Adjustable jack plate and trim and tilt system for a marine vessel

Abstract

An apparatus for adjusting positions of an outboard propulsion unit of a marine vessel comprises a jack plate having a jack plate actuator capable of moving the propulsion unit between raised and lowered positions and a swivel bracket having a swivel bracket actuator capable of pivoting the propulsion unit between raised and lowered trim positions. There is a control system operatively connected to the jack plate actuator and the swivel bracket actuator. The control system includes a first manual control which incrementally moves the jack plate an incremental amount each time the first manual control is actuated and a second manual control which incrementally pivots the swivel bracket an incremental amount each time the second manual control is actuated. Movement of the propulsion unit within a tilt range may be detected and the jack plate may be moved to a preset position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of controlling movement upwardly and downwardly of an outboard propulsion unit mounted on a marine vessel via a jack plate powered by an actuator, the method comprising the steps of:
 operating a manual control in a pulse-like manner; and   moving the jack plate and the propulsion unit an incremental amount for each operation of the manual control in the pulse-like manner.   
     
     
         2 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , including the steps of:
 operating the manual control a plurality of times in the pulse-like manner in rapid succession;   storing in memory the plurality of times in which the manual control is operated in the pulse-like manner in rapid succession; and   moving the jack plate a plurality of incremental amounts corresponding to the plurality of times in which the manual control is operated in the pulse-like manner in rapid succession.   
     
     
         3 . The method as claimed in  claim 2 , including the step of moving the jack plate the plurality of incremental amounts continuously without delay between each operation of the manual control in the pulse-like manner in rapid succession. 
     
     
         4 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , further including the step of storing a position of the jack plate in memory and moving the jack plate to the stored position. 
     
     
         5 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , further including the step of detecting movement of the propulsion unit within a tilt range and moving the jack plate to a preset position. 
     
     
         6 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , including the step of providing a plurality of outboard propulsion units, each propulsion unit being mounted on the marine vessel via a corresponding one of a plurality of jack plates, each jack plate being powered by an actuator, and wherein the jack plates and the propulsion units are moved synchronously and the same amount for each operation of the manual control. 
     
     
         7 . A method of controlling upwardly and downwardly pivoting of an outboard propulsion unit mounted on a marine vessel via a swivel bracket powered by an actuator, the method comprising the steps of:
 operating a manual control in a pulse-like manner; and   pivoting the swivel bracket and the propulsion unit an incremental amount for each operation of the manual control in the pulse-like manner.   
     
     
         8 . The method as claimed in  claim 7 , including the step of:
 operating the manual control a plurality of times in the pulse-like manner in rapid succession;   storing in memory the plurality of times in which the manual control is operated in the pulse-like manner in rapid succession; and   pivoting the swivel bracket a plurality of incremental amounts corresponding to the plurality of times in which the manual control is operated in the pulse-like manner in rapid succession.   
     
     
         9 . The method as claimed in  claim 7 , including the step of pivoting the swivel bracket the plurality of incremental amounts continuously without delay between each operation of the manual control in the pulse-like manner in rapid succession. 
     
     
         10 . The method as claimed in  claim 7 , further including the step of storing a position of the swivel bracket in memory and pivoting the swivel bracket to the stored position. 
     
     
         11 . The method as claimed in  claim 7 , including the step of providing a plurality of outboard propulsion units, each said propulsion unit being mounted on the marine vessel via a corresponding one of a plurality of swivel brackets, each said swivel bracket being powered by an actuator, and wherein the swivel brackets and the propulsion units are moved synchronously and the same amount for each operation of the manual control.