Marine propulsion assembly utilizing a dual opposed threaded drive shaft with taper

A marine propulsion assembly comprising:

• at least one propeller having a central hub with a plurality of blades extending outwardly therefrom, the central hub defining a forward end and an aft end, with a bore extending through the hub from the forward end to the aft end, and at least a portion of the bore proximate the aft end having internal propeller threads defining a right hand thread, the aft end of the hub having an outer configuration corresponding to an installation/dismount nut;
• a drive shaft having a forward end and an aft end, and having a first set of threads being in a first direction, threadably engageable with the internal propeller threads, and defining a first thread diameter, and, a second set of threads positioned between the aft end and the first set of threads, the second set of threads being in a second direction, that is in an opposite direction from the first direction, defining a second thread diameter, wherein the second thread diameter is smaller than the first thread diameter;
• a keeper nut threadably engageable with the second set of threads;
• and
• wherein upon threaded engagement of the internal propeller threads with the first set of threads, the second set of threads extends beyond the aft end of the central hub, and the keeper nut is in threaded engagement second set of threads, and tightened against the aft end of the central hub.