Facts about Evinrude/Johnson racing outboards made my OMC

[2us70]

Attachment 393203

Picture courtesy of Instigator

I saw a couple of these boats raced. One I recall with a Chrysler.

[lars strom]

President Ronald Reagan’s son Mike and boat racing..Yes..!!!

Mike Reagan is a big boat racing fan and he use to race Offshore..
“Assault on the Mississippi”1982.
Well he also raced with my Italian friend Angelo Vassena in Key West 1982 ..
Angelo was his co-pilot.

Mike raced a Wellcraft Scarab with 3 X Evinrude F1-V 8 High Performance engines.
Here is more from Powerboat Magazine 1982..
but first pictures of Angelo Vassena/Mike Reagan in Key west.


(Yes.. Mikes Dad is still my favorite US President)

http://svera.se/blogg/offshore/president-ronald-reagans-son-mike-and-boat-racing-yes/

[John Schubert]

John, what was your impression of this boat?

Sam,

It seemed OK testing in the canal but the photographer kept asking for one more wave jump. I did 2. I told him "no" these boats weren't meant for that. At the time I was driving V-4/Molinarini's so this was quite a come down. No set up or prop changes other then how Hal rigged the boat. BTW I lived in Florida at the time & Hal was a family friend in addition to having raced with us out of NJ

[tgsearay]

Is that a Honda generator towards the stern of that boat? Why would they need that?

[lars strom]

Well..the F1-V8 powerhead did not have a good alternator to charge large on board batteries.
I am guessing the extra Honda generator was on board for charging all of the extra stuff you don't need on a F1-V8 tunnel boat.

[lars strom]

A mix of picture from Paris/Como in the early seventies.

[BUZZIN' DOZEN]

Is that a Honda generator towards the stern of that boat? Why would they need that?

Well..the F1-V8 powerhead did not have a good alternator to charge large on board batteries.
I am guessing the extra Honda generator was on board for charging all of the extra stuff you don't need on a F1-V8 tunnel boat.

It was to power the night time running lights

[lars strom]

Carina is ready for Saturday morning Zumba.. Marathon Coach at Motorcoach Resort at St. Lucie West.

[Instigator]

Lars, this is a friends toy. He used to drag race it but last I heard it had been in storage for many yrs.

I once asked him about not running it more often and his comment to me was, "every time I drive that thing it tries to eat me!".
Hull is a very early, one of the first as I recall, STV Pro Comp w/the sprint bottom which is basically a vee w/tiny sponsons. Designed for a 200 hp 2.4 Merc.

It is VERY light. I'd guess low 500's. You lay your hand on the deck and it flexes.

Ive ridden in it (sitting on the gas tank) a couple times. Last time out, water was very rough from wakes and he only had short patches of clean water.
Only functional gauge was the digital tach. Watching over his shoulder I watched it go from 6500 to 8500 in what seemed like a 100'!
I ran it through the prop calculator and came up with 127.

Boat was on radar at 141 20 yrs ago.

Evil, might be a fair description.

[lars strom]

Thanks Instigator,

I have seen this STV in the cyber world a few times but did know the history.
I can ad its the 1984 model of F1-V8 powerhead because the exhaust manifold is the newer style (see red X)
One more thing..OMC told us to never use a filter like the red arrow is pointed at in the last picture. I could restrict fuel and not good when you have oil mixed fuel.

[lars strom]

Probably the best racing class ever.
Close racing, fast enough and plenty of boats.
Very few bad accidents.
OMC supplied most of the reliable engines to a very reasonable price.
OMC Service truck at the races with parts and props.

[2us70]

What did it cost to run one of those boats?

[lars strom]

What did it cost to run one of those boats?

Well I don't remember the cost but here is my experience from 1990/91.

1990 me and my brother Lennart raced together in the Formula 3 class with a two boat team we named The Champ's.
The cost was reasonable and the support from OMC was very good.
This is Lennarts #21 Burgess/Evinrude F3 boat from 1990 below and our race truck.



Lennart won the F3 World title that year and was ready for the 2 liter Mercury class.
We purchased a new Burgess and a new Merc 2 liter engine from Mercury Racing.
Everything was rigged brand new and help from the very best like Gert Lowisin and others.
At the first testing in Sweden the powerhead blow up. Pistons and block destroyed.
We talked to Mercury racing and there was a problem with pistons at that time but no warranty. We where forced to purchase a new powerhead and took delivery at Lennarts first Merc 2 liter race in Chalon, France in the fall of 1990.
This picture below is Lennart in his #21 Burgess/Mercury Racing 2 liter in Chalon, France 1990



Well..Mercury helped installing the new powerhead and Lennart went out testing.
A few laps in to the race Lennart was towed back and the new powerhead was destroyed. Block and pistons again
Yes its me to the left in the picture below looking at the blown Merc 2 liter powerhead in Chalon, France 1990.




No help from Mercury racing and we purchased during the 1991 season eleven sets of pistons from Mercury racing. (66) and never really finished a race. (piston problems)
After the 1991 season I pulled out of the deal with Lennart to race the Merc 2 liter class. I guess later Mercury Racing fixed the issue with bad pistons but to late for Lennarts success in the Merc 2 liter class.

[lars strom]

Well I don't remember the cost but here is my experience from 1990/91.

1990 me and my brother Lennart raced together in the Formula 3 class with a two boat team we named The Champ's.
The cost was reasonable and the support from OMC was very good.
This is Lennarts #21 Burgess/Remonten/Evinrude F3 boat from 1990 below and our race truck.



Lennart won the F3 World title that year and was ready for the 2 liter Mercury class.
We purchased a new Burgess and a new Merc 2 liter engine from Mercury Racing.
Everything was rigged brand new and help from the very best like Gert Lowisin and others.
At the first testing in Sweden the powerhead blow up. Pistons and block destroyed.
We talked to Mercury racing and there was a problem with pistons at that time but no warranty. We where forced to purchase a new powerhead and took delivery at Lennarts first Merc 2 liter race in Chalon, France in the fall of 1990.
This picture below is Lennart in his #21 Burgess/Remonten/Mercury Racing 2 liter in Chalon, France 1990



Well..Mercury helped installing the new powerhead and Lennart went out testing.
A few laps in to the race Lennart was towed back and the new powerhead was destroyed. Block and pistons again
Yes its me to the left in the picture below looking at the blown Merc 2 liter powerhead in Chalon, France 1990.




No help from Mercury racing and we purchased during the 1991 season eleven sets of pistons from Mercury racing. (66) and never really finished a race. (piston problems)
After the 1991 season I pulled out of the deal with Lennart to race the Merc 2 liter class. I guess later Mercury Racing fixed the issue with bad pistons but to late for Lennarts success in the Merc 2 liter class.

From Svera.se

A few pictures from Chalon, France 1990.

Chalon, France 1990 UIM F1-2liter..mixed pictures.

http://svera.se/blogg/chalon-france-...ixed-pictures/

Lennart Strom #21 Burgess/Remonten/Merc 2 liter, Craig Bailey, Peter Eriksson, and more. Is boat #55 Kay Marshall.

[2us70]

Looks like even F3 was out of reach for regular guys like myself. If you don't remember what it cost you were probably not paying for it.