Facts about Evinrude/Johnson racing outboards made my OMC

[Rotary John]

To my recollection, all the rotary starts were from a dead start with the driver in the boat. The rotary was always the first one back to the S/F line. I don't believe it ever ran a flying start. Johnnie Sanders once said the only other engine with the "push" of a rotary was the Wizzard; and he drove them all V-4, V-6, V-8 and rotary.

[Rotary John]

Thanks John,

I guess..in the red circle is the "cut away exhaust" on the V4 gear-case..

Yes that's the V-4 14/23 gearcase with the cut out exhaust.

[Rotary John]

a couple more.

[lars strom]

...

[lars strom]

Did the rotary compete in just clock start races? How did it do in LeMans beach starts?

Paris 6 Hours was 100% "dead engine start" 11:00 AM Sunday morning did the Race Chairman Mr. Blodinaire drop the green flag and sometimes up to hundred race boats in mixed classes took off..
The two OMC Rotary powered Scotti boats took the lead in 1974.
I remember it like yesterday.

5:00 PM the Race Chairman Mr. Blodinaire waved the checkered flag.
A fantastic boat race.

[lars strom]

Selva Outboards of Italy did develop a racing outboard for the UIM OE/F3 class.
The two Selva brothers was putting up a great fight in the OE/F3 class. We also did have a lot of fun with the two Italian brothers.
The Selva engine was fast but not fast enough to beat the OMC OE/F3 engine..even when the brothers installed the OMC carburetors. (See picture)
Fun memories.
Sadly 2012 we lost brother Lorenzo Selva way to early from health issues.

Team Selva in the UIM F3/OE class. Stockholm GP 1987.

[WaterZebra]

Paris 6 Hours was 100% "dead engine start" 11:00 AM Sunday morning did the Race Chairman Mr. Blodinaire drop the green flag and sometimes up to hundred race boats in mixed classes took off..
The two OMC Rotary powered Scotti boats took the lead in 1974.
I remember it like yesterday.

5:00 PM the Race Chairman Mr. Blodinaire waved the checkered flag.
A fantastic boat race.

Did anybody in the UIM, race committee, or event media capture the rotary on video and audio?

[lars strom]

Did anybody in the UIM, race committee, or event media capture the rotary on video and audio?

As far as I know there is NO audio recording of the OMC racing rotary.

This is me a few minutes before 11:00 AM Sunday morning when Race Chairman Mr. Blodinaire droped the green flag in Paris 6 hours 1974..
I remember so well when the two OMC rotary powered Scotti boats lapped me many times during the race. There was a large water spray after the rotaries like no other tunnel boat..

[lars strom]

Beautiful Johnson racing advertising from 1979.

My guess is 201 is Ken Stevenson and maybe Bob Hering in the 3 cylinder boat...He won the UIM World OE title 1978. The race was run in the USA.
Thanks for the picture/poster my OMC friend.

[2us70]

In the mid 70s a guy down here in South Florida tried to build an unlimited racing airplane. It was very small and it was powered by two Mazda rotaries. He never did get it sorted out. I was working on the airport where he was trying to test this aircraft. Every time he took off to the east over a populated area the airport got a bunch of calls about the sound. I heard it a few times and even when only the front motor was running it was pretty bad. When both motors were running it was twice as bad. We usually only heard it with the front motor because he kept having to declare emergency and land it on only the one motor. As far as I know he never got the overheating problems of the rear motor solved.

Did anybody in the UIM, race committee, or event media capture the rotary on video and audio?

[lars strom]

1979 Evinrude racing advertising..!!

Fred Hauenstein / Ron Hill / Evinrude V-6 CCC overall win Parker 1978.

https://svera.se/blogg/fred-hauenste...n-parker-1978/

[Rotary John]

U.S.A.: FIRST ROTARY ENGINE FOR OUTBOARD SPEEDBOAT USE SUCCESSFULLY TESTED IN FLORIDA. - British Pathé (britishpathe.com)WaterZebra You asked, here is the only video I know of with real sound. This was at the Miami introduction.

[WaterZebra]

To my recollection, all the rotary starts were from a dead start with the driver in the boat. The rotary was always the first one back to the S/F line. I don't believe it ever ran a flying start. Johnnie Sanders once said the only other engine with the "push" of a rotary was the Wizzard; and he drove them all V-4, V-6, V-8 and rotary.

RJ - From your point of view, what would have happened to the OMC rotary program if it hadn't been killed off by the V6?

- 2 rotor production engine?
- Production crankshaft for a 4 rotor block?
- 4 rotor block?
- FNR gearcase?
- Production mid section?
- Wet sump?
- With today's engine ECU technology, would some of the problems you had with the rotary be eliminated?

What is the biggest rotary ever built? (rotor count)

[WaterZebra]

U.S.A.: FIRST ROTARY ENGINE FOR OUTBOARD SPEEDBOAT USE SUCCESSFULLY TESTED IN FLORIDA. - British Pathé (britishpathe.com)WaterZebra You asked, here is the only video I know of with real sound. This was at the Miami introduction.

RJ - The video is great but the audio sounds like stock outboard exhaust dubbed in. I've listened to this several times and I can't make the distinction? There are very few people who had the opportunity to see and hear these things run. If you and Lars say it's the real deal I will have to take your word for it. Only thing I have heard about the rotary is it had an exhaust tone all of it's own?

[lars strom]

RJ - The video is great but the audio sounds like stock outboard exhaust dubbed in. I've listened to this several times and I can't make the distinction? There are very few people who had the opportunity to see and hear these things run. If you and Lars say it's the real deal I will have to take your word for it. Only thing I have heard about the rotary is it had an exhaust tone all of it's own?

After spending close to 6 hours in Paris 1974 listening to the Rotaries running in the race I do not believe the engine sound in the video are from the rotaries.
Just my opinion.