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  1. #3961
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    Quote Originally Posted by willabee View Post
    Good guess, but not the source of the problem. Keep reading the story, the reason for the misfire will ultimately surface.
    It seems too simple, but perhaps going from a 17' to a 16' hull reduced the drag enough that the RPM's climbed into the "red zone" on the rev limiter. Yeah....that would be way too easy...

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  3. #3962
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    Visions of racing in the Paris 6 Hour, near the Eiffel Tower.

    After your bruising bath in the lake, did you still have a desire to race in Paris (and also be Renato's co-driver)?
    Is not Paris a rough course for anyone at the level of "Racing 101"?

    Quote Originally Posted by willabee View Post
    Billy Don went on to say that he knew I would jump at the chance to run Paris, but that he didn't say anything to try to change Gary's mind because he agreed with him. He said that he felt that I was lucky today and that I should have gone on my head, and, if I continued to drive like that, someone was going to get hurt (I assume that someone was me). I told him how much time I had in that boat and how well I knew it, but he continued to give me "Racing 101". Our conversation ended with him saying that I was going to flip and with me saying "there ain't no f'n way".

    My next test was that Friday, and while making a run into the wind, the blue sky suddenly turned all orange (same color as the boat) and I remember thinking " I wonder what this is going to feel like". Well, it didn't feel good.....they fished me out of the lake and rushed me back to the plant so that I could get some medical attention for the cuts on my legs.

    ... Billy Don was right and that's the end of this story .

    The test boat and "Up, Up and Away" (see post #18 on this thread) - same result

  4. #3963
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    Angelo Molinari's boat shop and home, near Como, Italy.

    This is Angelo Molinari's home & shop in the Cernobbio area near Como, Italy.
    When i visited the house in 1971, Angelo was building a wooden cruiser (approximately a 30 footer). The cruiser was in the shop, inside the big opening in the left of the attached photo.

    Angelo and his wife lived in the house attached to the shop (on the right side of the photo). Renato Molinari's two younger brothers were still living in this house in 1971. Renato had his race boat shop on Lake Como, but Angelo shop was not on the lakefront.

    Post# 362.
    Quote Originally Posted by Mark75H View Post
    Jackie, what do you think of this picture?
    Click image for larger version. 

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  6. #3964
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    Cees van der Veldon persona non grata, in the Molinari shop's hull construction area.

    In 1973 Cees vander Veldon told me, that Renato Molinari said he, Cees was not allowed to enter the middle floor (2nd floor) of the Como race shop. The 2nd floor is where the carpenters built the wooden hulls.

    Cees told me this prior to the Paris and Amsterdam races. And if I remember correctly Bill Seebold was also forbidden to enter the 2nd floor too. And in 1973 Cees and Bill were co-drivers at Paris that year. And apparently Renato must have sensed or got wind of, Cees and Seebold intentions of being future rival race-boat builders.

    I can attest that from 1971 through 1973, that the boat rigging and engine shop were on the bottom floor (see lakeside race shop photo). The long narrow windows (two rows high above Motonautica) is the 2nd floor. And the covered rooftop (3rd floor) is boat storage area, and where Roy Ridgell had his office on the north east corner.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Quote Originally Posted by mbd29 View Post
    Well here is my two cents. Bill you may have a better handle but the many conversations I had with Mert, after I started, lead me to believe the beginning of the end, with Renato, was with the building of the Twistercraft. From there when Billy started to build boats I think GG had a little more control of what was being built and it was just a matter of time before Renato left. Cees had already started when he was running for OMC.

    I had the pleasure of driving Renato, his girlfriend and his dad back and forth between Oshkosh and Fond du Lac for the meetings between Reichert, GG and Alex. It wasn't pretty. I couldn't understand the conversations but I remember Renato being pretty upset.

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  8. #3965
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    My suspicion is being banned from the second floor and Renato's contining policy of 2 different boats for the Merc team is what got Bill and Cees into building their own boats

  9. #3966
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    Mercury top 4 finishers at Havasu 1970, and Bob Hering's - Hot Single 4th overall.

    New York Times – January 24th, 1971 article.

