After four years of trial and error I think I have all of my outboard quirks figured out and can motor successfully, but I have one more question. When I am in the boat, sitting in the rear, the water intake is under water, but if I go foward, or step out of the boat (at a shallow mooring, for example), the water intake is right about at the surface. It bobs up and down in the waves. There is always water flowing out of the motor where it should be, but at times, just for split seconds, the sound of the motor will change when the intake bobs up. Am I going to burn out my engine?????? I have heard people talk about a "long shaft" motor on this forum, I have no idea what I have other than it is a Merucry 3.3 hp. Maybe I need a different motor. Another alternative is that I could discard the plastic motor mount and make a slightly shorter one, I have some good size scraps of cherry or ash in the shed that might even qualify as "bright work." any thoughts?? john