Mercury 25HP MLH FourStroke Outboard

The Mercury 25HP MLH FourStroke takes the manual-start, tiller-steered format in this range and puts it on a 20 inch shaft, for boats with a deeper transom than the short-shaft version.

Fit first

Shaft length is the detail to get right: 20 inches suits a taller transom, and mounting the wrong length is a frequent reason a tiller outboard this size runs poorly, either cavitating with the plate too high, or dragging and overheating with it too low. Steering and shift stay at the tiller, and trim adjusts by hand rather than a switch.

Who it suits

Manual-start, tiller-steered 25s like this one are common on aluminum fishing and utility boats where simplicity and lower weight matter more than push-button convenience. Keeping starting and trim manual also means less to service over the life of the motor, since there is no starter motor or trim pump to maintain.

Powerhead

The 32.1 cubic inch three-cylinder four-stroke here reaches 5000-6000 rpm on electronic fuel injection, started by pull cord rather than a key. Weight comes in at 157 lb.

Included and warranty

Expect a tool kit, mounting hardware, an owner's manual, and a 6.6 gallon tank with its matching quick-connect line in the box, with Mercury's 3-year factory warranty behind it. The propeller is sold separately so pitch and material can be matched to your boat and typical load.