. Only time you run into an opposite direction motor is with dual motor setups to counteract the side thrust. If boat was an original single motor, should not be a problem.
No not true. We are not a "big boat" area around here, Lake Pend Oreille and Lake Coeur d Alene, but I've seen a fair number of single engine installs that was reverse rotation. I THINK this tended to be "back in" the older inboard days as opposed to the later outdrives, but I don't see a great deal of boats, overall
I've had guys from the Seattle area tell me that reverse rotation engines are common in singles
to the OP when I was referring to flutes on the crank, it's the little serrations under the rear seal area. These are reversed in reverse rotation engines, and will probably cause seal leaks when run CW