Patent ID: 7448928

Claim:
An outboard motor comprising a cowl having a top cowl, a bottom cowl, and a clamp apparatus for detachably connecting the top and bottom cowls, the clamp apparatus comprising a clamp engaging member formed on the top cowl, a clamp fixing member formed on the bottom cowl, and a clamp having a main body, a fixing section, and a link extending between the main body and fixing section, the fixing section connected to the clamp fixing member and having a mounting pivot, the main body comprising an engaging section and a supporting pivot, the engaging section adapted to engage the clamp engaging member, the link having a first end and a second end, the first end of the link being rotatably connected to the mounting pivot, the second end of the link being rotatably connected to the supporting pivot, wherein a closure line is defined through the engaging section and the mounting pivot, the clamp having an open state defined when the supporting pivot is on a side of the closure line opposite the cowl, the clamp having a closed state defined when the supporting pivot is on a side of the closure line adjacent the cowl, and the clamp main body is biased toward the cowl when in the open state.