[Rhodes22-list] new engine, power tiller? the plot thickens

[Joe Babb]

Trying to buy an outboard is a learning experience.  I am told that it 
is not possible for me to buy a remote outboard and connect up the 
controls, power tiller or anything else, myself.  Ron, how did you buy 
yours?  It seems to me a rather simple operation of hooking things up.  
But the manufacturers seem to insist that a dealer do it.
BTW, I am also told that Tohatsu makes all the Mercury outboards below 
20hp.  Anybody know for sure?  Tohatsu doesn't offer a high thrust 
version that I can find.  Yamaha is hard to get serviced in this area, 
but the 8hp high thrust would be a good engine for the boat.  But if I 
can't buy a remote one to connect to the power tiller then I'm stuck 
with the tiller version.
The guy at BassPro Shops who was trying to sell me the Mercury 9.9 told 
me it was okay to hook it up myself.  Was he fibbing?  Would they honor 
the warranty?  I didn't have presense of mind to ask at the time.  Funny 
thing was he had everything I needed except a "harness" that plugged 
into a connector under the cowling that brought out the wires for the 
start/stop switch.  Why would he have a motor in stock without that 
harness?  Funny.
Joe