Patent ID: 7198531

Claim:
A driveshaft supporting structure for a watercraft for supporting in a substantially watertight manner at least a portion of a driveshaft that extends from an engine disposed within an inner section of a hull of the watercraft to a propulsion unit disposed outside the inner section of the hull, the driveshaft supporting structure comprising a bearing part mounted about a peripheral surface of the driveshaft at a location within the inner section of the hull, an elastic part mounted on a peripheral surface of the bearing part, and a bearing part supporting section supporting the elastic part press-fitted with the bearing part, the bearing part supporting section being attached to a wall of the hull at a location where the driveshaft extends from the inner section of the hull, the bearing part supporting section further comprising a base secured to the wall with the driveshaft passing therethrough, an elastic part supporting section extending forward from the base to support the elastic part, and an elastic part securing section for securing the elastic part by clamping the elastic part between the elastic part securing section and the elastic part supporting section.