Methods and systems for controlling trim rate of trimmable marine devices with respect to a marine vessel

1 . A method of controlling trim position of at least one trimmable device on a marine vessel, the method comprising:

receiving a user inputted trim command instructing a trim adjustment;

receiving a vessel speed measured by a vessel speed sensor for the marine vessel;

determining, at a controller, a trim rate based on the vessel speed, wherein the trim rate is a rate of rotation of a trimmable device about a horizontal axis; and

controlling a variable speed trim actuator to rotate the trimmable device at the trim rate in response to the user inputted trim command.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the trim rate is determined such that the rate of rotation effectuated in response to the user inputted trim command is minimized at high vessel speeds and the rate of rotation effectuated in response to the user inputted trim command is maximized at low vessel speeds.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving the user inputted trim command instructing an adjustment direction of the trim position of the trimmable device in one of a trim increase direction or a trim decrease direction; and

wherein controlling the variable speed trim actuator includes rotating the trimmable device at the trim rate about the horizontal axis in the adjustment direction.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the trimmable device includes a pair of trim tabs including a port trim tab and a starboard trim tab, and further comprising:

receiving a first user inputted trim command instructing a first adjustment direction for the port trim tab and a second user inputted command instructing a second adjustment direction for the starboard trim tab; and

adjusting the port trim tab in the first adjustment direction at the trim rate and the starboard trim tab in the second adjustment direction at the trim rate.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the user inputted trim command is received from a trim button depressible by a user to instruct the trim adjustment in an adjustment direction.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the trim rate includes accessing a table stored on a storage device on the marine vessel and containing trim rate values indexed based on vessel speed values within a range of vessel speeds.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the range of vessel speeds is zero to a high speed value, wherein the high speed value is above a planing speed of the marine vessel.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, while continually receiving the user inputted trim command, periodically redetermining the trim rate based on an updated vessel speed and controlling the variable speed trim actuator based on the redetermined trim rate.

9 . The method of claim 1 , the method further comprising, while continually receiving the user inputted trim command:

determining a first trim rate when the vessel speed exceeds a first threshold vessel speed, and controlling the variable speed trim actuator to rotate the trimmable device at the first trim rate;

then determining a second trim rate when the vessel speed exceeds a second threshold vessel speed, wherein the second threshold vessel speed is different than the first threshold vessel speed, and controlling the variable speed trim actuator to rotate the trimmable device at the second trim rate.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

storing a plurality of trim rate profiles in memory, wherein each trim rate profile includes trim rate values indexed based on vessel speed values;

selecting one of the plurality of trim rate profiles and then determining the trim rate based further on the selected one trim rate profile.

11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising selecting the one of the plurality of trim rate profiles based on a user selection input.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the vessel speed is one of a speed over ground or a speed over water.

13 . A variable speed trim system on a marine vessel, the system comprising:

a trimmable device;

a trim control user input configured to enable user input of a user inputted trim command;

a variable speed trim actuator configured to rotate the trimmable device about a horizontal axis so as to adjust a trim position of the trimmable device;

a controller configured to:

receive a user inputted trim command instructing a trim adjustment;

receive a vessel speed measured by a vessel speed sensor for the marine vessel;

determine a trim rate based on the vessel speed, wherein the trim rate is a rate of rotation of a trimmable device about a horizontal axis; and

control a variable speed trim actuator to rotate the trimmable device at the trim rate in response to the user inputted trim command.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the user inputted trim command includes an adjustment direction for the trimmable device in one of a trim increase direction or a trim decrease direction, and wherein the controller is configured to control the variable speed trim actuator so as to rotate the trimmable device about a horizontal trim axis in the adjustment direction at the trim rate while the user inputted trim command is received.

15 . The system of claim 13 , further comprising a table stored on a storage device on the marine vessel and containing trim rate values indexed based on vessel speed values within a range of vessel speeds, wherein the controller is configured to utilize the table to determine the trim rate.

16 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the trim rate is determined such that the rate of rotation effectuated in response to the user inputted trim command is minimized at high vessel speeds and the rate of rotation effectuated in response to the user inputted trim command is maximized at low vessel speeds.

17 . The system of claim 13 , further comprising a second trimmable device such that the variable speed trim system comprises a pair of trim tabs including a port trim tab and a starboard trim tab, wherein the controller is further configured to:

receive a first user inputted trim command instructing a first adjustment direction for the port trim tab and a second user inputted command instructing a second adjustment direction for the starboard trim tab; and

adjust the port trim tab in the first adjustment direction at the trim rate and the starboard trim tab in the second adjustment direction at the trim rate.

18 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the trim control user input is a trim button depressible by a user to instruct the trim adjustment in an adjustment direction.

19 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the controller is further configured to, while continually receiving the user inputted trim command, periodically redetermine the trim rate based on an updated vessel speed and control the variable speed trim actuator based on the redetermined trim rate.

20 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

store a plurality of trim rate profiles in memory, wherein each trim rate profile includes trim rate values indexed based on vessel speed values;

select one of the plurality of trim rate profiles and then determine the trim rate based further on the selected one trim rate profile.