Patent ID: 8202136

Claim:
A method of operating a watercraft, the watercraft including an engine, a jet propulsion system operatively connected to the engine, the jet propulsion system including a reverse gate, and a steering assembly for steering the watercraft, the method comprising: determining if the steering assembly is turned; sensing an operating parameter of the watercraft, the operating parameter being indicative of an amount of thrust generated by the propulsion system; determining if the amount of thrust generated by the propulsion system is less than a predetermined amount of thrust by determining if the operating parameter of the watercraft is less than a predetermined value of the operating parameter; automatically moving the reverse gate to a lowered position in response to both: the steering assembly being turned, and the operating parameter of the watercraft being less than the predetermined value of the operating parameter; and increasing a thrust produced by the jet propulsion system in order to control directional movement of the watercraft when: the reverse gate is moved to the lowered position, the steering assembly is turned, and the operating parameter of the watercraft is less than the predetermined value of the operating parameter, the reverse gate in the lowered position redirecting the thrust produced by the jet propulsion system toward a front of the watercraft.