Patent ID: 8858282

Claim:
A marine propulsion system for propelling a marine vessel in water, the system comprising: a marine vessel; an outboard motor that is coupled to the marine vessel, the outboard motor having a first inlet that receives intake air for combustion and a second inlet located on the hull of marine vessel; a conduit that conveys the intake air from the second inlet on the marine vessel to the first inlet on the outboard motor, wherein the second inlet extends through one of a port and a starboard side of the marine vessel; wherein the outboard motor is enclosed by the marine vessel and wherein operation of the outboard motor creates a negative pressure that does not affect pressure of the intake air received by the second inlet; and an adapter that connects the cooling air conduit to the outboard motor, wherein the adapter engages the conduit with the outboard motor in a releasable snap-fit connection; wherein the outboard motor has an opening that receives the adapter, wherein the opening on the outboard motor is sized slightly larger than an outer diameter of the adapter, and wherein the adapter is received by the opening in the snap-fit connection; wherein the opening on the outboard motor defines at least one channel and wherein the adapter comprises an appendage that is flexible radially inwardly to fit within the channel; and wherein the appendage springs back radially outwardly to engage the channel in the snap-fit connection.