    It was a rather lean year for Kiekhaefer Mercury outboards in the winner's circle, but the big‐engine manufacturer capped its 1970 racing campaign with an awesome display of power in the outboard world championship at Lake Havasu City, Ariz.
    Hulls propelled by Mercury power plants finished one, two, three, four in the $60,000 Havasu event to reestablish a dominance, according to United Press International. Mercury had held the No. 1 spot since the race's inception in 1964 but had lost it in 1969 to its major rival, Outboard Marine Corporation, the maker of Evinrude and Johnson motors.
    A boat powered by two Evinrudes and driven by Cesare Scotti of Nesso, Italy, won the 1969 outboard world championship and O.M.C. powered hulls went on in 1970 to win the big class in the national outboard plea sure craft championships and the Six Hours of Paris and Six Hours of Berlin endurance events.
    But Mercury came back with a vengeance in the Havasu competition at year's end when Bill Sirois of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., with twin Mercs on a Molinari tunnel hull, roared to victory and the first prize of $18,000 in record time.
    Sirois, a 10‐year veteran of powerboat racing and a standout on Mercury's crack racing team, covered 640 miles on the four‐mile Havasu course in eight hours of competition, averaging 79.25 miles an hour. This erased Scotti's record of the previous year — 584 miles at 73 m.p.h.
    Finishing behind him in second, third and fourth places, respectively—all using Mercurys and Molinari hulls— were Jim Merten of ?? Wis.; Renato Molinari, Como, Italy, and Bob Hering, Sheyboygan, Wis.
    Merten and Molinari, like Sirois, were using twin engines. Hering, with a single engine, captured top honors in that division.
    O.M.C. managed to get three finishers in the top 10 — Jerry Craig, Bayton, Tex., who finished fifth; H. T. McCune, Denver, seventh, and Bruce G. Leach, Hawaiian Gardens, Calif., ninth.
    Sirois iced the Mercury cake by clocking the fastest lap in Havasu history—85‐ 707 m.p.h.
    Where Mercury dominated the power plants in the 1970 outboard world champion ship, Molinari, as it did in 1969, outclassed the other racing hulls. The first 10 finishers piloted Molinaris.
    The high‐flying tunnel hulls were designed by Angelo Molinari, the father of the third place driver, Renato Molinari of Italy. They have revolutionized outboard racing in the United States and Europe. The driver “flies” the boat with just the rearward tips of the hulls touching the water.
    So it's back to the drawing board for O.M.C., and one can be sure that Mercury will not rest on its laurels.

  10. #3967
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    Unhappy Mercury blue race jacket, & 1970 winners T-shirt was Lake X Kid favorite race attire

    Does anyone remember the Tee Shirt, that had the three 1970 Havasu winners on it?
    The shirt had a photo of Sirios winning boat, then below was 2nd place Merten, and beneath was 3rd place Renato. The three Molinari race boats each had dual Mercs.

    Renato Molinari gave me that shirt when I arrived in Como, Italy in 1971. Now when I reflect on that moment, I am surprised how Renato seemed to proud of achieving 3rd overall (or was he just happy in giving me a gift). I wore that T-shirt at most of the European races. Sentimentally I wish I had that shirt now.

    Renato's 3rd place boat in photo below.

    Post 3797:
    Quote Originally Posted by willabee View Post
    Morning ..... The Mighty KT was a converted twin outboard, about 8' x 21', it was the boat that Renato Molinari drove in the 1970 Havasu OWC, finishing third. Since multi engine outboard racing had been discontinued by the factory teams, there were plenty of these type hulls available. They became the biggest source of hull for the growing KT class...

    Renato in the outboard version .....Attachment 430188

    Peacock in the KT version ..... Attachment 430189

  11. #3968
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    Rick LaMore at starboard bow watches Bob and Lake X Kid port-side with stripe shirt.

    And that looks like Gary G leaning/pushing on the trailer, of the crane lifted boat.

    Post# 3737:
    Quote Originally Posted by lars strom View Post
    More Bob Hering in Koblenz, Germany 1973.

    Attachment 429538
    Last edited by Lake X Kid; 10-06-2019 at 03:19 PM.

  12. #3969
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    Rick LaMore my hotel roommate (I should say I his) at Paris, Amsterdam & Koblenz too.

    Rick LaMore was a gentleman. I was prone to go hang with Bob Spalding in evenings away from the race course, or join Don Pruett on some of his late night outings, but not Rick.

    At the Amsterdam race, Gary Garbretch told Rick and I to stay at the canal near the hotel, in case one of the drivers arrived with mechanical issues during the race. We could not see the race course from this canal position. I did not voice my disappointment but it must of have registered on my face, because like an older brother Rick tried to console me, of us not witnessing the race.

    And then after the Bristol race in 1973. Rick and my younger brother drove a company van back to Como, Italy. And one of my high school buddies that summer came to Europe, and after the race, I told Rick to let us off in Paris (my friend wanted to see the Eiffel Tower). So in the van we hit Paris stop and go traffic, and when we could see the tower, I had Rick pull over and let us out.

