Anyone have any experience with these? i just bought a 2003 last night and i was wondering what the 4 trim settings are and what the shear pin problem was all about.

My first little outboard was a 2.2 Merc.

The tilt position holes are to set the motor angle so the prop will push directly opposite the boat travel.

The shear pin deal is just that "SHEAR". If the prop hits anything farily solid, the pin will break and you will have an out-of-commission motor. Make sure the spare pins are in the holder and keep a few extras in your tackle box along with a method to punch out the broken pin from the prop shaft after you remove the prop (have tools for that and some cotter pins.)

I used to break two or more every trip when I used mine at Briery Creek Lake. I made sure that my next small outboard was not a shear pin model.