A water-jet propulsion unit includes a body, an impeller for moving water, the impeller disposed in an impeller tunnel, an impeller shaft for driving the impeller, a first bearing housing to support the impeller shaft on the body, and a jet nozzle for forming a water jet. The body comprises a shaft opening for the impeller, a flow duct having a first contact surface, an inlet opening, and an outlet opening, the planes of which are at an angle α relative to each other. The impeller tunnel has a first end comprising a planar second contact surface and a second end comprising a planar third contact surface to seal the impeller tunnel between the body and the jet nozzle. The second and third planar contact surfaces of the impeller tunnel are arranged at an angle relative to each other. The impeller shaft is adapted for alternative types of installation by turning the impeller tunnel through 180° about the rotational axis of the impeller shaft. Support equipment supports the impeller shaft on the body in the alternative positions.