Evinrude book review needed

[Starflite]

Hi. I want to buy The Vintage Culture of Outboard Racing and wondered if it was any good. Who is featured in it? Thanks!

[Raceman]

I'll have to look tonight and see if I've got that one. There've been several historical outboard books that I've bought that have been disappointing. Some of Kevin Desmonds books are interesting from a pictorial standpoint, but his statistics are sometime inaccurate, so it makes me also doubtful of ones that I'm unsure of myself. There was one OMC book that I read that I liked and one that was I didn't, just cant remember which is which without looking.

[Starflite]

Okay thanks!

[Mark75H]

Hunn's "Vintage Culture of Outboard Racing" mostly deals with the political infighting that took place between the pro-Kiekhaefer Stock outboard racers and the anti-Kiekhaefer forces of the 1950's. It is throughly researched and well written, but mostly a dull read.

Hunn's "Golden Age of the Racing Outboard" is a little better.

Perhaps a little more of what you might like is in Kevin Desmond's "Century of Outboard Racing"

Each has some info that is not in the other and all three have at least a few outright errors. Century of Outboard Racing has the most errors, Vintage Culture has the least.

Three older books that are of interest are those by Jeffery Rodengen. Rodengen is a freelance writer who specializes in superbly researched magazine articles about the management history of corporations. To add a little more $$$ to his retirement portfolio he occasionally combines a running string of his magazine articles into a book about a particular company. The ones of interest here would be:
"The Legend of OMC"
"The Legend of Mercury Marine" and
"Iron Fist" (about Carl Kiekhaefer).

There is a little mention of technical developments in Rodengen's books, but generally only where it causes some sea change in the corporate history involved. Many techincal details we would consider important never get mentioned. These books are about the companies first and the products and people second (except for Iron Fist which is about Kiekhaefer first, his companies second and the products third). The thing that drives me crazy about Rodengen's books is the redundancy. If they were properly edited each would have about 55% of the text. Constant retelling of previously exposed details is not only boring, but sometimes confusing to the point of wrecking the time line he is presenting.

What do I recommend? Buy all six (used, if you can find them) ... and then come back here and ask questions.

[Starflite]

I have the Hunn and Desmond books you recommended. I remember one of them spelled my dad's name wrong. : ( I think my brother has the Legend of OMC, I'll have to check on the others though. Maybe I'll pass on the Vintage book. Thanks!

[David]

My copy of Ironfist is autographed by Charlie Strang

good book

[Raceman]

I think Iron Fist should be required reading in schools.

Desmond's A Century of Outboard racing is good for the pictures, but as Sam pointed out is probably the worst in terms of statistical accuracy, and some of the stuff, like mis stating the year that Mercury introduced the first 100 HP outboard by 2 years is surprising, given the milestone it represented and how widely known the year model was. It makes one wonder if it was the result of poor research or inadequate proof reading for typos. He does seem to have great archives of old photography, or at least know where to find it, so that makes his books worthwhile in spite of the obvious errors.

[Starflite]

Eh, I can't read anyway. Gee, this Rodengen guy sure likes his "Legend of..." books.

[Starflite]

David, that is too kewl. I wonder if he likes Nascar half as much as he liked boats.

[Starflite]

Say, how is Desmond's Power Boat: Speed book? Is that any good?

[Mark75H]

"The Quest for Speed Over Water: POWERBOAT" has some important pre 1950 stuff that isn't in Century of Outboard Racing, but not much.

If we are going into this much history we need to include Jim Webb's "Pictorial History of Outboards" and Hank Bowman's "Encyclopedia of Outboard Motorboating"

One more book from wayyyyyyyyyyyyy back and you have them all: Bradford Burnham's "Outboard Motorboats and Engines" Much of Webb's early history is taken from Burnham's book.

A more modern book to have is Peter Hunn's "Old Outboard Book" third edition. Editions 1 & 2 are very much alike, but #3 is very different and you should add it to your collection if you liked 1 or 2.... but don't give your earlier edition away, the third edition leaves some stuff out to keep from being too fat.


Garry Spence had an autographed edition of Webb's book that Webb gave his father (they both worked for OMC). If anyone finds it, Garry would really like to have it back.

[msm]

Sam, is there any credence to the rumor that you're working on a book?

[Mark75H]

true

[Raceman]

I met Sam on the internet before he or I started playing on S & F. He was workin' on the book then. I've dogged him about it for several years, and have thus far been unsuccessful. Maybe if other people on the board start buggin' him too he'll get off his ass and make some progress. He's got the literature and the knowledge. Sometimes you've gotta JUST DO IT.

[msm]

Go, Sam, go!