Patent ID: 8357018

Claim:
An apparatus for preventing theft of outboard motors adapted to be mounted on a stern of a boat, each of the outboard motors having an internal combustion engine and an engine controller for controlling operation of the engine, comprising: an authenticator that is installed in each of the outboard motors and that acquires ID information from an electronic key when the key is brought close thereto by an operator, compares the acquired ID information with authentication ID information, and gives permission to the engine controller to start the engine when it is determined that the acquired ID information corresponds with the authentication ID information, wherein the authenticator communicates with the engine controller of other of the outboard motors to notify that the permission to start the engine was given and wherein the engine controller and the authenticator of each of the outboard motors are connected by a first wire and each of the first wire is connected by a second wire such that the authenticator communicates with the engine controller of other of the outboard motors through the second wire.