Racing Outboard Update Worth Reading

[reed28n]

October 23 2009

Steering committee:
Information about the Sidewinder engine project has been available on the
Racing Outboards web site (racingoutboards.com) for several years. Racing Outboards has had information and engines at the last three national meetings. We have had displays of product and literature at the last two nationals with representatives available on site to answer questions and concerns regarding the engines. Engine brochures were included in every driver packet handed out at the Grass Lake Nationals. We have been available for phone calls and have responded to our emails.

This past season we have had product competing in the “A” “B” (15SS) and the 25SS classes. Our intention was to prove to the commission that we were a good fit in those classes.

We did concentrate on improving the performance of the approved 15SS (B) engine. This was accomplished with a lot of testing primarily focusing on carburetor set up. The engine specs were not changed and contrary to some comments the engine was not plugged or altered. The time spent on the 15SS did push back our schedule for the 20 but we had a very successful introduction towards the end of the season. The engine has proven itself competitive with the existing 20 cu in Hot Rod as well as the restricted Yamato and the Mercury 25XS.

Racing Outboards was started because the owner Ron Selewach recognizes the bonds the sport creates, the growth of those who participate, and the life skills it teaches us all. Ron believes that by growing this sport we can share the unique Stock Outboard experience.

Although commitments have been made by the commission to approve the engine it is against our principals to market the engine until it has been approved. All sales to date have been to racers with the knowledge that the engine status is probationary, definitely an impediment to sales.
It is now time for the commission to approve these engines in the appropriate classes so that a marketing campaign can begin with the future growth of the Stock Outboard category as our common goal.

Edward Runne
973-713-3941

[Phil Fronce]

YES!! Well stated.

[Karls Dad]

Ed, Very well stated and the Sidewinder should become Legal for "A" class in 2010

Chris

[T Chance]

If it ain't got a recoil it ain't a stock outboard

The Champion Hot Rod never had a recoil starter. I bought a new B Stock Hot Rod 50 some years ago and you wrapped a rope around the flywheel and started it. It also came with the optional alcohol jet and an open exhaust. My opinion is that if it has a recoil it is a fishing motor not a racing motor.

[blueskyracer]

The Champion Hot Rod never had a recoil starter. I bought a new B Stock Hot Rod 50 some years ago and you wrapped a rope around the flywheel and started it. It also came with the optional alcohol jet and an open exhaust. My opinion is that if it has a recoil it is a fishing motor not a racing motor.

A fishing motor is a lot closer to stock than what we are racing with

[reed28n]

Fishing Motor

A Fishing motor would be great and we have experimented with them in the past. There was a Tohatsu 15 or 18 hp, there was a newer version of the OMC in the late 90's and even a four stroke experiment by the Mod Category. Work was done on all of these but never really got off the ground.

A major concern with the 4 stroke as built right now is the oil resevoir and what happens to that in a spill, or the what happens to the vales if the motor is dumped in the water. It could be a catastrophic failure for internal components.

Two Cycle fishing engines - due to EPA regulations for emmission standards across product lines for outboard manufacturers very few two cycle motors our size are still manufactured for sale in the USA. So, we need a special run like the Mercury which has an uncertain future procurement schedule or special permission and importing motors for other regions of the world like the Tohatsu fishing engine (Bass Tohatsu).

The Yamato Model 302 is stll in production and is still very viable but is built for racing not fishing.

The Sidewinder models allow us a race ready motor like the Yamato is race ready, built is the USA and helping us to cross many of the EPA hurdles with a racing exemption and product liability concerns of major motor manufacturers that cannot justify the risk for such a small number of sales.

Think about it if we sold one motor to every kneel down boat racer and we were able to convince each participant to buy the same model, we would sell maybe 800. OMC, Yamaha, Mercury, Tohatsu, Susuki, Kawasaki....the economies of scale do not exist to make a motor specifically for our use.

We are lucky that Yamato has such success in Japan and that leaves the rest of the void to be filled by smaller niche builders Bass Machine, Dave Scott, Konig, Sidewinder.

Let's not forget that even with the Mercury there has been a machine shop (Allen Brown) commissioned by APBA to make a conversion kit to get the power plant race ready and many of you may not know that APBA is dependent upon Racing Outboard to manufacture the gearcase for the Mercury J motor.

Fishing engines are a waning option. If a major motor manufacture had come to APBA since 1985 with a platform we would probably be racing it.

http://www.mercurymarine.com/engines...ards/index.php

check out this link and look up the index of motors available in the USA Optimax starting at 65 hp and no to cycle motor under that horse ower available.

Mercury is an outstanding motor and my family owned a dealership in the 60's and early 70's. This is an awesome motor for OPC and the pilot program APBA is doing with the turn key tunnel see class. It just isn't a secure fit for Stock into the future.

[bh/]

If it ain't got a recoil it ain't a stock outboard

Todd; -it is an historical truth that the stock Mercs,
ie; M20/30/55Hs, had at best dysfunctional recoils
The 44xs seems to have improved on that a bit.
I run electric start on my Classic Ds, not because I can't
pull them, but because I do not want to drive 5 hrs
and be stuck in the pits with a stuck recoil
Curious though, I saw a Tohatsu at a race last month with a 'balky' recoil.
The disease must be contagious across brands

SideWinder; -Eds letter makes sense and clarifys the situation.
Ron can not be expected to pour $$ into this
if a market is not defined.
But, none of us want to see any existing motor 'outlawed',
as occurred with the KG4 and M30.

