Ryan P.
- show quoted text -
"I'm the one asking the stupid questions, I'm sure. *I'm the novice
here, compared to most of you folks.

Okay, I should use the proper terms, I suppose. *Its a 1985 Mercury 75.
* I do have electric start, but my understanding is that on older
engines, a stator/vr is only to trickle charge the starting battery, and
only does that at high RPMs? "

Four years ago I had an open tiller boat with a 30hp Johnson. The motor had an electric start but no charging system.
No radio but it had a MinnKota trolling motor. The idea was to charge the battery with a small charger at the end of each boating day. I think it would have been just as easy to take the boat out of the water and trailer to motel for charging than dig the heavy battery out and do same. BTW..I'd forget about the radio...I could start the 30 with a pull cord but your 70 might be a different matter.