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outboard motor

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Also known as outboard

self-contained propulsion system for boats

Wikidata facts

Subclass of
marine engine
Image
Yamaha Outboard Motors 001.JPG
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Commons category
Outboard motors
Sources (2)

via Wikidata · CC0

~19 min read

Encyclopedic overview

Basic parts of an outboard motor

An outboard motor is a propulsion system for boats, consisting of a self-contained unit that includes engine, gearbox and propeller or jet drive, designed to be affixed to the outside of the transom. They are the most common motorised method of propelling small watercraft. As well as providing propulsion, outboards provide steering control, as they are designed to pivot over their mountings and thus control the direction of thrust. The skeg also acts as a rudder when the engine is not running. Unlike inboard motors, outboard motors can be easily removed for storage or repairs.

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “outboard motor” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.