Mercury Through The Years...

**powerabout** · 09-10-2016, 11:16 PM

Originally Posted by Dave Strong

Merc tried that, did not fly.

Dave

It did go very well but the cost at the time said they cant market it.
Those dynamics will be different now.
So we missed out on years of prop development.
Can you imagine a sob with no steering torque

**bernie** · 09-11-2016, 08:24 AM

love to see that idea come back

Biggest problem with the Chickenhawk (Blackhawk) drive was the dedicated boat bottom - any builder using it had t modify a mold for it to run it - plus it had a bit of a tendency to spin out if I remember right.

**Mark75H** · 09-11-2016, 09:21 AM

The prototype outboard Blackhawk wasn't just dual prop like the others. What made it more expensive and radical as an engineering design was the 2 SPEED SHIFT

**AZMIDLYF** · 09-11-2016, 09:42 PM

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**powerabout** · 09-11-2016, 09:49 PM

may as well have a 2 speed if you add a gearbox as best way probably to use a planetary.
Blackhawk already had shift in the top box.

What was required from the hull other then mount the drive high enough?

**AZMIDLYF** · 09-11-2016, 10:18 PM

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**AZMIDLYF** · 09-11-2016, 10:20 PM

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**AZMIDLYF** · 09-11-2016, 10:27 PM

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**bernie** · 09-13-2016, 08:23 AM

Going through files last night - I think these belong on this thread.

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**lilabner** · 09-13-2016, 08:34 AM

Originally Posted by Mark75H

The prototype outboard Blackhawk wasn't just dual prop like the others. What made it more expensive and radical as an engineering design was the 2 SPEED SHIFT

You can ask Brett May about it, he probably has more seat time than anyone testing it at Lake X. Mercury hired him to do just that.