Mercury outboard motors are perhaps the best know brand in boat motors. You often hear boat owners say they have "twin mercury" motors which means they have a set of 2 on the back of the boat. My family deck boat had a single mercury 120 on the back and easily reached speeds of 45 knots which was plenty fast for tubing or getting in an out of the flats for inshore fishing trips.
Mercury motors have been around for a long time, over 70 years in fact. They are sold around the globe, and the name Mercury is synonymous with outboard motors. In 1939, Carl Kiekhaefer established the Kiekhaefer Corporation, and just one year later unveiled the outboard motor which carried the Mercury name. Carl originally intended the company to manufacture electrical products, but shortly after establishing his company he used $25,000 of his funds to buy the Cedarburg Manufacturing Company which was an outboard motor manufacturer that had declared bankruptcy. One year after reworking the inventory he purchased through Cedarburg, and after establishing a relationship with buyers, he unveiled his new line of Mercury products.
Biography of Mercury Outboard Motors
By the end of 1940, Kiekhaufer had produced over 9,000 engines, and they were about to reveal the Thunderbolt, when World War II broke out. In February 1941 the government restricted the use of aluminum which ceased production of any outboard motors for the time being. Kiekhaefer then began production on a two man chainsaw in the hopes that he could keep his company afloat. In March of 1942 these too fell under the aluminum ban, but in May of 1942 he received an order from the military for 3,300 chainsaw engines. They quickly established a name for themselves with the military and moved on to also produce engines for water pumps, generators, and compressors.
Eventually the ban on aluminum was lifted and Carl received an order for 33,000 outboard motors. By 1947 Kiekhaufer was cranking out more than 55,000 outboards per year, and had expanded his headquarters. He introduced the 10 horsepower Mercury Lightning and in 1948 the 25 horsepower Thunderbolt.
In 1961, after ups and downs, financial losses and another aluminum restriction due to war, Carl finally sold his company to Brunswick for around $34 million in stock. The company was then named Kiekhaufer Mercury and after stock prices plummeted Carl wound up leaving the company altogether in 1970. In 1971 the outboard motor division became known as Mercury Marine.
Today Mercury outboard motors range in size from 2.5 horsepower to 350 horsepower. Mercury has worked hard over the years to use innovative technology to produce a quality, reliable product that consistently surpass industry standards.
Many Mercury Outboard Motors are good for salt water
Mercury motors are known for their durability and are used a lot of times in salt water where corrosion is a big concern. These motors are designed to require little maintenance but do require flushing after use in the ocean.
Listings of Mercury Outboard Motors
