Electric Starter Conversion

Hello all. I have a '96 9.9 Mercury outboard that I would like to convert to electric start. When I search the serial number (0G294120) I find the motor called a "Sailmate". It's odd, because it's a short shaft. What's the difference between a Sailmate and the standard motor? Also, where is the best source for the conversion kit? I won't be doing the work myself, but I'd like to know what the parts cost is before I get a quote from the mechanic.

thanks,

Bob Burke

sometimes its cheaper to buy one already set up.. I use Crowley's some for pricing

Mercury still sells the kit, that's the one to get. Mercury makes excellent accessory kits. The next best way is to buy a similar parts-engine with that option. Buying all the various parts one at a time from ebay, or whatever, is sometimes cheaper but, I usually end up wishing I had just bought the kit.

The Mercury Kit is: 50-90983 A5

It is an extremely wide ranging kit because it covers all the 6-25hp 2strokes from 86 on up. It also includes the battery charging kit. Really, that's the best thing anyway. It's easy enough to pull a 9.9, in most cases, but the real benefit there is keeping the lights on and the radio working.

Some quick looking shows a roughly 400 pricetag for the kit. Deals around low-mid 300s on ebay etc.

These kits have almost doubled in price since 2001. At that time they were 225 with a dealer cost of 112.