Marine pod drive system

A method of operatively connecting a marine pod drive unit and an inboard engine in a marine vessel comprising:

• connecting a driveshaft between an input shaft of the marine pod drive unit and an output shaft of the inboard engine;
• disposing a guard sleeve having a tubular configuration around the driveshaft;
• coupling a first sleeve end of the guard sleeve to a first coupling collar mounted to the marine pod drive unit with a first annular packing disposed there between;
• coupling a second sleeve end of the guard sleeve to a second coupling collar mounted on the inboard engine with a second annular packing disposed there between;
• and
• accommodating the first annular packing in a first annular groove disposed in the first sleeve end and in a second annular groove disposed in the first coupling collar.

A guard sleeve for protectively enclosing a driveshaft on a marine vessel, the guard sleeve comprising:

• a tubular body extending between a first sleeve end and a second sleeve end, the tubular body having a sleeve diameter to accommodate a driveshaft;
• the first sleeve end configured to receive a first coupling collar and having an first annular groove disposed there at, the first annular groove directed radially outward and partially accommodating a first annular packing disposed between the first sleeve end and a second annular groove in the first coupling collar;
• and
• the second sleeve end configured to receive a second coupling collar and having a third annular groove disposed there at, the third annular groove directed radially outward and partially accommodating a second annular packing disposed between the second sleeve end and the second coupling collar.