Motor boat with auxiliary motor

• US 5,108,321 A
• Filed: 06/12/1990
• Issued: 04/28/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
• Original Assignee: Crestliner Inc. (Brunswick Corporation)
• Inventors: Nelson, Charles D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Basinger, Sherman D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brahan, Thomas J.
• Application Number:
  US07/536,508
• Time in Patent Office: 686 Days
• Field of Search: 440/3, 440/6, 440/7, 440/53, 440/54, 440/60, 440/61, 440/62, 440/63, 440/900, 114/56, 114/57, 114/355, 114/343
• US Class Current: 440/3
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 20/02 Mounting of propulsion units B63H20/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 61/045 for marine engines

Abstract

A motor boat with auxiliary and main motors and having a transom with a pocket or recess constructed and arranged to receive and support an auxiliary outboard motor. The auxiliary motor is connected to a steering control in a helm control center which steers both the auxiliary and main motors. Preferably operating controls enable starting, tilting and steering of both motors and associated propulsion assemblies from the helm. Preferably, the operating controls include a cable carried in a sheathing attached to a steering wheel mounted in the helm control center and adapted to turn or move the rudder of the main motor and the auxiliary motor propulsion assembly to thereby steer the boat.

Claims

1. A motor boat comprising:

a hull with a transom, a main motor in said hull, a stern drive propeller and rudder assembly outside of said hull with said propeller operably connected to said main motor and said propeller and rudder assembly being pivotally movable relative to said transom to steer the boat when driven by said main motor, a pocket having a front all, spaced apart side walls, and a rear opening through said transom laterally offset from the longitudinal centerline of said hull with a lower edge above the waterline of said hull and below the upper edge of said transom, and said pocket being constructed and arranged to receive only one auxiliary outboard motor therein, an auxiliary outboard motor having a propeller and rudder assembly and being removably mounted in said pocket and pivotally movable relative to said transom to steer the boat when driven by the auxiliary outboard motor, said auxiliary outboard motor having a lower horsepower maximum output relative to the maximum horsepower output of said main motor, a control console in said hull and distal from said transom of the boat, a steering wheel carried by said console, first and second control cables each operably coupled to said steering wheel, said first control cable operably coupled to said main propeller and rudder assembly and said second control cable operably coupled to said propeller and rudder assembly of said auxiliary outboard motor, and said first and second cables being respectively moved by turning said wheel to thereby move said respective main and auxiliary propeller and rudder assemblies relative to said transom when said steering wheel is turned to thereby steer said boat when it is driven by either said main motor or said auxiliary outboard motor.

2. A boat according to claim 1 which also comprises tilt mechanisms having a first hydraulic cylinder operably connected to said main motor propeller and rudder assembly and a second hydraulic cylinder operably connected to said auxiliary outboard motor propeller and rudder assembly, controls mounted on said control console which actuate said first hydraulic cylinder to move each of said main motor propeller and rudder assembly and said second hydraulic cylinder to move said auxiliary outboard motor propeller and rudder assembly from a lowered position to a raised position and from a raised position to a lowered position.

3. A boat according to claim 2 means which also comprises an ignition control for said auxiliary outboard motor and said ignition control is carried by said console.

4. A boat according to claim 1 which also comprises coupling means disposed between said wheel and said cables to translate rotary motion of the wheel to linear motion of the first and second cables.

5. A boat according to claim 1 wherein aid main motor is an inboard motor mounted adjacent the longitudinal centerline of said hull and said main motor stern drive propeller and rudder assembly is disposed adjacent a center portion of said transom.

6. A boat according to claim 1 wherein said pocket comprises rear, bottom, side and front panels housing the auxiliary motor and at least one opening in said pocket through which said second control cable passes.

7. A boat according to claim 1 wherein said transom has a rear deck lid adjacent the upper part thereof and said pocket has bottom, side and front panels constructed and arranged to provide sufficient clearance in said transom to accommodate said auxiliary motor below said rear deck lid and a rear edge lip adjacent said transom is constructed and arranged to support the auxiliary outboard motor mountable thereon below said rear deck lid.