Speed control for boats

Claim 2

In combination with the outdrive unit of an inboard-outboard drive assembly and including a rotary propeller, a guide, means supporting said guide from an upper portion of said unit, an upstanding elongated panel assembly guidIngly supported from said guide for vertical shifting relative to said guide and said unit between an upper position with the lower end of the panel disposed above a horizontal plane containing the upper extremities of said propeller and a lower position with said lower end adjacent a horizontal plane containing the lower extremities of said propeller, said outdrive unit including opposite side rearwardly disposed mounting locations to which the rear ends of a pair of hydraulic cylinders are secured, said guide including opposite side lower portions also secured to said mounting location, said outdrive unit further including a central upper anchor location, said guide including an upper portion having opposite side areas, and a pair of forwardly convergent mounting arms whose rear ends are secured to said opposite side areas and whose forward ends are secured to said central anchor location.

Claim 3

The combination of claim 1 wherein said outdrive unit includes a generally horizontal cavitation plate disposed above the first mentioned plane, said lower end, when said panel assembly is in said upper position is disposed above said cavitation plate.

Claim 4

The combination of claim 1 wherein said means includes means removably securing said guide to said outdrive unit.

Claim 5

The combination of claim 1 wherein said guide is free of portions thereof disposed below a horizontal plane containing said upper extremities.

Claim 6

The combination of claim 1 wherein said guide includes upper and lower portions defining aligned openings through which said panel assembly is longitudinally reciprocal, said upper portion and said panel assembly including coacting means for selectively releasably retaining said panel assembly in said upper and lower positions.

Claim 7

In combination with the outdrive unit of an inboard-outboard drive assembly and including a rotary propeller, a guide, means supporting said guide from an upper portion of said unit, an upstanding elongated panel assembly guidingly supported from said guide for vertical shifting relative to said guide and said unit between an upper position with the lower end of the panel disposed above a horizontal plane containing the upper extremities of said propeller and a lower position with said lower end adjacent a horizontal plane containing the lower extremities of said propeller, said guide including an upstanding frame defining a generally vertical passage extending therethrough in which said panel assembly guidingly reciprocal, said means supporting said guide from said unit including a pair of upstanding generally straight forwardly and downwardly inclined lower legs carried by opposite sides of the lower end portion of said frame and whose lower ends are supported from opposite side portions of said unit at points spaced intermediate the upper and lower ends of said unit as well as a pair of generally horizontal substantially straight arms including rear ends spaced appreciably above the rear ends of said lower legs and secured to opposite sides of the upper end portion of said frame and forward ends secured to an upper portion of said unit spaced appreciably above the forward ends of said lower legs.

Claim 8

In combination with the outdrive unit of an inboard-outboard drive assembly and including a rotary propeller, a guide, means supporting said guide from an upper portion of said unit, an upstanding elongated panel assembly guidingly supported from said guide for vertical shifting relative to said guide and said unit between an upper position with the lower end of the panel disposed above a horizontal plane containing the upper extremities of said propeller and a lower position with said lower end adjacent a horizontal plane containing the lower extremities of said propeller, said guide including an upstanding frame defining a generally vertical passage extending therethrough in which said panel assembly guidingly reciprocal, said means supporting said guide from said unit including a pair of upstanding generally straight forwardly and downwardly inclined lower legs carried by opposite sides of the lower end portion of said frame and whose lower ends are supported from opposite side portions of said unit at points spaced intermediate the upper and lower ends of said unit as well as a pair of generally horizontal substantially straight arms including rear ends spaced appreciably above the rear ends of said lower legs and secured to opposite sides of the upper end portion of said frame and forward ends secured to an upper portion of said unit spaced appreciably above the forward ends of said lower legs.

Claim 9

The combination of claim 6 wherein the rear ends of said arms are secured to said frame for angular adjustment about axes extending between said rear ends.

Claim 10

The combination of claim 7 wherein said outdrive unit includes a generally horizontal cavitation plate disposed above the first mentioned plane, said lower end, when said panel assembly is in said upper position is disposed above said cavitation plate.

Claim 11

The combination of claim 8 wherein said guide is free of portions thereof disposed below a horizontal plane containing said upper extremities.