Brunswick Corporation
Systems and methods for mounting a propulsion device with respect to a marine vessel

Abstract:

A system comprises an elastic mount configured to support a propulsion device with respect to a marine vessel. The elastic mount contains an electromagnetic fluid. An electromagnet is configured so that increasing an amount of electricity applied to the electromagnet increases the shear strength of the electromagnetic fluid in the elastic mount and thereby decreases elasticity of the elastic mount, and so that decreasing the amount of electricity applied to the electromagnet decreases the shear strength of the electromagnetic fluid in the elastic mount and thereby increases the elasticity of the elastic mount. A controller automatically adapts the amount of electricity applied to the electromagnet based on one or more sensed conditions so as to improve performance and/or handling of the marine vessel.