Patent ID: 7708609

Claim:
A method of controlling a watercraft, the watercraft having a hull, a deck disposed on the hull, a seat disposed on the deck, an engine compartment defined between the hull and the deck, an engine disposed in the engine compartment, an electronic control unit, a jet propulsion system connected to the hull and operatively connected to the engine, a throttle operator for controlling the engine, a lever, and a reverse gate operatively connected to the hull, the reverse gate being movable between a first stowed position and a second position in which the reverse gate redirects a jet of water expelled from the jet propulsion system, the reverse gate being in operative connection with the lever, the method comprising: actuating the lever; determining a speed of rotation of the engine; if the speed of rotation of the engine is above a predetermined reverse gate actuation speed: controlling the speed of rotation of the engine to be at or below the reverse gate actuation speed in response to the actuation of the lever; and moving the reverse gate to the second position in response to the actuation of the lever without further driver intervention once the speed of rotation of the engine is at or below the reverse gate actuation speed; if the speed of rotation of the engine is at or below the predetermined reverse gate actuation speed: moving the reverse gate to the second position in response to the actuation of the lever without further driver intervention; and controlling the speed of rotation of the engine in order to decelerate the watercraft in response to the actuation of the lever and the reverse gate moving to the second position without further driver intervention.