Abstract: System and method for protecting a cooling system of a liquid-cooled engine using a protective material. This system enables a boat operator to flush the cooling system using salt, brackish or fresh water. In one embodiment, the system includes a reservoir, a dispenser and a connection device. The reservoir is capable of containing a protective material that can include, among others properties, anticorrosive properties. The dispenser controls release of the protective material from the reservoir and can be controlled manually or through a control unit. The system is coupled with the cooling system downstream from raw water intake ports and upstream from a terminal end of the cooling system as the cooling system terminates at the exhaust port. The protective fluid can be dispensed using gravity feed or a pump.

Abstract: System and method for protecting a cooling system of a liquid-cooled engine using a protective material. This system enables a boat operator to flush the cooling system using salt, brackish or fresh water. In one embodiment, the system includes a reservoir, a dispenser and a connection device. The reservoir is capable of containing a protective material that can include, among others properties, anticorrosive properties. The dispenser controls release of the protective material from the reservoir and can be controlled manually or through a control unit. The system is coupled with the cooling system downstream from raw water intake ports and upstream from a terminal end of the cooling system as the cooling system terminates at the exhaust port. The protective fluid can be dispensed using gravity feed or a pump.

Abstract: Inboard/outboard trim/tilt assembly including a shield assembly for being secured to a transom of the boat. A gimbal ring is pivotably coupled to the shield assembly at an axis of rotation. A drive frame is pivotably connected to the gimbal ring so that the drive frame pivots in conjunction with the gimbal ring. A single trim cylinder is included that has a first end connected to the gimbal ring and a second end connected to the drive frame. The trim cylinder has a cylinder rod and a cylinder housing and the cylinder rod is movable within the cylinder housing. The cylinder rod moves in a first direction relative to the cylinder housing for tilting the drive frame to a trim up position and moves in a second direction relative to the cylinder housing for tilting the drive frame to a trim down position. For protective purposes, the trim cylinder is at least partially covered by a portion of the gimbal ring.

Abstract: Stern drive assembly configured for utilization in an inboard/outboard power plant for a boat. The stern drive assembly includes a central rigid core that is configured at an upper portion to be coupled to the stern of a carrying boat. A lower portion of the core is designed to accept a boat-moving force generated by a water propulsion unit that is coupled thereto. A thin-walled housing is configured to be secured about a predominance of the centrally located rigid core. The housing has an outer surface that establishes an exterior of the stern drive assembly and an inner surface directed generally toward the central rigid core. A portion of an exterior surface of the central rigid core is configured to cooperate with a corresponding portion of the inner surface of the thin-walled housing. These two portions, when in cooperative orientation one with the other, form a functional feature for the stern drive assembly.

Abstract: A reversible stern drive system incorporates a continuous drive member looped about a first and second intermediate shaft and a propeller shaft to transmit rotational power from the intermediate shafts to the propeller shaft in either a first or second propeller rotational direction. Rotational direction of the propeller shaft is determined by selective coupling of either a first driven member to the first intermediate shaft by a first clutch or a second driven member to the second intermediate shaft by a second clutch. In a second embodiment of the invention, two separate continuous drive members are employed to drive two concentrically mounted propeller shafts. The first continuous drive member is looped about one of two sprockets on the first and second intermediate shafts and the first propeller shaft such that when one of the sprockets is coupled by a first clutch to the first intermediate shaft, the first propeller shaft rotates in a first propeller rotational direction.