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Protective marine vessel and drive

  • US 7,234,983 B2
  • Filed: 10/21/2005
  • Issued: 06/26/2007
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2005
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A marine vessel and drive combination comprising:

  • a marine vessel comprising a hull having a longitudinally extending keel having a lower reach and port and starboard lower hull surfaces extending upwardly and laterally distally oppositely from said keel in V-shaped relation;

    a port tunnel formed in said port lower hull surface, said port tunnel having a top spaced above an open bottom;

    a starboard tunnel in said starboard lower hull surface, said starboard tunnel having a top spaced above an open bottom;

    a port marine propulsion device comprising a port drive shaft housing extending downwardly in said port tunnel to a port lower gear case supporting at least one port propeller shaft driving at least one port propeller;

    a starboard marine propulsion device comprising a starboard driveshaft housing extending downwardly in said starboard tunnel to a starboard lower gear case supporting at least one starboard propeller shaft driving at least one starboard propeller;

    wherein;

    said port marine propulsion device is a steerable marine propulsion device steerable about a port steering axis which extends through said top of said port tunnel;

    said starborad marine propulsion device is a steerable marine propulsion device steerable about a starboard steering axis which extends through said top of said starboard tunnel;

    each of said port and starboard steering axes is vertical;

    said port marine propulsion device provides propulsion thrust along a port thrust direction along at least one port propeller shaft, said port marine propulsion device having a port reference position with said port thrust direction pointing forwardly parallel to said keel, said port marine propulsion device being steerable about said port steering axis along a first angular range from said port reference position away from said keel, said port marine propulsion device being steerable about said steering axis along a second angular range from said port reference position towards said keel, said first and second angular ranges being unequal, and said port tunnel being asymmetric;

    said starboard marine propulsion device provides propulsion thrust along a starboard thrust direction along said at least one starboard propeller shaft, said starboard marine propulsion device having a starboard reference position with said starboard thrust direction pointing forwardly parallel to said keel, said starboard marine propulsion device being steerable about said starboard steering axis along a third angular range from said starboard reference position towards said keel, said starboard marine propulsion device being steerable about said starboard steering axis along a fourth angular range from said starboard reference position away from said keel, said third and fourth angular ranges being unequal, and said starboard tunnel being asymmetric.

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