Patent ID: 6971932

Claim:
An improved marine vessel comprising: a hull, the hull including a transom and having a predetermined waterline intersecting the hull and transom; an engine disposed within the hull; an engine driveshaft driven by the engine; a lower gear set; an interior upright shaft driven by the engine driveshaft through the lower gear set; an upper gear set; an upper driveshaft passing through the transom and driven by the interior upright shaft through the upper gear set; and a stern drive attached to the transom, the stern drive comprising: a vertical shaft driven by the upper driveshaft; a propeller shaft driven by the vertical shaft; and a housing attached to the transom and enclosing the vertical shaft; wherein the propeller shaft exits the housing of the stern drive; and wherein the upper driveshaft passes through the transom and enters the stern drive above the predetermined waterline.