Patent ID: 6884128

Claim:
A watercraft comprising a propulsion device arranged to propel the watercraft, a prime mover that powers the propulsion device, a regulating device that regulates an output of the prime mover, the watercraft capable of proceeding generally at a speed corresponding to the output of the prime mover, a command input device configured to provide a command signal to control the regulating device, a speed sensing device configured to sense an actual speed of the watercraft and to provide an actual speed signal, a control device configured to control the regulating device, a control data input device configured to selectively provide the control device with a first mode signal that starts a first mode of the control device and a second mode signal that starts a second mode of the control device, the first mode being a manual control mode in which a human operator manually controls a speed of the watercraft, and the second mode being a mode in which the speed is controlled automatically, the second mode signal accompanied by a target speed signal indicative of a target speed of the watercraft, the control device controlling the regulating device based upon the command signal in the first mode, the control device controlling the regulating device in the second mode such that an actual speed of the watercraft designated by the actual speed signal generally corresponds with the target speed of the watercraft designated by the target speed signal, and the control device starting the first mode in place of the second mode without the first mode signal if the command signal changes while the control device controls the regulating device in the second mode.