Fourth Generation OMC Stern Drive History, Development Performance

The Stern Drive concept began at Outboard Marine Corporation nearly fifty years ago with the production of the first units by Johnson Motors in the early 1930's. This paper reviews these early developments of the inboard-outboard marine propulsion system, and also describes the modern day development from 1960 to 1978, during which time the horsepower output has increased from a maximum of 80 to 240. The design, development, features and performance of the latest generation--THE NEW 1978 OMC STERN DRIVE--are described in detail.