wrote in message
oups.com...
it can be done. but there's too many impractical issues to deal with.
on about any outboard, they have a water pump in the lower unit. your
idea would take some interesting thinking concerning cooling, not to
mention exhaust which also is pushed through a lower unit as well.

funny you should mention the idea of a horizontal 2 cycle engine,
Evinrude did that in the mid 60's up to the early 70's (?) making their
first I/O out of a 90 hp. V-4 two cycle.

http://hhscott.com/evinrude/images/480_production.jpg

Thank you for the words of advice,

I do realise I'd have to fabricate some kind of cooling and exhaust output,
but I don't think it's outside the realms of possibility given a few
tools/bit of knowledge.

My thinking is it'd make the boat a lot lighter/faster, use less fuel and
simply be an interesting thing to try above all else. Does an 80hp mercury
have an sump etc btw, I think it's a 2 stroke but I'm not sure.

Rgds,
Nick