Driveshaft housing apparatus

Apparatus for a driveshaft housing of a boat propulusion unit for protecting swimming creatures, sea grass and the like in the water from the housing and associated propeller and for protecting the housing and the propeller from objects in the water, while improving the efficiency of the propulsion unit, comprising;

• (a) a plate member having an upper end adapted to be positioned forward of a housing and to depend downwardly and rearwardly to terminate in a trailing lower end, said plate member tapering outwardly along lateral edges from said upper end to said lower end to divert swimmers and the like around and under a housing and propeller, said downward and rearward configuration of said plate member reacting to the passage of water when under way to urge a boat's stern upwardly toward a more efficient operating position,
• (b) a lower portion of said plate member having aperture means formed therein for defining a plurality of separate plate-like components having forward plate-like surfaces, said aperture means permitting passage of water therethrough for more efficient operation of a propeller while said forward plate-like surfaces of said plate-like components react to the passage of water when under way to assist in urging a boat's stern upwardly, and
• (c) means for securing said plate member to a driveshaft housing.