Time For the Power Unit - Meet Mercury

I have fallen behind with my posts on here, concerning the installation of the 'electrics'. Events have overtaken me as the new, American built, Mercury Outboard Motor has arrived.

As is usual, I am totally at a loss with what to do with the engine. I have no experience of installing one, which presents me with the type of impossible challenge I love.

The challenges, however, had began much earlier, when I telephoned my preferred supplier to purchase a specific type of outboard. 

   "We are out of stock of that model," the supplier said.

   "How long before you can get me one?" I asked.

   "Could be 12 months".

  "What! What else have you got?"

  "We are out of stock of everything. Covid closed the factories last year, and they are only just getting back into production. There's a long waiting list, do you want to go on it?"

  "I suppose so."

 "It's a 20% deposit - "

  "No thanks!"

I telephoned around, and got the same story.

Undaunted, I told my story to my facebook boat-group, on which I try to moderate18000 from all around the world. Amongst all the teasing from the pure-sail fans I got one suggestion, to contact 'Cambridge Outboards Ltd.' So I did.

It was out of hours but I could see on their website that they had in stock a Mercury 15 Horse Power, long shaft, 4 cylinder outboard. Just the job! I ordered and 'Paypalled' it........... but got no acknowledgement in my email... panic, panic.

I rang them up first thing Wednesday morning and they assured me all was well and that I should get the motor on the following Monday or Tuesday. So you can imagine my surprise when my front door bell rang on Friday morning and a little lady announced that she was here with the motor, but couldn't get her lorry down the road. There were some builders who had parked their vans on either side of the road and the large lorry couldn't get through. 

We couldn't find the builders and the very kind lady and I trolley-jacked a massive heavy box down the middle of the road. Neither of us were very tall so we must have presented an amusing spectacle. By the time we had pushed it up the steep driveway we were all but exhausted What a star she was.

I now had the problem of getting the motor out of its box and into the garage. Then, right on cue, David turned up. David is my daughter's next door neighbour on the farm where they live. He is Polish and his wife, Ula, helps us by doing our cleaning. David was here to cut the back hedge for me (wonderful couple).

David bent down and picked up the motor in his arms!!! It had taken two of us and a trolley jack... but... David picked it up and carried it into the garage where he lay it on some boxes. I met two remarkable people that morning and felt blessed.

Now begins the saga of the installation.