TOPIC: Questions about my Merc 9.8

I have a '64 MFG (my first boat) that I am restoring and it came with 2 motors one an Evinrude 5hp and a merc 7.5hp both with controls. The boat I believe is a Corry Carefree and measures 12'6". Both of these motors are pull start and I wanted to put in an electric start so I bought a Merc 9.8 In the pics you can see that it has a tiller handle and a button on the side to start it with and two wires for the battery. I would like to hook it up to a key start. My question is do I have to take it to a shop to have it converted or is this something that I can do on my own? I guess I should ask if this can even be done? Are there any threads dealing with this issue? Also, will the controls work from the 7.5 to the 9.8? Thanks.

Sorry .... Here are the other Pics

To answer your questions:
Yes you can do it on your own. No, there are no threads I am aware of. Yes the controls are the same.

Where can I find the info on how to do this?

Does the control from the Merc 7.5 you'll be using have a harness? (The wiring running from the controls back to the motor.) If yes, you can tap into the motor using that, the "guru's" here can help with that. If no, you'll have to either;

1 - find a harness from a boat salvage yard, or someone who saves this stuff. Doubtful they're still available new.
2 - build your own harness from controls to motor - not hard at all, once again the good folks here will be glad to walk you through it I'm sure. You'll need a couple (5 maybe) lengths of marine grade wire long enough to go between the motor and the controls, and an ignition switch.

The two large wires in your pic of the 9.8 appear to be the positive (+) and negative (-) battery cables, self explanatory right? (Hook them to the battery terminals, red hot black ground. AFTER you're done with the rest of the wiring!)

Not sure about converting the choke to electric on the motor, someone more knowledgeable on that motor can help you with that.

Steering - you'll need a complete system, there are several companies that offer decent "push/pull" cable systems for just over $100. The tiller handle can be removed, I'd save all the old parts in case you decide to sell it later.

PS - The thread you're looking for is right here! LOL Let's get started.

Just find an electric primer unit ( choke ) from an 80's OMC motor.----Follow wiring diagrams from other electric start motors to hook up a solenoid instead of the start button.

Controls have no harness.

Gonna have to source one, or build your own as stated earlier. Here's a good place to look at Merc wiring diagrams, although yours isn't going to need to be that complicated.
www.maxrules.com/mercwireindex.html

Do not really see why you would want to go to all this trouble just to install a key switch on a 12' boat. I would have guessed that it would not be that much of a reach from the helm to hit the starter button on the motor. If you really want to be able to start from helm, why not just remove starter button from motor, extend wires and install button where you want it?
Getting a good used harness for these older mercs will be hard as older Merc wires tend to be of poor quality and the insulation will be brittle and falling off most at this stage/age.

Good point Michael, start it at the motor, take two steps, sit down and drive!

That is so funny ..... I laughed for ten minutes. I guess your right Michael it is only 12' and I never thought about it that way. I am restoring the boat and I guess I just thought steering wheel, controls and key start. MarkS is right start it, two steps, sit and drive...... I am still laughing.

It definitely helps to keep a good sense of humor around here Jon, glad you took the comments in the spirit!

Ok ..... now that Mark S and Michael A have straightened me out I am on to the next project. I am going to ask what might seem to be crazy questions ( I think I have proven that already ... LOL ) 'cause I have no knowledge of boats or motors but I am confident from all the info I have read here that I can figure it out with help from all of you out there. I am trying to figure out how the controls attach to the motor. I have a Merc 9.8 and the controls shown below. Does anyone out there have any pics of how these attach? Also I am going to purchase a new rotary steering system and would appreciate any pics of how that attaches as well.

I do not know how the controls hook up to your engine. Often on these small engines you need to buy some sort of adapter kit to connect the controls.
Again, having a practical thought - is it essential to have remote controls and steering in this boat? Seems you do not have steering now and if buying from new, will be quite expensive and you may need an adapter kit for that as well.
If you do need kits and all new steering, this stuff could cost more than the engine is worth. If it were me I would be taking the simple approach and drive with the tiller......

yes they do take a kit.some of them work backwards and the box is hard to find.

The boat has a steering wheel with the cable and pulleys and I would like to update it to a rotary system. The steering and the controls were used on the 7.5 Merc by the PO who was an older gentleman that just went for a drive around the lake with his wife from time to time. I will probably use it for the same thing so I would rather control it from up front. Besides I am 6'1" and 280# so me sitting in the back with the motor doesn't leave much of the front of the boat in the water.