Patent ID: 6855014

Claim:
A watercraft comprising a hull, an engine supported by the hull, a propulsion request device configured to allow an operator to input a propulsion request, a propulsion device supported by the hull and being driven by the engine, an engine speed sensor configured to detect an actual speed of the engine, a controller configured to communicate with the propulsion request device and to affect a power output of the engine based on an output of the propulsion request device and a speed of the engine, the controller being configured to determine an actual engine speed value of the engine based on the output of the engine speed sensor and a modified engine speed value, based on the output of the engine speed sensor, and the modified engine speed value being configured to change more slowly than the actual speed of the engine, the controller being further configured to maintain the power output of the engine at magnitudes above a magnitude of power output corresponding to the output of the propulsion request device, until the modified engine speed falls below a predetermined value.