A remote steering device adapted to for use in a boat comprising:
- (a) a stern drive unit mounted to a transom of said boat for rotation about a first horizontal axis between a first lower operating position and a second upper inoperative position, said stern drive unit being steerable from a cockpit portion of said boat,
- (b) an outboard motor mounted external of said boat to said transom for rotation about a second horizontal axis between a first lower operative position and a second upper inoperative position,
- said remote steering device adapted for attachment to said stern drive unit and said outboard motor in order to steer said outboard motor from said cockpit portion of said boat, said device comprising:
- (a) a first bracket adapted to be mounted to said stern drive unit, said first bracket comprising:
- (i) a pair of U-shaped arms having first and second ends, the first ends of the U-shaped arms having mounting portions to engage a front face portion of said stern drive unit, said arms extending along opposite sides of the stern drive unit with the second ends joining to one another at a location directly rearwardly of a rear face portion of the stern drive unit,
- (ii) a connecting member connected to the second ends of the arms and engaging said rear face portion of said stern drive unit to rigidly hold said U-shaped arms to said stern drive unit,
- (b) a first ball joint connected to said first bracket at the second ends of the arms, said first ball joint having a first ball housing and a first ball member mounted in the first ball housing for rotation about three axes mutually perpendicular to one another,
- (c) a second bracket adapted to be attached to said outboard motor at a location rearwardly thereof,
- (d) a second ball joint connected to said second bracket at a location directly rearwardly of the outboard motor, said second ball joint having a second ball housing and a second ball member mounted in the second ball housing for rotation about three axes mutually perpendicular to one another,
- (e) a first elongate member having a first longitudinal axis and also having first and second ends, said first end being connected to said first ball joint in a manner to be able to rotate about said first longitudinal axis and also about axes of rotation perpendicular to the first longitudinal axis,
- (f) a second elongate member having a second longitudinal axis and having first and second ends, said first end of the second elongate member being connected to the second ball joint to be able to rotate about the longitudinal axis of the second member, and also about axes of rotation perpendicular to the second longitudinal axis,
- (g) the second ends of the two elongate members being connected to one another to permit relative rotation therebetween about the first and second longitudinal axis, but preventing relative rotation about axes angled to the first and second longitudinal axes,
- (h) at least one of said first and second members being a telescoping member capable of having its axial length changed so as to accommodate different distances between the stern drive unit and the outboard motor.