Accessory attachment system for a marine outboard engine

A drive unit, comprising:

• an engine;
• a driveshaft having a first end and a second end, the first end of the driveshaft being operatively connected to the engine;
• a transmission being operatively connected to the second end of the driveshaft;
• a gearcase;
• a propeller shaft disposed at least in part in the gear case at an angle to the driveshaft, the propeller shaft being operatively connected to the transmission;
• a bladed rotor connected to the propeller shaft and extending outside the gear case;
• and
• a plate extending above the rotor, the plate being adapted to slidingly receive an accessory along a joint axis, the accessory having an accessory joint element, the accessory joint element being one of a channel and a protrusion, the plate comprising:
• a first surface facing away from the rotor;
• a second surface facing toward the rotor, one of the first and second surfaces being a plate joint surface;
• and
• a plate joint element being the other of the channel and the protrusion, the plate joint element extending along the plate joint surface parallel to the joint axis, the plate joint element being adapted to slidingly interlock with the accessory joint element to thereby prevent displacement of the accessory joint element in a first direction parallel to the plate joint surface and perpendicular to the joint axis, and in a second direction normal to the plate joint surface.