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Mark75H
05-14-2002, 10:10 AM
Who knows the maker and year of the first racing outboard?


I mean the first outboard model sold as a racer by a major manufacturer. There were some special made racers going back as far as 1904 (photos from the 1904 races at Monaco show a fairly modern looking boat with a special made racing outboard, but it was a one off hand made job).

knightmare
05-15-2002, 07:48 PM
was it a elto speedster?

Mark75H
05-15-2002, 10:41 PM
Close on the ELTO, but the Hi Speed Speedster (1929) was preceded at ELTO by the Hi Speed Quad. These were more "Sport" models than actual racing models, sort of like the new Merc OptiMax XS motors and Pro Max vs the S3000 and SST120.

The first motor advertised as a racing model preceded the ELTO Hi Speed Quad by at least 2 years.

LakeRacer99
05-15-2002, 11:42 PM
1928 Johnson TR-40?


Jason

Mark75H
05-16-2002, 06:37 AM
That is a very very good guess. In fact, it was on my list for years as the first. Actually 2 other makers made full out racers before the TR40 and first KR.

omc-v4
05-16-2002, 06:55 AM
just a guess! callie

Mark75H
05-16-2002, 05:40 PM
Caille is correct. The year was 1926. In 1927 a British company, Watermota, came out with a slightly more modern racer with a streamlined bullet shaped racing lower unit much like all those that followed.

The next version of the Caille featured a "tractor" lower unit with the prop on the front of the gear case instead of the normal back position. Tractor units came and went off an on until racing bodies outlawed them as possible saftey hazards. Proctor was the last one I know of, it was made in the mid or late 50's.

Mark75H
05-29-2002, 10:46 PM
The "tractor" lower unit with the prop in front:

H2Onut
06-07-2002, 11:00 AM
Detroit o yeah, wasnt also in Front of Grosse ile that one of first attempts at an outboard motor was tested ?