Tell me about the Sport G class

[KG4]

Specs and speeds,Thanks guys.

[2us70]

As I recall it was a 70 ci class using product in motors. The first G boats I remember ran inline 6 Merc 700s. There are pictures of a early G class Raveau scattered around on this forum. For a brief time Chyrsler produced a competitive G class motor. Finally the 4 cylinder Merc 800s then the 850s defined the class. In the early 70s the boat length was dropped to 13 feet. I ran a little of both SG and G production in those days. A good SG boat ran over 70 mph but I don't remember exactly how fast we were running.

[OLEGATOR]

As I recall it was a 70 ci class using product in motors. The first G boats I remember ran inline 6 Merc 700s. There are pictures of a early G class Raveau scattered around on this forum. For a brief time Chyrsler produced a competitive G class motor. Finally the 4 cylinder Merc 800s then the 850s defined the class. In the early 70s the boat length was dropped to 13 feet. I ran a little of both SG and G production in those days. A good SG boat ran over 70 mph but I don't remember exactly how fast we were running.

and if you wanted to keep up with mark hauptner, it looked like you needed to run about 5+ mph faster lol!!!

[WaterZebra]

As I recall it was a 70 ci class using product in motors. The first G boats I remember ran inline 6 Merc 700s. There are pictures of a early G class Raveau scattered around on this forum. For a brief time Chyrsler produced a competitive G class motor. Finally the 4 cylinder Merc 800s then the 850s defined the class. In the early 70s the boat length was dropped to 13 feet. I ran a little of both SG and G production in those days. A good SG boat ran over 70 mph but I don't remember exactly how fast we were running.

Were the Merc 800s and 850s all short shaft models? Aside from kicker fishing motors, I don't think anybody makes the bigger engines less than 20 inches these days. My first "big" outboard was a Merc 800. Ran all day at WOT and never missed a beat. They were a strain to manually tilt. At least the straight 6's had enough top mass / weight to "counterbalance" the mid section and gearcase.

[FMP]

As I recall it was a 70 ci class using product in motors. The first G boats I remember ran inline 6 Merc 700s. There are pictures of a early G class Raveau scattered around on this forum. For a brief time Chyrsler produced a competitive G class motor. Finally the 4 cylinder Merc 800s then the 850s defined the class. In the early 70s the boat length was dropped to 13 feet. I ran a little of both SG and G production in those days. A good SG boat ran over 70 mph but I don't remember exactly how fast we were running.

I'm wondering, maximum 70 ci or a couple more allowed. The triple CHRYSLER then i believe was a about 72 ci. Later in 78/79 they did put out a slightly shorter stroke for a specific reason , maybe class racing but marketed it for higher rpm running, along with a 17' leg and the newly introduced one piece lower, not a speed master type but the powerflow .
I'm wondering if that short short stroke was a leftover from those class motors of a decade earlier, if sticking to the ci limit was absolute .

[vintage v4]

I'm wondering, maximum 70 ci or a couple more allowed. The triple CHRYSLER then i believe was a about 72 ci. Later in 78/79 they did put out a slightly shorter stroke for a specific reason , maybe class racing but marketed it for higher rpm running, along with a 17' leg and the newly introduced one piece lower, not a speed master type but the powerflow .
I'm wondering if that short short stroke was a leftover from those class motors of a decade earlier, if sticking to the ci limit was absolute .

Yes, the Special Edition Charger was introduced for the Sport G class. For a few years there was a good field of Chryslers with TCPBA up in region 8. The Special edition was de-stroked to get under the 70 cubes limit for SG. Ron Baker worked for Chrysler and he was the force behind getting them back into OPC racing at the time. There were plenty of cleaver props available because the powerflows were 15 spline so Merc wheels fit. It was a good competitive class that was entertaining to watch.

[FMP]

Yes, the Special Edition Charger was introduced for the Sport G class. For a few years there was a good field of Chryslers with TCPBA up in region 8. The Special edition was de-stroked to get under the 70 cubes limit for SG. Ron Baker worked for Chrysler and he was the force behind getting them back into OPC racing at the time. There were plenty of cleaver props available because the powerflows were 15 spline so Merc wheels fit. It was a good competitive class that was entertaining to watch.

Yes thats the one, 1980. Tough to find that leg, I run the 20" with 1.73 powerflow. So how'd they get under the rules back in the late 60s ?

[vintage v4]

Yes thats the one, 1980. Tough to find that leg, I run the 20" with 1.73 powerflow. So how'd they get under the rules back in the late 60s ?

They weren't allowed before they got under 70 cubes, they wouldn't have been competitive with the 2-piece lower anyway.

[2us70]

That was for sure. I never ran against Mark in SG but I did race him plenty of times in SE.

[DanUmbarger]

In 1970 I ran 64 mph with my Hustler 13' and Merc 80

[99fxst99]

If you ran SG in the Mid-Atlantic in the 70s you had to beat Rayner Blair!

[kdtilt]

May still be his favorite boat.

[FUJIMO]

[2us70]

OPC boat of that era pretty much ran short shaft motors. I never owned a long shaft motor until I bought a fishing boat in 2001. The 800s and 850s shared the same gear case with the 1500s. They had a much lower gear ratio allowing them to run the same propellers as the 1500s. Those great big slow turning props really worked well on the G class boats.

[WaterZebra]

OPC boat of that era pretty much ran short shaft motors. I never owned a long shaft motor until I bought a fishing boat in 2001. The 800s and 850s shared the same gear case with the 1500s. They had a much lower gear ratio allowing them to run the same propellers as the 1500s. Those great big slow turning props really worked well on the G class boats.

It probably wasn't "legal" for SG but did anybody ever try to run a low water pick up 1500XS gearcase on a Merc 800 nor 850? (LOL)