Outboard motor and marine vessel

An outboard motor comprising:

• an outboard motor body;
• and
• a steering mechanism to rotate the outboard motor body about a steering shaft;
• wherein
• the steering mechanism includes:
• a pinion located in a central portion of the outboard motor body in a right-left direction and operable to rotate together with the outboard motor body;
• and
• a rack operable to linearly move to rotate the pinion, and extending along a forward-rearward direction of the outboard motor body;
• the rack includes a pair of racks;
• and
• the pair of racks are operable to sandwich the pinion from both sides in the right-left direction of the outboard motor body.

An outboard motor comprising:

• an outboard motor body;
• and
• a steering mechanism to rotate the outboard motor body about a steering shaft;
• wherein
• the steering mechanism includes:
• a pinion located in a central portion of the outboard motor body in a right-left direction and operable to rotate together with the outboard motor body;
• and
• a rack operable to linearly move to rotate the pinion, and extending along a forward-rearward direction of the outboard motor body:
• the outboard motor body includes a lower case in a lower portion of the outboard motor body;
• the steering mechanism further includes a hydraulic cylinder to house and linearly move the rack;
• and
• the hydraulic cylinder includes a front end located forward of a front end of the lower case.

An outboard motor comprising:

• an outboard motor body;
• and
• a steering mechanism to rotate the outboard motor body about a steering shaft;
• wherein
• the steering mechanism includes:
• a rotary member located in a central portion of the outboard motor body in a right-left direction and operable to rotate together with the outboard motor body;
• and
• a linearly moving member operable to linearly move to rotate the rotary member, and extending along a forward-rearward direction of the outboard motor body;
• the outboard motor body includes an engine and a cooling water passage to allow cooling water to pass therethrough to cool the engine;
• the linearly moving member is located within a height range in which the cooling water passage extends in an upward-downward direction of the outboard motor body;
• the cooling water passage includes a cooling water pump to circulate the cooling water in the cooling water passage;
• and
• the cooling water pump is located at a height at which the linearly moving member is provided.

A marine vessel comprising:

• a hull;
• and
• an outboard motor attached to a stern of the hull;
• wherein
• the outboard motor includes:
• an outboard motor body;
• and
• a steering mechanism to rotate the outboard motor body about a steering shaft;
• and
• the steering mechanism includes:
• a pinion located in a central portion of the outboard motor body in a right-left direction and operable to rotate together with the outboard motor body;
• and
• a rack operable to linearly move to rotate the pinion, and extending along a forward-rearward direction of the outboard motor body;
• the outboard motor body includes an engine and a cooling water passage to allow cooling water to pass therethrough to cool the engine;
• the rack is located within a height range in which the cooling water passage extends in an upward-downward direction of the outboard motor body;
• the cooling water passage includes a cooling water pump to circulate the cooling water in the cooling water passage;
• and
• the cooling water pump is located at a height at which the rack is provided.