An outboard motor includes an engine, a generator to generate power by driving of the engine, a driving force transmitter to transmit a driving force from the engine, a propeller shaft to rotate by being switched from a neutral state in which a clutch is disconnected from the driving force transmitter of the engine at idle to a non-neutral state in which the clutch is connected to the driving force transmitter, and a controller configured or programmed to perform a control to reduce a rotation speed of the engine by regeneration of the generator based on a user's switching operation on a shift operator to switch the outboard motor from the neutral state to the non-neutral state, and then connect the clutch to the driving force transmitter while rotating the engine.

A marine outboard motor is provided with a gear casing, a propeller shaft rotatable within the gear casing about a propeller shaft axis, a drive shaft having a drive gear, a clutch mechanism for selectively engaging the drive gear with the propeller shaft and a shift mechanism configured to operate the clutch mechanism. The shift mechanism comprises a support shaft which is fixed relative to the gear casing and which extends along or parallel with the propeller shaft axis, a shift shuttle which is slidable along the support shaft and is connected to a clutch member of the clutch mechanism, a shift finger pivotally mounted on the support shaft, and a shift rod coupled to the shift finger by a releasable coupling. The shift finger is configured to move the shift shuttle along the support shaft to operate the clutch member.

When a shift member is in a first position, a first clutch couples a second drive shaft to a first drive shaft. When the shift member is in the first position, a second clutch decouples a first gear from the first drive shaft. When the shift member is in the first position, a third clutch decouples a second gear from the second drive shaft.

An engine includes a crankshaft extending in a vertical direction. A drive shaft is connected to the crankshaft and coaxial with the crankshaft. A water intake passage is connected to the engine. A water pump is connected to the water intake passage. The water pump includes a pump shaft. The pump shaft is eccentrically mounted with respect to the drive shaft and parallel or substantially parallel to the drive shaft. The pump shaft rotates according to rotation of the drive shaft.

An engine includes a crankshaft extending in a vertical direction. A drive shaft is connected to the crankshaft and coaxial with the crankshaft. A water intake passage is connected to the engine. A water pump is connected to the water intake passage. The water pump includes a pump shaft. The pump shaft is eccentrically mounted with respect to the drive shaft and parallel or substantially parallel to the drive shaft. The pump shaft rotates according to rotation of the drive shaft.

A transmission (6) for a marine outboard propulsion system (1) which comprises an input shaft (7) connectable to an engine (4), a countershaft (19) arranged parallel to the input shaft (7), several pairs of gears (15, 16; 17, 18) for transmitting rotation of the input shaft (7) to the countershaft (19) and switching elements (23, 25, 30) for selectively engaging gears (15, 16, 17, 18, 38) to enable at least two forward gear ratios and one reverse gear ratio. The transmission (6) comprises an output shaft (8) which is arranged coaxial to the input shaft (7) and a PTO countershaft (31) adapted to drive at least one PTO-aggregate (9, 10). The transmission is part of a marine outboard propulsion system.

A transmission (6) for a marine outboard propulsion system (1) which comprises an input shaft (7) connectable to an engine (4), a countershaft (19) arranged parallel to the input shaft (7), several pairs of gears (15, 16; 17, 18) for transmitting rotation of the input shaft (7) to the countershaft (19) and switching elements (23, 25, 30) for selectively engaging gears (15, 16, 17, 18, 38) to enable at least two forward gear ratios and one reverse gear ratio. The transmission (6) comprises an output shaft (8) which is arranged coaxial to the input shaft (7) and a PTO countershaft (31) adapted to drive at least one PTO-aggregate (9, 10). The transmission is part of a marine outboard propulsion system.

A vertical-input outboard-motor angled-drive lower unit apparatus and method for improved operations in shallow, muddy, marshy water or water choked with vegetation or obstacles. Vertically applied single-direction rotational power from an outboard motor engine is transferred to operator-controlled forward and reverse rotational power applied at an acute angle to the horizontal water surface. The apparatus is cooled by an external flow of water without being taken into any port which might become blocked. A thrust redirection plate reflects otherwise wasted propeller thrust, especially when operating in reverse, for more efficient operation and reduced churning of the water surface. An angled skeg and the angled orientation of the output shaft and housing deflect obstructions.

A vertical-input outboard-motor angled-drive lower unit apparatus and method for improved operations in shallow, muddy, marshy water or water choked with vegetation or obstacles. Vertically applied single-direction rotational power from an outboard motor engine is transferred to operator-controlled forward and reverse rotational power applied at an acute angle to the horizontal water surface. The apparatus is cooled by an external flow of water without being taken into any port which might become blocked. A thrust redirection plate reflects otherwise wasted propeller thrust, especially when operating in reverse, for more efficient operation and reduced churning of the water surface. An angled skeg and the angled orientation of the output shaft and housing deflect obstructions.

A vertical-input outboard-motor angled-drive lower unit apparatus and method for improved operations in shallow, muddy, marshy water or water choked with vegetation or obstacles. Vertically applied single-direction rotational power from an outboard motor engine is transferred to operator-controlled forward and reverse rotational power applied at an acute angle to the horizontal water surface. The apparatus is cooled by an external flow of water without being taken into any port which might become blocked. A thrust redirection plate reflects otherwise wasted propeller thrust, especially when operating in reverse, for more efficient operation and reduced churning of the water surface. An angled skeg and the angled orientation of the output shaft and housing deflect obstructions.