Patent ID: 7175491

Claim:
A marine propulsion stern drive system for propelling a marine vessel in a forward direction, said marine vessel having an aft transom, comprising: an engine forward of said transom; a drive unit aft of said transom and driven by said engine; a U-shaped notch in said transom, said U-shaped notch having a lower bight and a pair of sidewalls extending upwardly therefrom; a transom attachment member received in said U-shaped notch and attached to said transom, wherein said engine and said drive unit are attached to said transom attachment member, wherein said transom has an upper edge, and said U-shaped notch extends downwardly through said upper edge such that said upper edge has gap therealong, said gap extending between said sidewalls, and comprising a cap closing said U-shaped notch and extending between said sidewalls and spaced above the attachment of said engine and said drive unit to said transom attachment member.