Patent ID: 6884131

Claim:
A marine propulsion unit comprising a prime mover, a first shaft disposed underneath the prime mover during operation and driven by the prime mover, a second shaft driven by the first shaft, the second shaft driving a propulsion device, the first shaft carrying a first gear, the second shaft carrying second and third gears, the first gear always meshing with the second and third gears, the first gear driving the second and third gears in opposite directions relative to each other, a first hydraulic clutch mechanism configured to couple the second gear with the second shaft, a second hydraulic clutch mechanism configured to couple the third gear with the second shaft, and a hydraulic control system selectively operating either the first hydraulic clutch mechanism or the second hydraulic clutch mechanism, a fluid pump configured to pressurize a working fluid for at least one of the first and second hydraulic clutch mechanisms, an axis of the first shaft extending generally vertically within a vertical plane, the vertical plane also passing through the fluid pump and the propulsion device, wherein the first shaft drives the fluid pump.