I would never put a Merc on a aluminum boat, if you ever want your family to go cruising
with you. I had a M25 on a 12′ F-C, and the wife would say;
‘why can we not talk in this boat,
but could in the one with the nice green motor ‘? [ie; a RD]
The best of the ‘big twins’ from OMC were the 3 year only ’35s,
and ‘quiet’ ones are extra nice, Use hi-test gas, and lots of good oil.
-jus sayin, eh ?