Patent ID: 7500892

Claim:
A propulsion system for moving a hull of a watercraft through a body of water, the propulsion system comprising: a power transfer unit, the power transfer unit comprising: a housing defining an interior; an input gear positioned in the interior of the housing for being rotated by the engine, the input gear being rotatable about a first axis; an output gear positioned in the interior of the housing and being rotatable by the input gear, the output gear being rotatable about a second axis, the second axis being oriented at a non-zero angle to the first axis; and a primary output shaft mounted on the output gear for rotation with the output gear, the primary output shaft extending from the interior of the housing to an exterior of the housing; an adjustable propeller assembly receiving power from the power transfer unit, the adjustable propeller assembly including a propeller, the propeller assembly being configured to enable adjustment of a direction of thrust provided by the propeller along an axis of rotation of the propeller; wherein the adjustable propeller assembly additionally comprises a propeller shaft on which the propeller is mounted and which extends generally along the propeller axis, the propeller shaft having an inboard end and an outboard end, the propeller being mounted on the outboard end of the propeller shaft; wherein the propeller assembly includes a universal joint joining the propeller shaft to the output shaft of the power transfer unit in a manner permitting the axis of rotation of the propeller to be adjusted; wherein the universal joint is configured to be positioned at a wall of the hull of the watercraft such that the output shaft is locatable inside the hull and the propeller shaft is locatable outside of the hull.