Patent ID: 6868317

Claim:
A watercraft comprising a rudder unit, a steering position input device configured to provide a position command signal indicative of a position of the rudder unit, at least one of an azimuth sensing device configured to sense an actual azimuth of the watercraft to provide an actual azimuth signal or a location sensing device configured to sense an actual location of the watercraft to provide an actual location signal, a control device configured to control the position of the rudder unit, 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 second mode signal being accompanied by a target azimuth signal indicative of a target azimuth of the watercraft or a target location signal indicative of a target location of the watercraft, the control device controlling the position of the rudder unit based upon the position command signal in the first mode, the control device controlling the position of the rudder unit such that an actual azimuth amount designated by the actual azimuth signal generally coincides with a target azimuth amount designated by the target azimuth signal, and the control device starting the first mode in place of the second mode without the first mode signal if the position command signal changes while the control device controls the position of the rudder unit in the second mode.