Patent ID: 7131385

Claim:
A method for controlling the movement of a marine vessel, comprising the steps of: providing a first marine propulsion device which is attached to said marine vessel at a first side of a longitudinal centerline of said marine vessel and which extends downwardly into water in which said marine vessel is operated, said first marine propulsion device being configured to support a first propulsor which is configured to generate a first thrust parallel to a first thrust direction, said first marine propulsion device being supported by said marine vessel for rotation about a first generally vertical steering axis, said first marine propulsion device being rotatable about said first generally vertical steering axis relative to a first reference position in which said first thrust direction is generally parallel to said longitudinal centerline; providing a second marine propulsion device which is attached to said marine vessel at a second side of said longitudinal centerline of said marine vessel and which extends downwardly into water in which said marine vessel is operated, said second marine propulsion device being configured to support a second propulsor which is configured to generate a second thrust parallel to a second thrust direction, said second marine propulsion device being supported by said marine vessel for rotation about a second generally vertical steering axis, said second marine propulsion device being rotatable about said second generally vertical steering axis relative to a second reference position in which said second thrust direction is generally parallel to said longitudinal centerline; receiving a command to apply a braking force on said marine vessel; and causing each of said first and second marine propulsion devices to rotate in opposite rotational directions about said first and second steering axes, respectively, by selected angular magnitudes in response to said command; determining a velocity characteristic of said marine vessel; and selecting said angular magnitudes as a function of said velocity characteristic.