Briggs and Stratton and Mini Most

[aojesus]

class update

Here is the updated/rules structure for the Rookie & Advanced Rookie classes.....

1)Boat will be built from the 8' Mini-Most plans available on-line.
Allowable changes to the hull will be addition of a cowling, and
the installation of a more substantial steering board for mounting
the steering wheel. Higher cockpit sides will also be allowed. (minimost is apparently prone to slight swamping when coming to a stop)

2)Motor will be Briggs & Stratton 5 HP with stock tower and prop.
Motor must remain stock. A kill switch with tether must be used. Other allowable additions to the motor are a steering bar and engine mounted gas tank.

3)ROOKIE CLASS Age will be 6-11 years old.
The purpose of this class is to introduce kids and their families to an affordable racing program, as well as give the kids a stable low speed place to learn boat racing fundamentals.

4) ADVANCED ROOKIE CLASS Age will be 11-15 years old.
This class serves the same purpose as Rookie Class. Advanced Rookie class allows the rev-limiting ignition to be altered for more speed.

The Local Briggs & Stratton/Husqvarna dealer here in Brooksville Florida, Tim & Charlene Amsler of AMSLER'S INC, will be doing research and testing with us this month to help iron out any issues with the motor. Tim will also be helping us with the ignition upgrade program for the Advanced Rookie motor. Thank You Tim & Charlene Amsler!

There seems to be a great deal of support for these classes! I am getting many great e-mails. Please give us your input!

Thanks,
mailto:russw@tampabay.rr.com

[14-H]

5HP Briggs Engine

This is a really cool idea. Just a week ago, I was looking over the Briggs website at their various engines. Interestingly, the Briggs 5hp is an 11 cu.in. engine. Thus, if the rev-limiter is taken off, it ought to go quite a bit quicker than you'd expect for a 5hp. Mercury's 5 hp four cycle engine, for comparison, is only 8 cu.in.. Mercury's is also three times the price. MSRP on the Briggs is $695.00. For the Merc it is $2100.00 or so.

[Bill Huson]

Minimosters - get freindly with go-carters!

On second thought - bilge that idea. In one night a go-carter would have that Briggs screaming, and on an 8' boat - YEESH!

[FL47F]

I remember a guy in the 60's in S Florida, can't remember his name, ran the entire Gold Coast Marathon in a minimost with a 9.8 merc. I believe it was over a hundred miles, 50 up and 50 back the next day. I always wanted a rig like that but wound up in racing instead.

Will any be ready by Lake Placid! Keep us posted!!!

[aojesus]

Karting and minimost

Funny you should mention kart racing
In the mid 90's I spent a few years racing the Pro-Kart series on oval and road course!
There is much to bring to the table!

As far as Lake Placid, My (my kid's) motors should be here within a week. My kids are on evening 2 of their project. Tansom is built, framing is built, bottom is done. We have to add a few stringers and the deck and sides. We hope to have at least one in Lake Placid.

RussW

[bh/]

Demo ?

Russ; -this may be rushing u a bit , but there is a big AOMC meet up in Old Town, on the Suwanne River, JAN13-15. A demo on the SAT would be great. This meet attracts a lot of racers.
PS; Doug Overbury's daughter Emily started out in a MM/Mk7 a few years back. She ran JSH/AXSH this year, and got the CBF rookie award. The early cockpit time showed.

[aojesus]

Demo

Hey Brian,

Tonight was night 3 of our minimost building project. We came to a screeeeching halt! Seems transoms need to have compound agles cut in them I always skipped geometry class in school so I could go fishin'
Had to have my friend come over and show me how to figure out the angles.
We should have our first one done sometime this Saturday but I am not sure if we will have the briggs motor all ready for the following weekend. I do have a KF7 with fishing tower set up with steering bar and throttle stuff.

Also, my hydro should be arriving in Cresent City that weekend and will have to pick it up. It made the journey from 1000 Islands to Mass. and will head south next week. I will have to keep you posted!

RussW

[Bill Huson]

tsk tsk tsk . . .

Skipped geometry, eh? That had me reaching for my meter sick. As a former math teacher I sentence you to a knuckle rap and three after-school lessons in simple geometry.

[3autility]

MiniMost

When I had my MiniMost in the 60s I took off the steering wheel set up because it stuck up too far in the air and put a board from the two cross members and drilled a hole to accomodate the steering wheel. This worked fine because you could get lower in the boat when you were running. It also looked cooler and more like a "real" race boat. What do I know, I was a kid at the time. The steering pulley on my wheel fit nicely under the deck.
Give it a try.
Chuck Webster

[aojesus]

class update

We have been contacted by a few people that want to run the minimost class but don't want to spend the money on a Briggs motor until they are sure the kids will really like boat racing.(They already have other brands of 5HP fishing motors) Carl and I talked about possible options and came up with the following addition to the class structure....

For 2006, any stock fishing motor 5HP or less can run with the Briggs & Stratton minomost kids. Our main objective is to put safe boats and motors on the course that don't cost a fortune so the kids can have fun and learn.
We have vowed to leave all "politics and other agendas" out of this class. We don't want to exclude anyone.

Thanks,
RussW

[les]

Qmost

My neighbors gonna hate this...

[wdlong1226]

nice motor

is that a two man mini most. looks like it will do close to 40 with that motor. back in the day my buddy use to run one of them on a runabout. they sounded so sweet coming down for the start.

[Abbott Racing]

Russ, when Doug and I proposed the class a few years back, the rules were drafted that made any motor under 10hp legal. The motors had to be stock, with the original fishing prop (no trick stainless etc......) the motors had to have a kill switch that was attached to the driver. There were some other safety rules like steel cable had to be used, and the drivers had to wear safety gear.

Out aim was to get groups like the boy scouts, Big Brothers, etc... involved to make the boats project type activities. We were going to supply the plans free with a club membership. We were also going to inculde contact information of a local racer who could volunteer to provide coaching etc.... during the build and testing.

I think this is a great initiative, simply because it is inexpensive, and if they don't like racing they can still safely play with the boat at the cottage etc.....

[AOFoffice]

Another aspect of this class is that it will be non-competitive. The kids might not realize this, but our goal is to teach a kid "about" racing before he/she begins "racing." All of the kids will be winners.
AOF does this in our Novice class (Y80 with restrictor for ages 9-99). (Anyone who wants to go slow and do it safely). Everyone is a winner. No parents of old guys out there who want to beat the pants of the others at all and every cost.
We will keep points in the Mini Most class as we do in the Novice...by name only. all will get a trophy from AOF at the end of the year declaring them the champion.
Well, they are, aren't they?
Connie

[aojesus]

amen

Another aspect of this class is that it will be non-competitive. The kids might not realize this, but our goal is to teach a kid "about" racing before he/she begins "racing." All of the kids will be winners.
AOF does this in our Novice class (Y80 with restrictor for ages 9-99). (Anyone who wants to go slow and do it safely). Everyone is a winner. No parents of old guys out there who want to beat the pants of the others at all and every cost.
We will keep points in the Mini Most class as we do in the Novice...by name only. all will get a trophy from AOF at the end of the year declaring them the champion.
Well, they are, aren't they?
Connie

You have described it perfectly! This is a "Training Camp" for future racers!
Learn the fundementals in a safe environment.

Thanks for everyones input and feedback. Please keep it coming!
Also, Thank You AOF for allowing this to happen!

RussW