No, there is nothing optical about the timing/ignition system on that engine.

Your setup consists of two magnets (N/S) that trigger, rather cause one of two timing sensors to send 1-1/2v to electronic switches within a powerpack which then cause the related coil to fire.

It is called a "Magneto Capacitance Discharge" system. Why are you even thinking about doing away with this system?

Im not getting spark, i have traced it back to the power pack being bad. Ive read some good things about this set up, better throttle response, idle, etc. I was thinking of going with the msd box as long as the ignition set up on my engine will trigger the 6AL box.

Ive been working on engines since i was in my early teens, but pretty new to outboards.

The ignition is self contained. The stator under the flywheel is the beginning of the ignition system as well as the charging system.

There is a large black coil within the stator at the extreme front of the stator as well as the extreme rear of the stator. These two coils supply approximately 300 AC volts to the powerpack's capacitor, needed to energize the powerpack.

Visually inspect the stator to see if either (Or both) of these mentioned coils might be leaking a sticky looking substance down on the timer base and powerhead area. If so, that would result in a voltage drop to the pack's capacitor which in return would result in weak, erratic, and eventually no ignition.

To check for a possible intermittently shorted ignition switch. disconnect the Black/Yellow wire from the powerpack. If you then have spark with that wire disconnected but no spark with it connected, replace the ignition switch.