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View Full Version : early Molinari from the back



Mark75H
11-20-2004, 04:02 PM
We've seen front quarter and profile shots of the early Molinaris a lot here on SnF.

Mark75H
11-20-2004, 04:04 PM
On the water

Mark75H
11-20-2004, 04:06 PM
Here is the rare view from the back showing the sponson shape and tunnel width and height

Powercat
11-20-2004, 04:21 PM
This photo and the dates have allways amazed me...
That he had made the transition away from the
catamaran to a "true" tunnel design allready in 1962.
When did this concept take hold in US OPC boats ?
Were the first imported Mollinari's or home grown
versions?

Mark75H
11-21-2004, 05:20 PM
Olegator is correct. Dieter Schultz was the first to race a tunnel hull in the US, fall of 1966 at Havasu, took 4 th over all, first single engine by a pretty good margin, even though he raced, pitted and refueled single handedly.

Danny, I'm sorry I didn't read your question correctly and didn't respond right away.

I am certain the picture on the right is Lake X. Apparently Kiekhaefer had a Molinari for testing, but didn't think it was suitable for racing.

Kiekhaefer didn't like being beat and bought a fleet of Italian Molinaris for 1967 and that was the end of the beginning. I don't know if Molinari was already under exclusive contract before Havasu of '66 or immediately there after. Strang and OMC got around around the exclusive Molinari contract by buying boats from Molinari's cousin Cesare Scotti, built next door by the same craftsmen and marina dog.

Glastron/Carlson had rights to build fiberglass copies of Molinaris.

From 1968 on most big races were won by tunnel hulls, symetrical cats were on their way out.

Dave S
11-21-2004, 07:35 PM
Back in 1976?? I had the chance to have a old wood tunnel for free. Wish I had taken it, no one part of it was flat, all curved plywood. It was a custom factory racer,I am not sure who it was made by. Needed too much work but it was a neat boat. :(

Mark75H
11-22-2004, 01:10 AM
Another reason there was a lag between 1962 and 1967 was that Molinaris weren't accepted as fully legal right away in Europe. Because the design was seen as completely new and radical at some races they were not allowed and at others they were only allowed as "experimental" which let them run, but disqualified them from accepting prize money or class trophys.


APBA rules were clearer: Family boats, V Hull race boats, Non-V hull race boats.

NOA actually called cats "tunnel hull type boats" in their 1950's OPC rule books.

Like I have said elsewhere, not only was the hull shape different from previous catamarans, the internal structure was more like a 3 point hydro, making the Molis very light ... completely able to fly over the water instead of thru it.