Mr. Luddite wrote:
On 6/4/2017 10:48 AM, Keyser Soze wrote:
On 6/4/17 10:35 AM, wrote:
On Sun, 4 Jun 2017 08:30:55 -0400, Keyser Soze wrote:
Merc had some engines on which it seriously underrated the output and
they sold well for lake use, but they had corrosion problems in those
days in salt water use.
When I was at that Teamster confab at the Lake of the Ozarks (1960 or
so) there was a guy who raced on the Mississippi and he swore the Merc
85hp twins he had were more powerful than the brand new 100 HP motors.
They were tricked up a bit tho, His aluminum cat boat would do well
over 60 and that was flying in those days. Now days any garden variety
flats or bass boat will run 60. (But they are running 200-250 HP
outboards)
Merc was especially famous for outboards labeled 10 hp for lakes that
had a 10 hp restriction. They were more like 20 or 25 hp. 
I always got a kick out of the "9.9 hp" ratings. Around here the
restrictions were on 10 hp and up.
We had a Magnolia cutty cabin twin O/B in about 1959. Twin 35 mercs and it
would run 35-40 mph. They wee ripped off, so,dat replaced with 45's.
Seemed like the same performance. Interesting boat. Only problem other
than motors stolen, was the same boat that Magnolia ran down the
Mississippi. Through the Panama Canal up to Fort Bragg, Calif. was 22-23'.
They hit the whistle buoy going in to Richmond Harbor and knocked a hole
in the bow. Borrowed our trailer to get it to the repair dealer.
Interesting talking to them. 50 gallon barrels of extra fuel. They said
was hard to,get fuel on the Pacific Coast after leaving the canal for a few
hundred miles.