Abstract: An outboard motor system for propelling a vessel comprising a power plant stationarily fixed to the vessel with its drive shaft in the horizontal athwartship position, a propeller assembly comprising a propeller and a kinematic train for driving the same mounted to the vessel for rotation about a horizontal axis parallel to the axis of the drive shaft and for vertical movement relative to the drive shaft, the kinematic train including an input shaft, the axis of which coincides with the axis of rotation of the propeller assembly and is parallel to the drive shaft, pulleys fixed to the respective shafts and a band entrained about the pulleys.