Patent ID: 8478465

Claim:
An electronically assisted reverse gate system for a jet propulsion watercraft, the watercraft including a reverse gate pivotable in and out of a path of a water stream from said watercraft, said reverse gate thereby having a variable gate orientation, the watercraft further including an operator interface for obtaining commands from an operator of the watercraft, said reverse gate system comprising: control electronics in communication with the operator interface for receiving said commands therefrom, said control electronics evaluating target settings for the gate orientation in response to said commands with the target settings being evaluated based on at least one operating condition of said watercraft in addition to said commands, the at least one operating condition comprises at least one of: an engine rotational speed received from an engine of the watercraft; a steering angle of the watercraft, as measured by a steering angle sensor; a forward or aft attitude of the watercraft as measured by a tilt sensor; and a speed over water or speed over ground of the watercraft as measured by a speed sensor; the control electronics issuing control signals based on said target settings; and an actuating device operable to adjust the gate orientation in response to said control signals.