Also Sprach Capt John :

the time. I would go with a Mercury, lots of dealers, no problem
getting it fixed if it has a problem. (...) I would stay
away from a Japanese engine for that reason.

Errr.... a Mercury in the size range he's looking at IS a Japanese
engine. Specifically, it's a Tohatsu (Nissan) with Mercury stickers on it.

I'm sure this might get a few people going, but I grew up on the water,
I got my first small outboard 38 years ago when I was 10 years old. I
put lots of hours on them over the years, it's fun from time to time to
just putt around in a little boat. I'm not new to this. I've seen
people have to throw out engines just because they couldn't buy some
silly part anymore, it can, and does, happen.

My trolling motor is a 1963 18 HP Evinrude. Pretty much all the parts I've
needed (points, coils, condensers, carb overhaul kit, various gaskets,
and a waterpump impeller) are still available from the dealer. The only
thing I've wanted but not been able to find at the dealer was a waterpump
housing.... managed to get a new old-stock one on ebay.

Dan

--
It was the Law of the Sea, they said. Civilization ends at the waterline.
Beyond that, we all enter the food chain, and not always right at the top.

-- Hunter S. Thompson