Canadian Yachting — June 2017

http://www.canadianyachting.ca 31

THE PORT HOLE

Bradley Schmidt
National Power and Sail Squadron

Recent circumstances got me on the hunt for a 9.9 horse-
power outboard motor for my twelve foot jon boat. Because
the boat is small I was concerned that a 4-stroke 9.9 would
be too heavy so I set out to find a 2-stroke.
The second hand economy is very strong these days.
There is a plethora of free classified sites online – KIJIJI,
Craigslist, Letgo, and Varage Sale to name a few. When
using an online tool to search for a motor, it is worth con-
sidering all the ways someone might advertise one. For
example, people commonly refer to their engines by the
brand name. They might say “6 HP Mercury” so a search
for outboard or engine would not find this listing. Search-
ing for a few different terms might just reveal an adver-
tisement that few others have seen. There are often many
deals to be had, but be wary of some of the now defunct
brands as parts may be difficult to find. If you are looking
for an older motor it may be best to stick with the best
known manufacturers.
Recently I saw a 1974 Johnson 9.9 hp short shaft outboard
listed for a good price. For its age it looked really nice so I
made arrangements to see it and made the purchase. I liked

how the colour scheme of this vintage of motor matches

my boat’s green exterior. If the seller isn’t prepared to run

the motor for you, at a minimum you should pull it over to

make sure it has good compression. If you can take the cover

off, try moving the flywheel from side to side (there should

be no movement) and also up and down (there should be a

slight amount of endplay). If it passes these tests then most

likely it can be made to run without too much trouble.

Although it was easy to get my motor running, it is good

practice to do some preventative maintenance. My motor

is 43 years old, so anything that has come in contact with

gasoline for all that time is likely to fail: fuel lines, fuel

pump, and carburetor. Don’t forget new spark plugs, an

impeller, and oil for the lower end as well. If your motor

has ignition points they should be checked and adjusted

or replaced. All the parts I needed were in stock at a local

marine store and cost $115 including tax. It only took a

few hours to tune the motor up. Now it’s ready for years

of reliable service, for a fraction of the cost of a new one.

THE

JET

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