New Format for OFF 2020 !!!

**powerabout** · 12-19-2019, 12:11 PM

isnt OFF just the guys that raced vintage boats when they were cutting edge?
There is a strong connection there I would have thought?
Why doesnt OFF invite the vintage boats to the OFF event?

**Rotary John** · 12-19-2019, 04:58 PM

BRP has at least2 of the remaining rotaries. They haven't run since 1975 so it may take some work to get them running again. As I said before, I am will to donate my time . Unfortunately Tommy Posey and Rick McChesney have passed and as you said Jimbo and Barry can't anymore. That leaves Mike Downard, Jim Beard, Johnnie Sanders and Bobby Witt. The problem is BRP. In spite of one hell of a PR opportunity they seem hell bent in letting others take over the marine business. The engine Sea Way has is not runnable as is and would take a hell of a lot of custom work to make it go; if even then.

**WaterZebra** · 12-19-2019, 05:11 PM

Originally Posted by Rotary John

BRP has at least2 of the remaining rotaries. They haven't run since 1975 so it may take some work to get them running again. As I said before, I am will to donate my time . Unfortunately Tommy Posey and Rick McChesney have passed and as you said Jimbo and Barry can't anymore. That leaves Mike Downard, Jim Beard, Johnnie Sanders and Bobby Witt. The problem is BRP. In spite of one hell of a PR opportunity they seem hell bent in letting others take over the marine business. The engine Sea Way has is not runnable as is and would take a hell of a lot of custom work to make it go; if even then.

RJ -
Can you give us a total run down on how many rotaries were built and their whereabouts today. I was under the impression that SeaWay Marine had the last one (intact) from BRP (running or not)? Any idea if the hulls used with these engines even exist today?

**lars strom** · 12-19-2019, 05:30 PM

Originally Posted by Rotary John

.... Unfortunately Tommy Posey and Rick McChesney have passed..

Well..Ric McChesney made a comment on my FaceBook page a few weeks ago so he is still around and doing great.

**Rotary John** · 12-19-2019, 06:35 PM

My mistake. It is Rich McCinley that has passed

**lars strom** · 12-19-2019, 06:49 PM

This is a sad but 100% correct post.

BRP have absolutely no interest of former OMC racing stuff and Tracy Crocker the man in charge for BRP's Evinrude division is no friend of racing or High Performance outboards.
I have been trying hard for years to at least get BRP to make some High Performance accessories for the E-TEC outboards but no action.
Could this change..
Yes.. but not in the near future.

**Rotary John** · 12-19-2019, 06:55 PM

The question of how many rotaries were built is mute. The engines were rebuilt every time they ran, so the number built are in the dozens; however, there were only 6 exhaust manifolds ever made, so 6 would have been the max number built at any one time. As I recall there were only 5 built at any one time, 4 to race and a spare power head. As to there whereabouts today. 2 are in a private collection, one w/o the gear case. They were both running engines that were dynoed and crated up at the end of the program. An interesting side bar, the one w/o the gear case was parked in front of Don Kuney's garage when he retired. I believe Jim Nerstrom had something to do with it. BRP has 2, one each Johnson and Evinrude. These 2 were also dynoed and crated. I am told the Johnson went to the BRP styling studios in Canada and was used as the basis for the G2 styling. The Evinrude remains in BRP Wis. The Evinrude used in the companies 100th aniv. I am told went to the industry/marine museum in Milwaukee. The last one is at Sea Way and was in the Engineering building in Waukegan. It is an older version (diecast flywheel) 1 pc. thru bolt and non functioning carbs. I don't know where it came from or whats inside, but I'm sure is doesn't run. I suspect some of the parts use on the rotary were scavenged for use on other race engines. That's about all I remember.

**Rotary John** · 12-19-2019, 06:55 PM

My mistake. It is Rich McKinley that has passed. and ric McChesney never drove a rotary race boat.

**FUJIMO** · 12-20-2019, 08:54 AM

I could be mistaken, but I believe seaway acquired its rotary from buying the old cees vandervelden inventory quite a few years ago.

**Rotary John** · 12-20-2019, 09:30 AM

Originally Posted by FUJIMO

I could be mistaken, but I believe seaway acquired its rotary from buying the old cees vandervelden inventory quite a few years ago.

I believe you are mistaken. To the best of my knowledge Sea Way got it directly form BRP. I believe it was when they closed down Waukegan Engineering and it was one of those thing in the building they had no interest in. Cees never had a rotary.

**FUJIMO** · 12-20-2019, 11:22 AM

gotcha, thx. trying to remember who bought the old cees collection. thought it came to the states.

**jackiewilson** · 12-20-2019, 11:53 AM

Originally Posted by lars strom

This is a sad but 100% correct post.

BRP have absolutely no interest of former OMC racing stuff and Tracy Crocker the man in charge for BRP's Evinrude division is no friend of racing or High Performance outboards.
I have been trying hard for years to at least get BRP to make some High Performance accessories for the E-TEC outboards but no action.
Could this change..
Yes.. but not in the near future.

Nobody tried harder to keep the Jonrude flag flying than you Lasse—- you’ve been a one man advertising campaign for years.——- But it sounds like you’re “Flogging a dead horse” .with BRP.
Just like Seebold was for Mercury—— in the end it doesn’t count for a hill of beans —- Billy has a 25 ft V bottom pleasure boat with a FECKIN Yami on its bum——- Mercury couldn’t even be bothered to do a half tidy deal for him. After 25 years of racing only Mercury ——— he had to buy a Yamaha!!!!
He should have had a fresh Merc of his choice, every year, for the rest of his life!

**STEVERINO** · 12-20-2019, 12:46 PM

Originally Posted by Rotary John

I believe you are mistaken. To the best of my knowledge Sea Way got it directly form BRP. I believe it was when they closed down Waukegan Engineering and it was one of those thing in the building they had no interest in. Cees never had a rotary.

What happened to the Johnson Rotary in the reception at Brugge it was there for years Leo worked for OMC performance at Brugge his job was to help the guys that had OMC outboards that still raced their customer bought engines including ski-racing guys Leo had the OMC engines in Europe winning many ski-racing events and beating many Mercury racing teams.Leo was always Cees Veldens buddy even from the early days when Cees ran Twister1 and 11x/s I can remember him in 1970 when he had a full head of hair so they went back a long time maybe when they found out OMC was going into liquidation Cees ended up with all the racing equipment including the Johnson Rotary which was in the reception in Brugge.

**Rotary John** · 12-20-2019, 01:42 PM

Originally Posted by STEVERINO

What happened to the Johnson Rotary in the reception at Brugge it was there for years Leo worked for OMC performance at Brugge his job was to help the guys that had OMC outboards that still raced their customer bought engines including ski-racing guys Leo had the OMC engines in Europe winning many ski-racing events and beating many Mercury racing teams.Leo was always Cees Veldens buddy even from the early days when Cees ran Twister1 and 11x/s I can remember him in 1970 when he had a full head of hair so they went back a long time maybe when they found out OMC was going into liquidation Cees ended up with all the racing equipment including the Johnson Rotary which was in the reception in Brugge.

That's news to me. I was unaware of the rotary in Brugge. Last I heard that engine was downstairs in the OMC Waukegan Engineering building. I heard all of Cees stuff went to Sea Way and apparently that's how they got it. If true, I stand corrected. Previous reports said that engine wouldn't turn over and had pictures of it in Waukegan. But lord knows, that was 40+ years ago.