Facts about Evinrude/Johnson racing outboards made my OMC

[Instigator]

In my humble opinion, tunnel boat racing has never been done properly.

Add the motor politics to that…, it only survives until a/the factory pulls the plug.

I still have a dozen or so races on VHS.
Half are commented by a guy thats never seen a tunnel boat in person.
No idea about lift, C. of G., acceleration vs top end.

The racers in the crowd know.
First time spectators??
No clue.

We need cameras around the course.
I know, that ship has sailed.

Best on board video i ever saw was, Mr Bill.
You could hear the motor (screaming its guts out!), see the tach (very rare) and see through the wind screen.

May have even been testing buy didnt matter.
He was driving the wheels off of it, around the outside!!!

Run that 30 sec clip, once an hr before the race, overhead to crowd, then hand a mic to somone that knew what the hell they were watching!

IMO, cannot involve motor co’s cuz we want rednecks in the stands arguing about Merc Vs, OMC, Yammi, etc.

If its just Merc against Merc, it will only be us.
Same as its always been.

Im building a V-6 OMC looper for a customer (when i get off my ass!) for the F-150 class of tunnel boat racing.

Pretty cool grass roots class.
Attempting at fairness amongst breeds.

I think the tunnel boats popularity (if it ever was one) peaked in the seventies..As a very good friend of the Seebold's I hate to write this but all the work they put in to the 2021 Havasu race a few weeks ago..the race did not get a big crowd..

[Lake X Kid]

In my humble opinion, tunnel boat racing has never been done properly.
...
We need cameras around the course.
I know, that ship has sailed.

Best on board video i ever saw was, Mr Bill.
You could hear the motor (screaming its guts out!), see the tach (very rare) and see through the wind screen.
.

I have for years been hoping the film crews would film near the water's surface, near the turn buoy and inside the race course. And get the perspective of a Tunnel Boat diving into the corner, and pulling G's, and then accelerating out of the corners.
Cornering is one of the premier achievements of Tunnel Outboards, and sets it apart from other motorsports, and needs to showcased on TV.

[Instigator]

That has been my attitude from day one.

Load the commentaor in a 2 seater and do a couple laps ��

[lars strom]

My friend Bo Nilsson's letters from Dieter Schulze when he purchased a new UIM SE class cat 1972. Cost complete without engine $925.00..

[lars strom]

Bo Nilsson in his UIM SE class Schulze..you can see me in the spray in the background.

[Noah Burns]

they use to do that. hell even one of the guys from top gear took laps with Billy years ago, one of the best tunnel boat videos I've ever seen because you can tell he is blown away at what the boat is capable of.

That has been my attitude from day one.

Load the commentaor in a 2 seater and do a couple laps ��

[lars strom]

There was also a JPS 2 seater with Johnson V6 power. I think this is from Lago di Como.

OMC used plenty of different two seaters..before and after races to promote events.

[lars strom]

Roger Jenkins taking press people on a ride in his Velden/Carlsberg Beer/Evinrude V6 2 seater at the OMC racing headquarter in Bruges, Belgium

More 2 seaters..

[lars strom]

OMC hired Pro One 1985 and they did a fantastic job promoting the F1-V8 racing same year but could not sign up long time big sponsors.

https://svera.se/blogg/pro-one-the-u...promotor-1985/

[lars strom]

The Dream Start for F1-V8 racing 1985. Munich, Germany Pro One´s first event..

Full report with result by Rosalind Nott, Powerboat & Waterskiing.


https://svera.se/blogg/f1-v8/the-dre...s-first-event/

[lars strom]

Even the "Zumba Queen" have been onboard..

https://svera.se/blogg/carina-in-a-f1-champ-boat-with-mr-bill-1996/

[Mark Poole ModVP]

The IOGP series was well run and had a good spectator following. Early on, River Race Augusta packed the river banks with paying spectators. I completely agree about the Mod-VP class. I can tell you for a fact that a big chunk of the people that attended those races came to watch that class. Brand warfare...between boat brands. People could relate to that.

The hottest single? That would be Mr. Bill at Bristol 1982. What he pulled off at that race was a true feat in the world of motorsports.

[lars strom]

Cees Van Der Velden took the cameraman onboard to a different level 1983...(well its a female)

[lars strom]

Another picture of the first OMC V8 built in the sixties.

[largecar91]

Old school "Go Pro"