    We were doing the Eurail Pass for 60 days, and after Paris, my friend and I headed to Pamplona Spain for the running of the bulls.

    Thanks Rick for the friendship. And also tolerating me, when I came back late to the Koblenz hotel room, after having found some female companionship earlier.

    Post# 3735:
    Quote Originally Posted by willabee View Post
    The man talking with Hering is the late Rick LaMore. Rick was a long time mechanic at a Pontiac dealership in Oshkosh and hung around with Jim Merten. Mert was instrumental in convincing Rick to join us at Merc Racing. He proved to be a terrific addition and went from being one of the best powerhead mechanics on the planet to special projects like the attempt at the ocean crossing record with Dr. Magoon. I really enjoyed working with Rick, he always had a positive attitude and was a 'never give up' kind of guy. He left Merc to open his own engine specialty shop in Florida catering to the 'go fast' offshore crowd. Unfortunately, he left us way too soon .

  13. #3970
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    Coming to a race prepared to race, versus the teams that are not ready. Preparedness is that relax confidence before the race, versus the teams scratching their heads with grease on their hands.
    I also witnessed Mercury coming prepared to the race site.

    Post# 3667:
    Quote Originally Posted by Rotary John View Post
    ...
    This is pretty much the story on OMC racing while I was involved. Merc came prepared, OMC did not.

  14. #3971
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    Bristol one of the best races on the European circuit.

    Bristol is going to be one of the best races on the circuit, Roy Ridgell tells Gary Garbrecht. Also in this letter to POWERBOAT, Gary mentions Bob Hering set a new World S Class Straightaway Kilometer Record on June 9th.

    In the new Picklefork Molinari, Bob averaged 118.359, and with a run bettering 121 miles per hour. This surpasses the old record held by Evinrude Scotti boat at 116.538 miles per hour.

    Let me get back to Bristol, one of my favorite race courses. I agree with Roy (my dad) and I will explain later.

    As Willabee says “to be continued.”

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    Last edited by Lake X Kid; 10-12-2019 at 09:32 AM.

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  16. #3972
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    Bristol was one of the greatest shows on water, for Hot Singles.

    Bristol was one of the greatest shows on water, for Hot Singles. It was an exciting atmosphere with spectators surrounding the bull ring. Onlookers watching raceboats not only turn left, but negotiate right-handed bends in the race course too. And there was not a bad seat —standing area— at the facility to watch a boat race. Albeit the race organizers were surprised, at the large attendance by race fans in 1973, for the 2nd annual race.


    As I remember the Cigarette Girls were there too. The Marlboro women in hot pants passing out free samples to the crowd. It must of, gave Cees vander Velden an extra race incentive, being his sponsor was in attendance. I do not remember if there were John Player Special cigarette girls in attendance too.


    One of the surprise heat races was, watching the 850 cc class race. I do not overly exaggerate, when I say, their tunnel bows were pointing near 45 degrees in the air. It was a crowd pleaser, to watch those hulls walk across the waves. And they got to showcase there performances separately, without the faster ON class boats overshadowing their show, like in Paris or Parker. A venue where each race-classes, runs in their own celebrated events.

    Click image for larger version. 

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  17. #3973
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lake X Kid View Post
    Also in this letter to POWERBOAT, Gary mentions Bob Hering set a new World S Class Straightaway Kilometer Record on June 9th.

    In the new Picklefork Molinari, Bob averaged 118.359, and with a run bettering 121 miles per hour. This surpasses the old record held by Evinrude Scotti boat at 116.538 miles per hour.
    Click image for larger version. 

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  19. #3974
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    Quote Originally Posted by willabee View Post
    Good guess, but not the source of the problem. Keep reading the story, the reason for the misfire will ultimately surface.
    Ok Willabee...Don't leave us in the dark here. Inquiring minds want to know why the Stackers were cutting out on top end ??

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  21. #3975
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    Misfire .....

    Quote Originally Posted by Bob V View Post
    Ok Willabee...Don't leave us in the dark here. Inquiring minds want to know why the Stackers were cutting out on top end ??
    Didn't mean to leave this hanging, just can't find the answer that I posted about it several years ago and I wanted to be consistent. I thought it was a few pages after the question, but I've searched and can't find it.

    The 1350 stacker powerhead on the stock 1350 dsh cut out on top end due to a harmonic vibration that came from the stacks through the rubber motor mounts. Everyone knows that simple harmonic motion is a special type of periodic motion or oscillation where the restoring force is directly proportional to the displacement and acts in the direction opposite to that of displacement. In other words, install solid mounts and your problem goes away!

    Click image for larger version. 

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