Facts about Evinrude/Johnson racing outboards made my OMC

[lars strom]

Renato Molinari’s last/final F1-V8 Race 1985.
Yes this is from Renatos final F1-V8 race 1985. He left the F1-V8 series as a driver for Offshore racing 1986.
Bertil Wik in the #12 Hodges/Evinrude V8, next boat is #2 Arthur Mostert in his Velden racing/Johnson V8 and Renato in his #18 Molinari/Dole/Evinrude V8.
Not sure about the Nordica boat. Barrie Woods or Kicco Vidoli is my best guess. This is from Idroscalo, Milano.
Thanks Oliver Keuth‎ for a very good picture.

Renato in Milan 1985.

[lars strom]

Tuff 24 Evinrude G2.

[lars strom]

40 years ago today. September 11 1978.
Yes, that's me in the #29 Molinari/Saffa/Johnson V6 RS racing for Team Molinari in Milan, Italy

[lars strom]

[lars strom]

[AZMIDLYF]

[lars strom]

Evinrude

Storms brewin'. When power is needed, make sure you have the right equipment to get the job done and get out!

[AZMIDLYF]

[lars strom]

Roy Cooper / Fast on Water in England are charing many of my FaceBooks posts to their page.
I enjoy that but make same other people upset..

[lars strom]

A few examples..

[WaterZebra]

A few examples..

I never made the transition to hydraulic / power steering from drum / cable but I had heard that hydraulic / power steering took some getting used to because there was hardly any "feel" to it versus drum /cable which needed human muscle power. I had heard stories that the first drivers to try hydraulic / power steering would tend to "over steer", hook and barrel roll because you couldn't "feel" the load on the boat setting up for the turns. Kinda like going from conventional aircraft flight controls to fly-by-wire. Yeah, like anybody in OPC racing could afford simulators? (LOL). Cees was ahead of his time..........clearly the right thing to do with V8 power. Todays' big outboards have the option of joystick steering...............

[lars strom]

Thanks Eric Olson

[Instigator]

I never made the transition to hydraulic / power steering from drum / cable but I had heard that hydraulic / power steering took some getting used to because there was hardly any "feel" to it versus drum /cable which needed human muscle power. I had heard stories that the first drivers to try hydraulic / power steering would tend to "over steer", hook and barrel roll because you couldn't "feel" the load on the boat setting up for the turns. Kinda like going from conventional aircraft flight controls to fly-by-wire. Yeah, like anybody in OPC racing could afford simulators? (LOL). Cees was ahead of his time..........clearly the right thing to do with V8 power. Todays' big outboards have the option of joystick steering...............

To me, looking at the attitude of boat, port sponson, spray on it, angle of motor......., there is no dispute of the baddest of the bad in O/B oval course racing.

The loading on that hull, at that point, would be off the charts.

[powerabout]

electric assist helm is the go these days, still have your drum and cable

[lars strom]

Thanks Kent Andersen