CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-046397 filed on Mar. 17, 2020. The entire contents of this application are hereby incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a posture control system for a hull including an outboard motor and a marine vessel.

2. Description of the Related Art

A planing boat usually includes a trim tab and a power tilt and trim (PTT) mechanism that tilts an outboard motor with respect to a hull as a means that controls the posture of the hull. For example, when porpoising occurs in which a bow of the hull repeatedly moves up and down, the trim tab is lowered so as to lower the bow and eliminate the porpoising. Further, by changing an angle (trim angle) of the outboard motor with respect to the hull by the PTT mechanism, the bow can be lowered to eliminate the porpoising.

Even when operating the trim tabs or PTT mechanisms, it takes some time to bring about an effect of the operation on a movement of the hull, so that it can be difficult for even a seasoned vessel operator to eliminate the porpoising using the trim tabs or PTT mechanisms.

Therefore, it is desirable to automate the operation of trim tabs and the like. A known technology like this includes controlling the trim tabs, for example, based on fuel consumption data and engine speed data without involving the vessel operator (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 8,261,682).

However, U.S. Pat. No. 8,261,682 does not disclose controlling the PTT mechanisms based on fuel consumption data and engine speed data. Therefore, there is still room for improvement in controlling the posture of the hull using the trim tabs and the PTT mechanisms.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Preferred Embodiments of the Present Invention appropriately control a posture of a hull by providing posture control systems for hulls each including a posture control plate that is movable to control a posture of the hull, an outboard motor that is movable with respect to the hull, and a controller configured or programmed to control a movement of the posture control plate and a movement of the outboard motor to control the posture of the hull.

According to other preferred embodiments of the present invention, marine vessels each include a posture control system for a hull, the posture control system including a posture control plate that is movable to control the posture of the hull, an outboard motor that is movable to change a tilt angle with respect to the hull, and a controller configured or programmed to control a movement of the posture control plate and a movement of the outboard motor to control the posture of the hull.

According to the above preferred embodiments of the present invention, the controller is configured or programmed to control the movement of the posture control plate and the tilt angle of the outboard motor with respect to the hull so that the posture of the hull is appropriately controlled.

The above and other elements, features, steps, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.

