Keep on looking! Craigslist will be your friend. With the holidays around the corner, and people being tight with $$$ you will see allot more for sale soon.
Keep looking! I've been looking for about 3 months now and just found one last night on a local classified ad site. It's perfect for my jon as it matches the top h.p. rating for the boat. Here it is 2004 Mercury 15h.p. 4stroke w/electric start. Paid $1,250 for it. Compare to about $2,600 new.
I dont have one but you are going about it the right way. I checked craigslist and ebay for months, then one day drove from marina to marina in my area. Asked an old man at one and he said "well hell son, I got a 28 horse thats been sittin in the corner for 3 years, give me $325 fo it and its yours"....
Your motor is out there, just gotta ask enough folks.