Looking for used outboard - why is it so hard to find?

I recently purchased a 14' aluminum semi-V Jon boat with decking. I figured finding a decent used outboard wouldn't be too hard. So far, it has proven more difficult than i imagined. I've been on the lookout for a 25-35 hp motor (tiller or controlled) but haven't found much. Aside from Craigslist and eBay, does anybody have any suggestions on where I could look for a used outboard? If you have one for sale, hit me up.

Thanks for any info you might be able to throw my way.

your location would help...I think...

I'm in the Denton/DFW area.

Sell you a 95 efi Mercury 150, you'll fly down the lake

I'm already getting an earful from friends when I talk about putting a 35hp on this thing. One old timer I talked to kept cautioning me not to rip my transom out with too powerful of a motor. This is my first boat in 20 years so I'm keen to follow wisdon.That might be too much for her. Right?

So, are people just hanging onto these motors in hope that they will serve as post-apocalyptic currency one day? I guess I'm not understanding why I don't see many of these motors for sale, but I rarely ever see 25-35 hp motors on the lake. It's usually bigger engines I'm seeing. Are they just not that numerous, or is somebody out there hoarding?

Have a 25hp evinrude good tiller, pull start motor, new waterpump but cowling is ruff. No title 350.00

I'm in the same situation as you. Looking for a good 10hp 2-stroke.
Have been checking at www.smalloutboard.com. Atf marine. But have not
heard any reviews from folks who have dealt with them.

I'm seeing tons of 9.9 and 10 hp, it's the 15-35 hp, and really the 25-35 hp motors that seem to be as plentiful as unicorns.

Hey, Gary. I just picked up a 25 hp Johnson in Venus (the town, not the planet) today. If the prognosis from the mechanic is bleak I might hit you up for the tiller. Thanks!

I'm looking for a GOOD 200hp Merc 3L & haven't had much luck. Several 2.5L' out there. I have a 98 Johnson Fast strike with 380hrs total for sale. Boat is rated for 200 & I'm a Merc man.

The reason is that nobody gets rid of a good motor by itself. The ones that you do find in that hp will run $500-$1000 if they are running. They sell overnight when put on Craigslist if working.

My guess is that they are hard to find because not too many people re-power jon boats, when you realize that a f30 tiller ($5500) costs as much as a sweet used jon boat ....my guess

call around to boat shops. they always have old outboards laying around, if you're handy and can read a manual, you can save a ton

Pickandgrin13,

TOO BAD that you're so far away, as I have a 1958 ELECTRIC START Johnson 18 HP outboard & that is surplus to my needs. = It came out of an estate sale here in The Alamo City & I was told by the son of the original owner that it, "-------- has spent most all of its life in Dad's garage. - Likely wasn't run a 100 hours altogether. It was last used in the Summer of 2012".
It has NO control box or gas tank, though the controls are easily/inexpensively available on ebay.com & Wal-Mart has suitable 6-gallon plastic tanks, cheap.

The little 18 horse Johnny is only for sale, as I've found a 1958 Johnson SUPER QUIET 35HP that is PERFECT for the 1958 finned/tin LONE STAR UTILITY that I've found in Austin.

Note: ImVho, the old Johnnyrude BigTwins are the most over-engineered, toughest & longest-lived outboards ever built. = I believe that I could teach a chimpanzee to keep a BigTwin running essentially forever.

yours, satx
email: texasnative46@gmail.com

Gary where you located at? I am interested if you still have this.

if you look under his name in a post it shows... 'Littlefield Tx & Lake A. H. USA'--(Littlefield, out by Lubbock...Lake A.H.= Lake Allen Henry)...
like yours shows Mansfield....Good Luck...