Future of OMC A and Merc 15

[csh12M]

We love what we are seeing and our response to the National meeting and press release has been 90% positive. That said, our propesed plan was a five year pahse in plan for the Hot Rod in the A class. 2005 prototype and initial testing to finalize design. 2006 probationary with motor in full production. 2007 legal motor in the A clas with whatever tweaks are necessary to compliment the OMC and not dominate it. 2008 Evaluate current competition. 2009 Hot Rod is the dominant motor (meaning it is fast enough to win the nationals). We feel are motor will be the one that has to be handicapped to run with the OMC. Even though eliminating the OMC completely would be the best thing for the Hot Rod company that is not what we are asking for. We are willing to run with multiple motors as long as the Hot Rod is reasonably competitve. We know this will mean fewer sales initially, but we are in it for the lng haul. We hope and think that our Hot Rod A will run on your current A boat and even run your current A wheels (the gearcase being the same)

In short we are racers and have been for a long time. We will try and accomidate as many people as we can as we build the company and develop motors.

Keep your eyes posted for a gearcase pressrelease soon that will update the timeline to sales.

Later,
Dean Sutherland
American Hot Rod

[Dr. Thunder]

... and by the way the merc isn't 5 slower its 1 maybe 2. i've done the testing and i can run third against some of the best ASR in the country.

Just my opinion

chris 8m

anybody disagree with the above comment?

[D_Allen_III]

I can't argue with chris because I've seen him run that well against the ASR's, but his motor is probably the merc out there. I would say its 3-4 off, in between both of you.

Dean,
The only question I have about the statement is, how fast are you guys planing on making your A engine? You said you thought the Hot Rods would have to be slowed down, and the OMC's would still be running the current speeds. Are we going to continue with a 60 MPH+ A class, or are you guys shootin' to bring them back down in the low 50's. It's pretty much B if they are going to be that fast.

11w

[hagerl8m]

A motors

Sorry if i hit a nerve with anyone when i called the omc a piece of crap. but my question to those who disagree with this statement is this, why is it that when a new racer brings me his motor that he/she has just bought from anther racer the motor is illegal when i take it apart. I have two newer racers in my area that are running my motors so they are legal, a third racer bought three before he got a legal one. who like a 3 year phaze out work after the hot rod becomes a legal motor? would that scare away new races or not, someone let me know. BTW Mike my hot have come apart once in the past two years, and that was because i won the marathon nationals and i put it back together and ran competitive all season, my father hasn't done anything to his motor in two years, except maybe rings once. and if you look at the numbers on his block and case they will read that little build that motor 5th out of the shop, seems to me like he has it figured out and i have learned alot from him, so to let everyone know don and chris hagerl are now doing hotrod work.

chris hagerl

also merc 15 and some omc 15

[kws]

Are we going to continue with a 60 MPH+ A class, or are you guys shootin' to bring them back down in the low 50's. It's pretty much B if they are going to be that fast.

11w[/QUOTE]
very good question
but isnt it one the should be addessed thru boat design since that is how the speeds got where they are now? its the same motor isnt it?

[D_Allen_III]

yeah some of it is probably boat design, but the blue printing, plugging the billy hole, etc... has increased the stock speed a great deal as well.

[kws]

not to cause an uproar but it used to be J then A
now there is J ASX then A why not leave it at 60 ish since there is a new class in between them anyway
how many B racers are there now?

[hagerl8m]

[QUOTE=kws]not to cause an uproar but it used to be J then A
now there is J ASX then A why not leave it at 60 ish since there is a new class in between them anyway

The Axs classes were designed to be a steping stone between J and the A classes and a place for new drivers to get there start, if they were small enough to get into an A size boat. The reason this was really created was the speed of the current A classes, i was at the lunch were the idea was thought up and i was at the meeting were half of the commision said that there didn't need to be an age limit, but thats a different subject. 60 miles and hour is way to fast for the class that was made as an Novice class. the other problem with a class that is as competitive as the a classes is that at 60 more accidents happen, i can get the number on accidents in the class and i can tell you about how fast the class was going in that year. Speaking of speeds i believe that the J classes are going to fast also, the new three blades are slowing them down some but there needs to be more steps taking.

BSR 36 drivers
BSH 30 drivers

chris 8m

[Steve Wilde]

Butchered OMC A's

I believe that the OMC people made an extraordinary effort to keep their new engines stock, but a few years later the SORC started to cave under pressure from members that argued that it was "too hard to police" or that "everybody does it". Soon it was impossible to find a decent used engine. Chopping on parts uses up more engines than than all the wear and all the flips combined.
The AHR people have a unique opportunity to 'design in' inspection aids that could keep the new engines stock for a long time, hopefully they can get some good advice from industry veterans. It's up to the drivers to insist that the SORC keep the engines stock.

