Patent ID: 9487283
Filing Date: 2016-11-08
CPC Classification: B63H

Claim Text:
1. A vessel propulsion system comprising: at least two propulsion devices that are disposed on a left side and on a right side, respectively, with respect to a central line extending in a front-rear direction through a rotational center of a hull and that are variable in thrust and in steering angle; an operating device configured to output a lateral movement command to cause the hull to make a lateral movement in a lateral direction perpendicular to the central line, the lateral movement command including a commanded direction of either a rightward direction or a leftward direction in accordance with an operation performed by an operator; and a controller configured and programmed to control the thrust and the steering angle of each of the two propulsion devices so that, when the operating device outputs the lateral movement command, a first one of the two propulsion devices that is disposed on a side existing in the commanded direction with respect to the central line generates a backward thrust, whereas a second one of the two propulsion devices that is disposed on a side existing in a direction opposite to the commanded direction with respect to the central line generates a forward thrust, and so that an operating point of a resultant force of the thrusts of the two propulsion devices is positioned to deviate to the side in the commanded direction from the central line, and so that a direction of action of the resultant force follows the commanded direction.