The assembly includes a pivoting body member connectable to an outboard motor assembly, wherein the pivoting body member is movable along a transition path having a locked condition endpoint and an unlocked condition endpoint. A pivoting latch seat mechanically cooperates with a fixed latch pin in the assembly to maintain the pivoting latch seat and the outboard motor assembly in a locked condition when the outboard motor assembly is in a lowered position. The pivoting latch seat is mounted and arranged to disengage from the fixed latch pin to an unlocked condition when the pivoting body member is moved along the transition path to the unlocked condition endpoint, thereafter permitting movement of the outboard motor assembly to a raised position.