Patent ID: 8197292

Claim:
A marine vessel propulsion system which comprises a propulsion and steering unit ( 9 ) and a bottom plate ( 10 ), the bottom plate ( 10 ) comprises a forward end and an aft end, the bottom plate ( 10 ) is located in an opening of a hull of a boat and the bottom plate ( 10 ) is sealed relative to the hull, the propulsion and steering unit ( 9 ) is pivotally fixed to the hull via a mechanism ( 12 ) such that the propulsion and steering unit ( 9 ) pivots with respect to the bottom plate ( 10 ) and the hull about a vertical axis (z), a protective plate ( 13 ) is fixed to the hull of the boat such that a first edge of the protective plate ( 13 ) abuts only the aft end of the bottom plate ( 10 ) and a second edge of the protective plate ( 13 ), which is opposite the first edge, is spaced further from the vertical axis (z) than a remote end of the propulsion and steering unit ( 9 ), and the protective plate ( 13 ) protects the hull in the event that the propulsion and steering unit ( 9 ) becomes dislodged from the hull.