Tweet
[QUOTE=hydroracer25;139487]Dan,
What leadership are you talking about? APBA, SORC, MORC, PORC, NBRA, AOF, local clubs or are you just talking in generalities? Who are the masses? If the masses want to rise up then they should get involved with their local club, or region or sanctioning body and become integrally involved. Having an open forum or a "live chat" on HR or HRTV is not realistic and is NOT the "masses" by a long shot. H3ll, many of the people complain don't even race.
Everyone is b!tching about engines being "obsoleted" and "eliminated" and to my knowledge that is not the case. True the Y302 or 102 will not be able to race in 5 classes, but they will still have a few to race in. Should they ever have been allowed to race in 5 classes? The OMC or Y80 is not being eliminated or replaced by the Sidewinder either.
You also talk about cost and wouldn't it be easier to build adopt a "universal" Lower unit / mid-section. Here are a few examples that provide some comparisons on cost:
Mercury (APBA J): $3695 (w/ racing gearcase), $220 shipping, ~$100 to shape gearcase, ~$300 (for someone like G Stillwill to "tune") = $4315 ($2158 / cylinder)
Sidewinder 15: ~ $4500 ($2250 / cylinder)
Bass "D": No idea on their cost, but guessing $6000+ ($2000+ / cylinder)
GRM 125: $5970 ($5970 / cylinder)
GRM 250: $8250 ($4125 / cylinder)
GRM 350: $9670 ($3223 / cylinder)
Our OMC "A" we bought in 1985 cost about $1750 (dealer discount) if I not mistaken. With a 3.0% increase compounded annually for 25 years (ie. 2010) the price would be about $3665. If it were 3.5% it would be $4135.
So explain to me how a 4-stroke fishing engine (which it appears like 2 of the 4 in your pictures were) is going to be less costly to convert to a "racing" engine. Not to mention it is a "4-stroke". 4-strokes may be an option in OPC with bigger boats, but in Stock Outboard it won't work.
My point here is that the prices per cylinder on the Sidewinder on a per cylinder basis are not out of line and are in fact close to the price of a "J" engine that has the "stock / fishing-pleasure powerhead with racing lower unit" you suggest.
I have as much invested in 4 Y102s and 4 Y80s as just about anyone and as much as I like them and want them to continue to run, if the parts become scarce you can't continue to have them as the only option if you want to attract new members. The Sidewinder is a great thing for SO racing and once they get them worked out a little more and people start to compete well or win with them, they will be purchased.
Mark[/QU
Konny 500 or 700 are about $5,000.00 plus shipping also varies with the dollar and EURO They are ncurrently developing 350 will be less than 500-700
What leadership are you talking about? APBA, SORC, MORC, PORC, NBRA, AOF, local clubs or are you just talking in generalities? Who are the masses? If the masses want to rise up then they should get involved with their local club, or region or sanctioning body and become integrally involved. Having an open forum or a "live chat" on HR or HRTV is not realistic and is NOT the "masses" by a long shot. H3ll, many of the people complain don't even race.
Everyone is b!tching about engines being "obsoleted" and "eliminated" and to my knowledge that is not the case. True the Y302 or 102 will not be able to race in 5 classes, but they will still have a few to race in. Should they ever have been allowed to race in 5 classes? The OMC or Y80 is not being eliminated or replaced by the Sidewinder either.
You also talk about cost and wouldn't it be easier to build adopt a "universal" Lower unit / mid-section. Here are a few examples that provide some comparisons on cost:
Mercury (APBA J): $3695 (w/ racing gearcase), $220 shipping, ~$100 to shape gearcase, ~$300 (for someone like G Stillwill to "tune") = $4315 ($2158 / cylinder)
Sidewinder 15: ~ $4500 ($2250 / cylinder)
Bass "D": No idea on their cost, but guessing $6000+ ($2000+ / cylinder)
GRM 125: $5970 ($5970 / cylinder)
GRM 250: $8250 ($4125 / cylinder)
GRM 350: $9670 ($3223 / cylinder)
Our OMC "A" we bought in 1985 cost about $1750 (dealer discount) if I not mistaken. With a 3.0% increase compounded annually for 25 years (ie. 2010) the price would be about $3665. If it were 3.5% it would be $4135.
So explain to me how a 4-stroke fishing engine (which it appears like 2 of the 4 in your pictures were) is going to be less costly to convert to a "racing" engine. Not to mention it is a "4-stroke". 4-strokes may be an option in OPC with bigger boats, but in Stock Outboard it won't work.
My point here is that the prices per cylinder on the Sidewinder on a per cylinder basis are not out of line and are in fact close to the price of a "J" engine that has the "stock / fishing-pleasure powerhead with racing lower unit" you suggest.
I have as much invested in 4 Y102s and 4 Y80s as just about anyone and as much as I like them and want them to continue to run, if the parts become scarce you can't continue to have them as the only option if you want to attract new members. The Sidewinder is a great thing for SO racing and once they get them worked out a little more and people start to compete well or win with them, they will be purchased.
Mark[/QU
Konny 500 or 700 are about $5,000.00 plus shipping also varies with the dollar and EURO They are ncurrently developing 350 will be less than 500-700
Comment