Facts about Evinrude/Johnson racing outboards made my OMC

[lars strom]

Paris 6 Hours - the Greatest spectacle in boat racing.

In my opinion the most prestigious and best boat race ever..
This world famous boat race was run in the center of the "most romantic" city in the world next to the Eiffel tower on the river Seine.
At the end of the narrow island on river Seine was a mini Statue of Liberty we driver did see every lap for 6 hours.
Hundreds of thousands of spectators and some years close to 100 race boats from around the world was part of the Paris event.

The first Paris race was run 1955 and a Johnson outboard won the only outboard class. Mostly inboards in the first year.
1974 was a sad year..We lost Cesare Scotti in an accident.
I was part of this great race 11 times..first time was 1973…my last race was 1986 when my brother Lennart and I won the UIM F-3 class with a Burgess/Evinrude CC..

After 33 years..1988 was the last year (probably a record for a popular boat race in a large European city) came to an end..No more Paris 6 hours after 1988.
Many rumors for why the race was no more..I do not have the correct answer why..and don't want to guess.

[lars strom]

#6 Alf Bullen & #5 Peter Thorneywork in Cougar hulls with Johnson Stinger GP V6 power.
British Grand Prix at Chasewater in July 1975.

[OLEGATOR]

Cathy McConnell - Author

Brian..Thought you might get a laugh out of this photo……
Eufaula, 1977. Jimbo is wearing your Mom’s sun hat!!

thanks for posting cathy. that is my ex wife, and daughter with jimbo who both my kids adored. sure miss seeing y'all.

[lars strom]

Paris 6 Hours - the Greatest spectacle in boat racing.

In my opinion the most prestigious and best boat race ever..
This world famous boat race was run in the center of the "most romantic" city in the world next to the Eiffel tower on the river Seine.
At the end of the narrow island on river Seine was a mini Statue of Liberty we driver did see every lap for 6 hours.
Hundreds of thousands of spectators and some years close to 100 race boats from around the world was part of the Paris event.

The first Paris race was run 1955 and a Johnson outboard won the only outboard class. Mostly inboards in the first year.
1974 was a sad year..We lost Cesare Scotti in an accident.
I was part of this great race 11 times..first time was 1973…my last race was 1986 when my brother Lennart and I won the UIM F-3 class with a Burgess/Evinrude CC..

After 33 years..1988 was the last year (probably a record for a popular boat race in a large European city) came to an end..No more Paris 6 hours after 1988.
Many rumors for why the race was no more..I do not have the correct answer why..and don't want to guess.

A FB comment from my friend Jean-Luz..he lives in Paris and have raced the 6 hours many times..!!

Jean-Luc Izard

On the year 87, the circuit change to be shorter, just turning around the little island called « l’île aux cignes » and the pit was not so near of Eiffel tower - not so nice as usual.

On the year 1988, the race was organised by Colette PÉTARD (président of Helice Club de France) who organised 1984 French GP in Saint Cloud (with the accident of Gérard BARTHELEMY Racing for the second time in OZ).
On the last édition 1988, after the terrible accident between Jan de Wreng driving f3000 and a french pilot REBULET driving F4, she decided to stop race organisation.
No body came to organise and te Paris autorities Said boat Racing was too dangerous.

[lars strom]

Paris start 1987..My brother Lennart in boat #26.

[lars strom]

Thanks Jim..

Jim Dernoncourt

Never know what is hiding in the barns, garages and cornfields of America!
Starflite has been found.
Great job Jack B and Kirt Grandi!
Hydro is from 1966.

Jim Dernoncourt is the owner and it will be a total rebuild using some of the original pieces of Framework.

[lars strom]

Alex Browne

I have heard that the original Evinrude engine for the Starflite is still out there in someone's shop !

[lars strom]

Thanks Danny..for the pictures and explanations..!!

Danny Léger

I went through the photos I had, and none show the sponson extensions.
Since the photos and video of its final run don't have them, most likely something that was added by a previous owner after it was run. This photo is a good one showing the profile of the boat.

[lars strom]

Danny Léger

Another good photo of a different angle

[keith scotton]

I was told the boat in the photos on the trailer is Starflite V and was only tested never really Run.
Just What I was told

[lars strom]

@keith scotton

That's very possible. Way before my time and hopefully they figure everything out.

[lars strom]

Cathy McConnell - Top Contributor

Recently, I have been going through photos…….I LOVE photos. Not only Boat Racing photos but Family and Friends, as well. Lots of Memories and sometimes some tears when seeing so many people that have passed. I ran across this one……it was made at Lake Havasu City in 1969 at the Marina, which is now a Huge facility. We had been married two years. Jimbo got back from Viet Nam in June of 1967. He raced his first race for OMC at Havasu in Nov. 1967. He was still working for RC Cola as a pre- salesman. He went to work for OMC on New Years Day, 1970. We were young and had no idea where life would take us. We are standing by the OMC #3 - Twin ….. built for Ted May to drive in the 1969 Havasu Race. Not only are we young, we are both much lighter!! And the HAIR on both of us!! .
The dog is Dobie, one of our many 4 legged “Kids”.

Cathy McConnell - Top Contributor

Boat #36 is Tommy Posey.
That is the boat that Tommy and Johnny Sanders drove at Paris and Berlin in 1969, just before the Havasu Race. It is an 18 ft. wood Molinari “high flyer”. It was identical to the yellow #30 boat that Jimbo ran at Paris and Berlin, and then at Havasu, 1969. Both boats were shipped back from Europe in time for Havasu. After Havasu, Jimbo’s boat was sent to Canada and Tom Woods drove it on the Canadian circuit. Jimbo won Havasu Single engine with it and Berlin with Ted May.

[lars strom]

Cathy McConnell

Jimbo’s Boat in Berlin, 1969.

[lars strom]

Superbowl Surprise! Great seeing Mike Reagan (whose "ASSAULT" Racing logo and press kit cover we did back in the eighties) at the Marauvez' party..

[lars strom]

Cathy McConnell - Top Contributor


This was a newspaper photo from Lake Havasu in 1970. That’s Jimbo’s Scorer with the long hair and dark sunglasses right in the middle……standing up to see where the heck #30 is!! . Truth be told…..this may be when he barrel rolled just around the point. He had just been scored, went out of sight around the corner, and the crowd made a roar. The boat landed right side up. Jimbo pulled the Boat to the shore, because if a Patrol Boat touched you, or your Boat, you were Disqualified for the day. Bob Nagode (Goat) got to the Boat and took out all the wood debris that was smashed into the front of the engine from the rear faring. Jimbo got in…..Engine started and he finished the Race.