[reed28n]

But, none of us want to see any existing motor 'outlawed',
as occurred with the KG4 and M30.

There has been no intent to outlaw the Hot Rod in the 15SS classes

The 20 cubic in Hot Rod, Mercury in the Now BSR Class

The Yamato 80, Yamato 302 Restricted in the BSH class

or the OMC in the A Class.

That much we learned from our past. There was a statement made by the steering comittee endorsing One Motor One Class .... but that was not the intent of the SORC the two should not be confused.

The common focus between the steering committe and the SORC is to have new motors available for as many classes as posssible. Keep the playing field level and competitive for the members. And have new equipment available for existing memebers and an easier entry for new drivers.

[reed28n]

APBA Motors for 2011

Class Permitted Motors Proposed for 2011

At the suggestion of several people, this is what the list of motors could look like for the 2011 racing season.

ASH ASR Johnson & Evinrude “A”, Sidewinder 15S

BSH Yamato 80,Yamato 302 with 7/16” restrictor, Sidewinder 20S

BSR Mercury/Mariner 25XS without carburetor restrictor, Hot Rod 20 CID, Sidewinder 20S

CSH, CSR Yamato 102 & 302

DSH, DSR Mercury Mark 55-H/Super Thunderbolt, Mercury/Mariner 44XS, Bass/Tohatsu

15SSH, 15SSR Hot Rod 15 CID, Sidewinder 15H

25SSH Mercury/25SS, Mercury/Mariner 25XS without carburetor restrictor, and Hot Rod 20 CID

None of these motors were voted on for removal, phasing out or obsoletetion...

[Cameraboy]

Renamed, not gone...

20ssh and 25ssr have become BSH and BSR respectively.

The classes fromerly known as BSH and BSR (the Hot Rod 15 classes) are now called 15ssh and 15ssr.

As a bonus, there is still a 25ssh class.

[ram95]

ya ya maintenance malpractice detected

Todd; -it is an historical truth that the stock Mercs,
ie; M20/30/55Hs, had at best dysfunctional recoils
The 44xs seems to have improved on that a bit.
I run electric start on my Classic Ds, not because I can't
pull them, but because I do not want to drive 5 hrs
and be stuck in the pits with a stuck recoil
Curious though, I saw a Tohatsu at a race last month with a 'balky' recoil.
The disease must be contagious across brands

SideWinder; -Eds letter makes sense and clarifys the situation.
Ron can not be expected to pour $$ into this
if a market is not defined.
But, none of us want to see any existing motor 'outlawed',
as occurred with the KG4 and M30.

Having been around when those "M20/30/55h's" came out I can testify that the majority of rewind failures were 'maintenance induced' (an Air Force term). Having the magneto locked in at 39-44 degrees was not what the engineers envisioned. But, compounding the mess was the mechanic who left out the spacers or washers which needed to be installed when the top cowl was mounted in place. Then, after the premature wear, induced by these oversights (ie the mechanic), the rewind would hang up or fail to work.

When Mercury (ie, Kiekhaefer Mercury) came out with the square-type top cowl in 59 for the 4 cylinder motors, they were lots easier to crank. But, still there was the 'mechanic factor' to deal with.

Now, 40years later, due to non-availability "NLA" of critical rewind parts, rewinds are seen to be a real pain in the butt. So electric starters are back in vogue.

Not on my Super T-bolt they are not!!

Alex

[ram95]

ya ya maintenance malpractice detected

Todd; -it is an historical truth that the stock Mercs,
ie; M20/30/55Hs, had at best dysfunctional recoils
The 44xs seems to have improved on that a bit.
I run electric start on my Classic Ds, not because I can't
pull them, but because I do not want to drive 5 hrs
and be stuck in the pits with a stuck recoil
Curious though, I saw a Tohatsu at a race last month with a 'balky' recoil.
The disease must be contagious across brands

SideWinder; -Eds letter makes sense and clarifys the situation.
Ron can not be expected to pour $$ into this
if a market is not defined.
But, none of us want to see any existing motor 'outlawed',
as occurred with the KG4 and M30.

Having been around when those "M20/30/55h's" came out I can testify that the majority of rewind failures were 'maintenance induced' (an Air Force term). Having the magneto locked in at 39-44 degrees was not what the engineers envisioned. But, compounding the mess was the mechanic who left out the spacers or washers which needed to be installed when the top cowl was mounted in place. Then, after the premature wear, induced by these oversights (ie the mechanic), the rewind would hang up or fail to work.

When Mercury (ie, Kiekhaefer Mercury) came out with the square-type top cowl in 59 for the 4 cylinder motors, they were lots easier to crank. But, still there was the 'mechanic factor' to deal with.

Now, 40years later, due to non-availability "NLA" of critical rewind parts, rewinds are seen to be a real pain in the butt. So electric starters are back in vogue.

Not on my Super T-bolt they are not!!

Alex