John, great post!!
I sold my boat with the A-4 some time ago now and still "play" on the site. I have a fondness for old engines. The oldest I have worked on was an irrigation pump of about 8 HP and weighed 1700 pounds including the flywheel. Really early pre 1900 and fuel injected as carbs hadn't been developed yet.
Stay active as your advice is some of the best!!
Fair winds _)
Dave Neptune