Outboard motors having flexible connector assembly for shift actuation

An outboard motor for propelling a marine vessel in water, the outboard motor comprising an upper cowling that covers an internal combustion engine;

• a driveshaft housing located below the internal combustion engine;
• a lower gearcase located below the driveshaft housing, the lower gearcase enclosing a transmission gearset configured to transmit power from the internal combustion engine to a propulsor;
• a shift actuator covered by the upper cowling;
• a shift mechanism located at least partially in the lower gearcase and configured to shift the transmission gearset into and between forward, neutral and reverse gears;
• and a flexible connector assembly that operatively couples the shift actuator to the shift mechanism so that actuation of the shift actuator causes the shift mechanism to shift the transmission gearset;
• wherein the upper cowling partially defines a sealed powerhead compartment, the shift actuator is enclosed in the sealed powerhead compartment, and further comprising a lower cowling covering the driveshaft housing, and wherein the flexible connector assembly extends from the shift actuator, out of the sealed powerhead compartment and into a cavity between the lower cowling and the driveshaft housing;
• and an adapter plate that supports the internal combustion engine with respect to the marine vessel and further defines the sealed powerhead compartment;
• wherein the flexible connector assembly extends through the adapter plate from the sealed powerhead compartment into the cavity between the lower cowling and the driveshaft housing;
• wherein the flexible container assembly comprises a pull-pull cable loop connected to an upper rotary member on the shift actuator and a lower rotary member on the shift mechanism;
• and wherein the shift actuator rotates the upper rotary member, which pulls on the flexible connector assembly and thus rotates the lower rotary member, thereby causing the shift mechanism to shift the transmission gearset.