Patent ID: 7416458

Claim:
A controller for a propulsion unit on a boat for controlling propulsion units, at least one unit provided at the port stern and at least one unit provided at the starboard stern of the boat, the controller comprising a target moving direction information acquiring means for acquiring target moving direction information of the boat, a target moving speed information acquiring means for acquiring target moving speed information of the boat, a target bow direction information acquiring means for acquiring target bow direction information of the boat wherein the target bow direction information can correspond to a direction that is different from a direction to which the target moving direction information corresponds, a moving direction information detecting means for detecting current moving direction information of the boat, a moving speed information detecting means for detecting current moving speed information of the boat, a bow direction information detecting means for detecting current bow direction information of the boat, a geometric information acquiring means for acquiring geometric information of the boat and the propulsion units, a target control value calculating means for calculating target propulsion forces and target steering angles for the propulsion units based on the target moving direction information, the target moving speed information, the target bow direction information which corresponds to a direction that is different than a direction to which the target moving direction information corresponds, the moving direction information, the moving speed information, the bow direction information, and the geometric information, so that the boat moves at the target moving speed in the target moving direction with the bow directed in the target bow direction, and a propulsion unit control means for controlling the propulsion units based on the target propulsion force and the target steering angle calculated by the target control value calculating means.