Briggs and Stratton and Mini Most

[YankeeRacing]

We want a Mini most and Briggs 5 hp for our ganddaughter. (See Highlands Outboard Post), that you will be running in Lake Placid.
Where do I get the plans and where do I buy the motors?
I was surprised at the cost of the boat, ($100???)
Is there a particular motor number that you ask for?
How fast do you think these will go?
Connie and Terry

[Abbott Racing]

there is a minimost website on that same post. It has free plans to download.

We have one with a 7HP Johnson fishing motor on it and it is a blast to play with on non-racing weekends.

Check out the website and download some plans. Also the price quoted for materials is for regular plywood not marine and the glue was the plastic resin not epoxy......

[aojesus]

Rookie Class

Good Evening,

This idea is really catching on! There is a great deal of interest.
Special thanks to Bob Abbott for all of the leg work a few years ago!

The plans are available free, and one site even has updated plans.
The Briggs motor can be found at briggs & stratton's web site. It is 5 HP.

We will start building the first one next week and will post pictures.
We are also ironing out the details of class structure very soon.

Thanks again Bob for the leg work!

Russw

[3autility]

Minimost

I had a Minimost in the 60s that I ran with a KG7 with the fishing lower unit and occasionally with a KG7H. They are great boats.I ran about 38MPH with the stock KG7 and as a kid had a ball. I would recommend that anyone looking for a good fun and staple boat build one of these and not the Minimax.
There is a picture on Skip Hagerman's site of me in the 60s with the boat under Reader's Projects and my name (Chuck Webster)
Good luck and build one of these boats!!

[David_L6]

Link to the picture Chuck referred to.

http://www.infoblvd.net/sah/chuck_webster9.html

[aojesus]

our thoughts

Here is what Carl and I have been discussing,.....

We wanted a cheap introductory class for kids where they could try our sport without spending loads of money. We chose the minimost because of the stability of the hull as well as the cost to build. It should be a very level playing field with one hull and one motor to choose from. Boat and motor will be stock except for allowing the addition of a cowl to the boat and a beefier board to mount the steering wheel. We will follow safety rules and recommendations of A.O.F.

Briggs and Stratton outboards can be found for as little as $600 at some dealers.

This could be a great class for kids to learn the art of clock starts as well as boat handling.

We will try to keep you updated as things progress!

RussW

[DeanFHobart]

Speed...

Connie and Terry,

I didn't realize Briggs and Stratton was making outboard motors... Cool.

I would guess that if you built the transom height so the cavitation plate is even with the bottom of the boat it would run about 20 mph. Obviously the intention is safety and not how fast you can get it to run. Sounds like a cool idea for a starter "race boat". And, the "Minimost" is a better design than the "Minimax" since the "Minimost" has angled chines.

I think the original JSR's (JU's) in the 50's with the Mercury Mark 5's would run 20-25 mph.

Best of luck.

[ftamanko]

Briggs Outboard

Here is a link

http://www.briggsandstratton.com/dis...sp?docid=76403

[aojesus]

info

We will be updating the Rookie class info on our Highlands Outboard Association web site very soon. We are at... http://web.tampabay.rr.com/aojesus/rookie.html
This could be a great opportunity to introduce new families to our sport!
Thanks,
RussW

[PopPop]

Minimost

This is exactly what APBA need to get kids started. A single "J" class nationwide that they can afford and run around at home as well as at the races. At 12 years let them run AXR AXH. After that A. Think about it. Very few kids, other than the children of established racers every get started.

[DougMc]

Highlands Owning/Renting Mini Most Rigs

Have you considered Highlands/AOF having someone building 4 or 5 Mini Mosts and buying motors, gear, etc., which would be owned by Highlands/AOF? The rigs could be rented or loaned to kids who show up to a race. Give them a taste and get them hooked. After a couple of races, the child and the parents would know if they like the sport. If so, they could dive in and build their own and buy their own motor, gear, etc. Where would Highlands store the rental/loan rigs and who would maintain them? No clue.

This approach can, and does, work, just ask those who saw a similar program in action such as Ralph Donald, John Stevens, Gary and Eric Pugh, or me. I was station with the US Army Berlin Brigade in Berlin, Germany from 1988-1990. The late Hans Krage and Dieter Konig had such a program, but with Yamato 80s and 102s. The program was called the "MRC Youth Group" for German youths, and one adopted American GI who consumed most of the beer they foolishly left laying around (you gotta love an 18 year old GI turned loose in Berlin, Germany - no drinking age), from ages 14 or so to 21 or so. Most of the MRC boats were older 125CCH or 250CCH hulls donated to the MRC. I don't know how or who paid for the Yamatos. Hans Krage had a storage area where he kept the boats and motors. The Youth Group used to meet each Saturday, not to race, but to work on the boats and motors. If you showed up most Saturdays and pulled your weight by personally working on what you broke, you got to race on race day. Some of those in the Youth Group went on to buy their own rigs and move into other classes later on.

Just a thought Highlands/AOF should consider.


PS I would like to publically apologize for my Army buddies and me destroying the Konig's pool in 1989 during Peter's birthday party.

PSS If Highlands/AOF adopts such a program be sure to lock you door on any GIs who show up at a birthday party with bottles of Jack.

PSSS Peter Konig, if you read this shoot me an e-mail.

[aojesus]

boats

Good evening Doug,

I fully agree with the concept you are talking about. Not sure about liability,
and that kind of fun crap. It is worth looking into. Alot of us got into this sport by racers loaning equipment. I am very thankful for those guys!
I will be building at least 2 minimost hulls in January and I plan on cutting enough extra parts to build a few more.
Carl and his son are working on a possible motor program.

I really believe this could be a great opportunity to help our sport grow as well as give kids an option besides getting into trouble.

I will continue to update our progress on the Highland Outbard website.

Do we dare ask how you broke the pool?

Thanks
RussW

[Bill Huson]

RE - buncha boats

Many moons ago I built a long, six boat trailer with the intention of dragging a half dozen boats to a race and use them as "loaner" boats. At the time the APBA single event fee was $50, so at the national meeting I got up with the woman who handles the numbers (forgot her name) and proposed a bargain price fee to cover six boats for the weekend. No deal.

Would it work? Yes indeed. Around that era me'n my son were loaning our A rigs out and the informal "rent-a-driver" landed several new drivers who went out and got their own stuff. Loaner boats and starter boats WORK! In a few short years the Region 4 outboard driver count doubled! Might have been better if APBA had rolled over and offered a discount single event fee for the dream 6-boat traveling driver recruitment rig.

Can someone on this thread post the link to MiniMost plans?

[aojesus]

links

Minimost plans are at http://www.minimost.com
There are also some great pictures at http://www.nwsca.com/minimost/john_pics2/

I really believe if enough people support this venture it could a huge success!

Thanks for your intrest.

RussW

[aojesus]

motor testing

Just got home from the local Briggs dealer. Ordered 2 motors for my kids.
If I have the boats done this week we will be testing the motors on Saturday.
Very curious to see the speeds and stability.

Hope to have pictures in a week or so!

Russ W