Patent ID: 7128627

Claim:
A steering apparatus for a marine craft having a stern and a propulsion unit mounted on the stern, the system comprising: a first bracket connectable to the stern of the marine craft; and a second bracket connectable to the propulsion unit, the second bracket being rotatably connected to the first bracket for relative rotation about an axis of rotation, whereby the propulsion unit can be rotated about the axis of rotation relative to the stern of the craft, the second bracket having a cylindrical bore extending therethrough, a piston being reciprocatingly received within the bore, slidingly engaging the bore and having a piston rod connected thereto, the piston rod being operatively connected to the propulsion unit, wherein the piston rod is coaxial with the axis of rotation, wherein the second bracket has an actuator portion, the bore extending through the actuator portion, whereby the second bracket comprises a cylinder for the actuator, and wherein the actuator portion has a cylindrical bushing surface, the first bracket having an extension, said extension having a cylindrical bore rotatably receiving the bushing surface, the bushing surface and the cylindrical bore being coaxial with the axis of rotation.