Vessel propulsion apparatus

A vessel propulsion apparatus comprising:

• a prime mover;
• a drive shaft rotatable about a vertically-extending drive axis and arranged such that a rotation from the prime mover is transmitted to the drive shaft;
• a pinion arranged to rotate about the drive axis together with the drive shaft;
• a bevel gear arranged at a position more rearward than the drive axis and engaged with the pinion, the bevel gear being rotatable about a propeller axis extending in a front-rear direction;
• a propeller shaft rotatable about the propeller axis and arranged such that at least a portion of the propeller shaft is located at a position more rearward than the bevel gear and a rotation from the bevel gear is transmitted to the propeller shaft;
• a front bearing surrounding the bevel gear about the propeller axis and rotatably supporting the bevel gear about the propeller axis;
• a front housing surrounding the front bearing about the propeller axis and rotatably supporting the bevel gear about the propeller axis via the front bearing;
• and
• a rear housing disposed behind the front housing, the rear housing surrounding the propeller shaft about the propeller axis, the rear housing rotatably supporting the propeller shaft about the propeller axis at a position more rearward than the bevel gear.