re: Most Reliable 9.9hp Outboard?

My dad has a late 80's johnson 9.9 that's been carbed up to a 15. The carbs tend to get gunked up, and it's a bitch to cold start, but otherwise it's a tank. The funny thing about this span of motors is they didn't have a tell-tale. You have no idea if the water pump is pumping or not. It's either a miracle or a testament to the motor that it's made it this long, as 95% of it's run time has been on sandy shallow rivers.