# How Ole Evinrude Invented the Modern Portable Outboard Motor

> A 1911 patent for a compact, detachable marine engine that allowed small boats to be powered by a portable, gasoline-driven propeller unit.

- **Patent:** US 1001260
- **Original title:** Marine propulsion mechanism.
- **Owner:** EVINRUDE MOTOR CO
- **Granted:** 1911
- **Status:** Public domain (expired)
- **Times cited:** 1
- **Field:** mechanical, automotive

## What it does

The patent describes a self-contained marine propulsion unit designed to be clamped onto the stern of a small rowboat. It integrates the gasoline engine, the vertical drive shaft, and the propeller into a single, portable assembly. By mounting the motor externally, it removes the need for heavy, permanent inboard engines, effectively turning a standard rowboat into a motorized vessel.

## What it does NOT cover

- Does not cover electric outboard motors or battery-powered propulsion systems.
- Does not cover inboard engines where the motor is mounted inside the hull.
- Does not cover jet-drive propulsion systems that lack a traditional propeller.

## The clever bit

The innovation was the extreme integration of the engine and propeller into a single, lightweight, clamp-on unit that could be easily transported and attached by one person.

## Real-world examples

1. Evinrude portable outboard motors
2. Modern small-craft fishing outboards
3. Inflatable boat motors

## Why it matters

This invention fundamentally changed recreational boating by making it affordable and accessible to the average person. Before this, motorized boats were large, expensive, and required permanent installation, but Evinrude's design allowed anyone to attach an engine to their existing rowboat.

## Frequently asked questions

### What does How Ole Evinrude Invented the Modern Portable Outboard Motor cover?

A 1911 patent for a compact, detachable marine engine that allowed small boats to be powered by a portable, gasoline-driven propeller unit.

### Who owns patent US 1001260?

EVINRUDE MOTOR CO owns this patent, granted in 1911.

### When does this patent expire?

This patent has expired and is now in the public domain — anyone can use the invention freely.

### What is patent US 1001260 cited by?

This patent has been cited by 1 later patents that build on its ideas.

### What problem does this patent solve?

This invention fundamentally changed recreational boating by making it affordable and accessible to the average person. Before this, motorized boats were large, expensive, and required permanent installation, but Evinrude's design allowed anyone to attach an engine to their existing rowboat.

### What does this patent NOT cover?

Does not cover electric outboard motors or battery-powered propulsion systems.

**Full plain-English explainer:** https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/1001260/outboard-motor-evinrude

**Original patent:** https://patents.google.com/patent/US1001260

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_Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Patent facts are from public records; the plain-English explanation is PatentBrief's._


## Related patents

Semantically similar inventions in the PatentBrief corpus:

- [John Holland's Design for an Early Submarine Boat](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/815350/holland-submarine) — This 1906 patent by John P. Holland describes an early design for a submarine, a vessel capable of traveling underwater, laying the groundwork for modern naval technology.
- [Robert Goddard's Early Design for Liquid-Fueled Rocket Engines](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/1102653/liquid-fuel-rocket-goddard) — A foundational 1914 patent by Robert Goddard detailing the basic mechanical structure of a rocket engine using liquid fuel.
- [Frank Whittle's Early Jet Engine Design](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/2168726/jet-engine-whittle) — Frank Whittle's 1937 patent for an aircraft propulsion system using a gas turbine, which laid the foundation for modern jet engines.
- [Nikola Tesla's Remote Control System for Boats](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/613809/tesla-remote-control-teleautomaton) — Nikola Tesla's 1898 patent for controlling a boat's movement and steering from a distance using radio waves and electrical signals.
- [George Selden's 1895 Patent for a Road Engine](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/549160/selden-automobile-patent) — George Selden's 1895 patent describes a 'road engine,' a precursor to the automobile, focusing on a combined engine and vehicle design.