Integrated thruster apparatus for a marine vessel

A thruster system for a marine vessel comprising:

• an electric motor having an output shaft;
• a housing having an intake opening and a discharge opening, the intake opening defining a water intake, the discharge opening being a single discharge opening and the only opening defining a water discharge, wherein the intake opening and the discharge opening define a water flow path;
• a rotatable member operatively coupled to, and driven by, the output shaft of the electric motor, wherein rotation of the rotatable member results in water brought into the housing through the intake opening and expelled through the discharge opening to generate a thrust force in a direction that is greater than 45 degrees relative to a propeller direction of the marine vessel, wherein the discharge opening which defines the water discharge is oriented downwardly at an angle of 5 degrees to 10 degrees, relative to a horizontal plane extending perpendicularly from a vertical water intake flow, to cause the entirety of water flowing through the water flow path to be expelled downwardly;
• and
• a flange having a curved shape, the flange mechanically fastened to the housing and a hull to assemble the housing to the hull.