverse driving;   the manual operators include an acceleration manual operator to adjust the propulsive force of the propulsion device;   the plurality of watercraft maneuvering assist modes include a launching assist mode in which the controller is configured or programmed to control the propulsion device such that the propulsive force of the propulsion device is larger than a reverse propulsive force upper limit during normal driving with the propulsion device in a reverse driving state;   the proposal condition includes a launching assist mode proposal condition to determine a proposal of the launching assist mode; and   the launching assist mode proposal condition includes a condition that, immediately after driving of the propulsion device is started, a fully open operation state in which an operation amount of the acceleration manual operator exceeds a predetermined determination threshold is maintained for not shorter than a predetermined time in the reverse driving state of the propulsion device.   
     
     
         5 . The watercraft maneuvering system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the actuators include a propulsion device to generate a propulsive force to propel a hull of the watercraft, and a trim adjuster to change a trim of the hull;   the manual operators include an acceleration manual operator to adjust the propulsive force of the propulsion device and a trim manual operator to adjust the trim of the hull;   the plurality of watercraft maneuvering assist modes include an automatic trim mode in which the controller is configured or programmed to control the trim adjuster in accordance with an operation on the acceleration manual operator and/or a surrounding hydrographic state of the watercraft irrespective of an operation on the trim manual operator;   the proposal condition includes an automatic trim mode proposal condition to determine a proposal of the automatic trim mode; and   the automatic trim mode proposal condition includes at least one of a condition that a number of rapid acceleration operations on the acceleration manual operator within a predetermined time exceeds a determination threshold and a condition that the controller determines that the surrounding hydrographic state of the watercraft is a rough state.   
     
     
         6 . The watercraft maneuvering system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the actuators include a propulsion device to generate a propulsive force to propel a hull of the watercraft; and   the propulsion device includes a waterjet propulsion device including a jet propulsion pump.   
     
     
         7 . The watercraft maneuvering system according to  claim 6 , wherein the watercraft is a personal watercraft including a steering handle bar. 
     
     
         8 . The watercraft maneuvering system according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the manual operators is also usable as the command input. 
     
     
         9 . The watercraft maneuvering system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the actuators include a propulsion device to generate a propulsive force to propel a hull of the watercraft;   the manual operators include an acceleration manual operator to adjust the propulsive force of the propulsion device;   the plurality of watercraft maneuvering assist modes include a constant-speed traveling assist mode in which the controller is configured or programmed to control the propulsion device to maintain the propulsive force generated by the propulsion device at a set propulsive force that is able to be set by the user irrespective of an operation on the acceleration manual operator; and   the command input includes a set propulsive force change manual operator to increase or decrease the set propulsive force during the constant-speed traveling assist mode.   
     
     
         10 . A watercraft comprising:
 a hull; and   the watercraft maneuvering system according to  claim 1  provided on the hull.