If one is good and two is better....

[Mark75H]

How about 4?

[Mark75H]

These motors appear to be 1969 1250BP's with the light red stripes and louvered cowling. Without the famous open stacks they were claimed to have 140hp.

[Raceman]

How time changes things. I'll bet with the drag of 4 gearcases, one good 300X would outrun that foursome.

[Mark75H]

I'd bet not, gearcase drag isn't that much......this is 560HP, more than enough to overcome the extra drag according to Jim's formulae. Unless the 300x is something like 525hp.

[Raceman]

"I'd bet not, gearcase drag isn't that much"

Well, I wasn't thinkin' of BP gearcases, but a lot of those old offshore boats had full size shiftable cases that were pretty blount back then and 4 of them would represent pretty substantial drag. Also, the 300X's are puttin' 3 and a quarter or so to the propshaft, while those old BP's are rated at the crank, and all that extra weight too. I'll bet a comparison would be interesting to say the least. I guess we'll never know............makes for interesting speculation anyway.

[Mark75H]

How about 6?

If you are a fan of the history of offshore racing you need a copy of this book! It is available online from Crouse himself...

[QUICKSILVER]

It would take half a day to change plugs. A month for a ring job.

[Laker]

36 cylinders!!!!! You gotta be S#!%!n ME!
DANG IS that COOL!!!!!!!
I would LOVE to hear that rig RUN!!!!
I have never even seen that pic before!
Sam?... any more history on that baby???!!!!!
HOW Freaking cool!!!

[Mark75H]

There are also some Mercury promo pictures of "Six-Pac". None as good as Mr. Crouse's photos.

Crouse briefly mentions that 3 of the engines were eventually loaned to someone else after Six-Pac was damaged and almost sunk a year or so later.

[Mark75H]

I also just noticed a big coincidence ... these are "cow bell" Twisters. No exhaust outlet on the back of the housing and just 1350 decals.

I am hoping for some pictures of a cow bell Twister in a week or so from an old racer that still has one.

[Raceman]

I was just fixin' to ask if those weren't Twisters when I saw your last comment. In the last picture it looks like the logs are visible on the outer 2 engines at least. I also noticed that the author described the first photo as having 135 hp and the second as 140. I was wondering if there was an engine change between the 2.

[Flat Out]

A life time supply of parts for the inline guys.
Bob Magoon ran a Cigarette with 4 than 6 Merc V6s at one time in an attempt to beat the trans Atlantic record.
There was a 39' Sutphen up here that had 4 Evinrude V8s on it ran 70+. He replaced the boat with an identical one that has twin 900SCs w/ #6s, runs 102.

[Mark75H]

Hmmmm. There was a 39 footer down here in MD last year with 4 V-8's.....I wonder if it was the same boat or just one set up just like it. Couldn't have been too many like that.

[Raceman]

Flat, I don't remember much about Magoon's attempt now, although I was interested in it at the time. One thing that sticks in my mind was that they set it up to replace an engine while underway with plans to throw the one that failed overboard if the replacement became necessary, all done under power. It also seems like I remember that he was towing some type of gas tank barge that was going to be emptied first then cut loose.

[Flat Out]

Sam, that probably was the boat. The previous owner said it went to the states and it was the only one like it. Sutphen didn't even want to do it at the time.
Raceman, I remember reading all about it years ago. I don't recall the fuel barge being towed. I thought they were going to meet a fuel tanker along the way.

[Raceman]

Flat, I'm real foggy on the barge part of it too. I just remember some mention in a magazine or somewhere. Maybe it was even a writer makin' a joke of all the fuel it would likely take. I do remember for sure that they were prepared to throw engines overboard when they were still real hard to come by for all us little guys.

[Flat Out]

I do remember the part about tossing broken motors. Couldn't beleive that when Iwas a kid,hell I'll take a broken motor. I thought they were going to meet a fuel ship at sea. I wonder what magazine the article was in Powerboat, Popular Mechanics, Trailer Boat ? Seemed like a big deal at the time. I don't know if he ever broke the record. Seem to remember him running into bad weather on both occasions.