Mercury FourStroke (40–150)
Mid-range Mercury FourStroke (the 115 especially) is a proven, reliable workhorse on pontoons, bay boats, and aluminum hulls. Inexpensive to service and well-supported nationwide.
Service and what to check
100-hour service; impeller every 2–3 years. Frequently under-maintained on rental/value boats — verify the actual service history, not just hours.
Watch usage: above roughly 150 hours/year, this family starts losing reliability points — always weigh total hours against the boat's age, and on any outboard or I/O over a few years old, insist on a compression or leak-down test before money moves.
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