[kws]

[QUOTE=hagerl8m]

not to cause an uproar but it used to be J then A
now there is J ASX then A why not leave it at 60 ish since there is a new class in between them anyway

The Axs classes were designed to be a steping stone between J and the A classes and a place for new drivers to get there start, if they were small enough to get into an A size boat. The reason this was really created was the speed of the current A classes, i was at the lunch were the idea was thought up and i was at the meeting were half of the commision said that there didn't need to be an age limit, but thats a different subject. 60 miles and hour is way to fast for the class that was made as an Novice class. the other problem with a class that is as competitive as the a classes is that at 60 more accidents happen, i can get the number on accidents in the class and i can tell you about how fast the class was going in that year. Speaking of speeds i believe that the J classes are going to fast also, the new three blades are slowing them down some but there needs to be more steps taking.

BSR 36 drivers
BSH 30 drivers

chris 8m

thank you as i was wondering about the b's because at the 2 races in region 7 i attended last fall i believe that none ran
on the A thing: first and foremost i dont want anyone to think that i am trying argue with them on this subject just trying to exchange thoughts . with that said here goes lol:
if A had gotten to fast and tweaky . then the a's should of been slowed down. instead it was decided to add a class in between,that seems to say that the speeds and tweakyness are ok just not for the younger drivers, hence the asx class so why slow the A's now after the fact.unless the asx class is really just for mercury to have an A class for their motors to be competitive in?

[kws]

no takers on that thought i quess

[sam]

Might be because you were right.

[ryan_4z]

The AXS class was not originally created to be a Novice A class. The reason it was created was to find a place to put the Merc were it could be competitive. It has since become a long neede Novice A class. The need for a novice class actually as very little to do with the speed of the A class. It has more to do with the competitivness. There is a lot of hard driving and racing in the A class, and a lot of seasoned veterans. It's really not the place for new drivers and kids just out of J. The AXS class was actually created before there were any problems with A stock. These problems did not arise, for the most part, until this past season. Again, the rule change made for ASH this year has very little to do with the speed. It is a handling issue. Actually at full throttle there should be little to no problem. But it is when you back off of the throttle, especially in rough water, when this setup becomes dangerous.

[kws]

if that is true why all the referances to SINGLE BOAT wrecks when they are running BY THEMSELVES ? ....(Keylard at depue ((twice ?))to name one)
none of the crashes used as examples were novices


as far as novices go, i dont buy that at all. due to the fact that i can run any class that i buy the equipment for. ( no one is required to start J or asx if they are too old for J)
A few new racers in reigion seven did very well and did it safely in D stock & D mod. no offense intended but the point is thats why rookies run in the back untill they PROVE themselves to the basicly everyone ( i think this is one of the best rules in the book)

besides i was referancing Chris 8m 's comment above (please reread his post he said he was at the meeting ) i believe him cause i think had he been wrong it would of been pointed out VERY QUICKLY here lol

[ryan_4z]

if that is true why all the referances to SINGLE BOAT wrecks when they are running BY THEMSELVES ? ....(Keylard at depue ((twice ?))to name one)
none of the crashes used as examples were novices

Because that is what happens, thats why this is a problem. When you back off of the throttle, the nose drops very quickly, but the back of the boat is still being driven up, therefore leaving the driver very little control.

as far as novices go, i dont buy that at all. due to the fact that i can run any class that i buy the equipment for. ( no one is required to start J or asx if they are too old for J)
A few new racers in reigion seven did very well and did it safely in D stock & D mod. no offense intended but the point is thats why rookies run in the back untill they PROVE themselves to the basicly everyone ( i think this is one of the best rules in the book)

You are absolutley right, you can start in any class you want. But to many new racers quit the sport within a couple of years because they can't win. It is tough to win in A stock. ASH is probably the second most competitive class in Stock Outboard. The AXS class allows them to have a place to race where they can learn, and win. So that they don't get discouraged and quit.

besides i was referancing Chris 8m 's comment above (please reread his post he said he was at the meeting ) i believe him cause i think had he been wrong it would of been pointed out VERY QUICKLY here lol

Frankly I don't care what meeting he was at, my father is currently on the commission, and was then. I would have pointed it out VERY QUICKLY had I seen your post when you originally made it.