So, I found a Johnson 90 hp outboard (1982 2 cycles 4 cylinders) to replace my Mercury 90 hp outboard (1987 2 cycles 3 cylinders). Johnson 90 hp is a lot heavier than the Mercury 90 hp. I heard the good old Johnson outboard is a work horse and very reliable. No fuel injection to foul cook the motor so just premix the oil and gas and off I go.
On Saturday April 19, 2014, I traveled to Kent Narrows MD - just over the 6 miles long bay bridge to get the outboard. The Johnson 90hp motor outboard was on a back of 24 feet long wooden crab boat. It was costing the crab fisherman $100 a day to cruise at 2 miles an hour of speed to troll along his trap lines. So, it is very uneconomical for him, so he wanted to sell the Johnson 90hp and replace it with a Yamaha 30 hp outboard to save gas.
This motor is perfect for my purpose (fishing and pleasure boating). I drive to a fixed spot and drop the anchor and fish or I drift and fish. So, gas consumptions is secondary consideration for me. I only need a reliable and start and go motor. This motor serves the purpose.
I met up with the seller (crab fisherman) at the Kent Narrows town pier and started compression test of the outboard motor. All 4 cylinders tested 110 psi, a very good sign but it was super dirty because he kept in the saltwater at the dock all winter. - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_aeKsL6xrs&list=PLpjSRCf07NBJa_ciJWPWBjpw-p6QBh9ib&index=2
To my surprise and amazement is that the seller needs to remove the motor from the boat while it is in the water instead of getting the crab boat on a trailer and get the boat and motor out of the water.
So, we started to bring the boat to the open dock and tried to lift the 300 pounds motor of the back of his crab boat with a upside down L motor lift that he found out of his dad's shed. It was like a brand new lift and never been used or maybe used only once.
Seller was only able to find 1 screw and 3 nails, so he mounted/nailed the lift to the wooden dock beam. Lo and behold I was asked to start cranking the cable while he stepped on the lift. As the motor started to come up and almost away from the stern of the crab boat. The 300 pounds motor put a jolt to the lift as it shifted its dead weight from the stern to the lift and the seller and me. The nails popped and lift started to pull away from the dock, down goes the motor! Luckily the motor 2 protruding ends barely caught the stern again, so it didn't sink into the bottom of the ocean. Of course it would be the seller's loss but my loss is my precious time and gas. What a lucky day for both of us!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5Ve1LpGASU&list=UU5p-k-ES0WCY5ohK1t4TXYw - watch the video to see the scary moment.
The seller drove to town and after about an hour. He returned with real screws so he re-mounted the lift again with real screws instead of nails. Voila, we finally got the motor out of the boat and into my truck. It was almost lunch time, so I decided to treat myself for a seafood lunch at the Harris Crab House to pat myself on the back for a job well done.
Not sure why, but I can tell you that day the crabs take super delicious after a mission impossible was accomplished by me and the seller.
Oh, I almost forgot to get the boat key from the seller before I drove over the bay bridge. I called him back after I got to the Harris Crab House before my lunch and luckily he was still at the dock. So, I drove back to get the key - a $100 saving there.
