I get that. I’ve heard the same thing from guys about their beloved mercruiser 3.7l 470’s. I love a tinker and a fiddle with engines. But lots of guys just want to turn the key and go. Without the weekly drama I suppose.
Having had a Force predecessor, a new 1972 Chrysler cross flow, 2 stroke 85 hp triple, up against my buddies (at the time) Loop charged OMC engines of lesser HP, they could run right up there with me on speed, comparable boats, and do it on (guessing) ⅔ the gas.
I'm thinking of the 40hp Force or Mariner motors - something I still see frequently on fresh water fishing and pontoon boats. I don't know how much simpler you could get than one of these. A very simple single carb (no fancy idle circuits with tiny jets), similar to one you'd see on a lawn mower, and an absolutely basic engine with nothing fancy.
Fair comment there. Don’t know much about those wee force 40’s. Although I can’t think of a mariner 40hp that might be the same engine around that time. I can think of a mariner merc 45hp 4 cylinder thing and previously perhaps the yamaha 40hp made mariner. I’ve known far too many force 70 and 85’s to fail easily though. Good source for a spare power trim pump for a mercury, when they do fail.
Perhaps the mariner/Merc 40 3 cylinder thing from the early to mid 90’s comes to mind too. Think that’s a different engine though.
Maybe on an oil tanker, it does
