Outboard Selection For Bay Boat

[Goooh]

In the next year I will be buying a bay boat and need input on best power for the hull options im interested in. I am leaning towards finding a hull and trailer package first (used) then buying the motor separately when exactly what i want comes along for the right price (im VERY patient...).

Length - 21'_22'

Make/Style - Nautic Star_Blazer Bay_Champion_Pathfinder, that basic range of quality...

HP - 175hp_225hp

What do you think would be the absolute best value for a power unit? By value I weigh dependability, speed (don't want slow lane, don't need 65mph), efficiency, availability of parts and ease of home/field maintenance and repairs if need be.

I like mercury due to experience with small engines, despise evinrude large engines, hear good things about yami Vmax, and like the 175 SUZ on my companies Tran Cat.

I also get off on having a smaller engine that can that can hang with larger ones (efficiency), is there a 175 in the bunch that could yield near equal performance of other brands' 200 or 225's?