Brunswick Corporation
Methods for positioning marine vessels

Abstract:

A method for positioning a marine vessel includes receiving a measured actual position of the vessel and determining a first error between the actual position of the vessel and a desired target position of the vessel. In response to the first error being in a fore/aft direction of the vessel, the method includes commanding a first subset of marine propulsion devices in a plurality of marine propulsion devices to produce thrust to minimize the first error in the fore/aft direction, as appropriate, while a remainder of the marine propulsion devices in the plurality do not produce thrust. The method thereafter includes commanding the first subset of marine propulsion devices to cease producing thrust. The method may also include selecting whether to actuate all marine propulsion devices in the plurality of marine propulsion devices or a first subset thereof based on a magnitude and a direction of the first error.