25SSH Class

[DeanFHobart]

All good points. On the West coast, 25SSH and 25SSR died out when the Mercury Challenge ended.

The Mercury Challenge started in 1986......... When did it end?

[ronronx]

Also, an old thread shows the first National Champ in 1973. Was that also the year the class started or did it have a few years to ramp up before a champ was crowned.

[Matt Dagostino]

I believe 1991 was the last year??

[Team B&H]

The 25 SS was started by several racers using 22 cubic inch production OMC and Mercury motors mounted on A-B Merc tower housing/lower units. Mercury motors used representative specs but the specs OMC submitted allowed for a significant decrease in CCs from as-manufactured engines to gain an advantage. There was a famous confrontation at the ensuing national meeting where Ron Anderson, who worked for Mercury Racing at the time, demanded that the SORC disallow the use of the OMC powerheads on Merc gearcases or Mercury would drop support for any and all Stock Racing engines and parts. While the OMC was the better set up on the homemade stuff, they never were as dominant on the newly mandated Hot Rod tower/gearcases. Some of the homemade OMC combinations also exploited dry exhaust housings long before people plugged OMC A motors and thought it was a new idea. In 1973 Mercury developed and sold a complete motor/gearcase so the class popularity grew with an available, competetive motor. In a short time the OMC motor was eliminated. The 25 SS Merc motor had some modest improvements over time until the 25 XS motor was introduced. Initially it was just a new powerhead with cowls and adapter plate so it used the old, tall 25 SS towerhousing. It was intended to only be slightly faster than the 25SS motor but since it was larger and loop-scavenged, a restrictor plate was part of the conversion. The complete short-shaft 25 XS motor was introduced in 1986 along with the 44XS and the Merc Challenge series as well as the OMC A and 45 SS motors. Some drivers continued to use the 25 XS on the longer tower housings so they could use the same boat & props to run BSH with either a 20-H Merc or the B Hot Rod but as the people figured out the XS, the short version became universal.

[ronronx]

Thanks everyone for the responses and the history. Very much appreciated. I was a kid back then, my dad was getting out of racing and the memory for a kid can be quite sketchy. Here is one comment I do remember: 25SSH will replace B-Stock.

Was that ever the intent, or is that just the ramblings of a 10 year old over hearing conversations in the pits?

Thanks again,
Ron McMurphy

[Moon child]

While this is a thread about 25ssh it is hard to reply on why the 25ssh class declined in numbers. It wasn't long ago that we had a full field of boats running in New England. The local decline was just a matter of people getting out of racing all together. As a whole we have seen a huge decline in the sport of boat racing. CMR, DSH, DSR, BSR, and many other classes fail to run at many of the races due to low numbers. While the J community is getting stronger and 300 Hydro has taken off we should see this begin to build many of the classes as drivers grow into their class of choice.

[ricochet112]

The Mercury Challenge started in 1986......... When did it end?

1991-1992, I think

[DeanFHobart]

1991-1992, I think

Thanks Mike.

[3autility]

I stopped racing 25 SSH after they 25XS came out which meant I would have needed an new boat and the new motor. All of which was beyond my ability to pay at that time in the late 80s. It was a shame, since I enjoyed running the 25SSH class. I still have the motor, but have gone to the classic stuff, which I can run at some AOMCI meets.

[ronronx]

Its been a while but in the time since I started this thread a few things have changed, mainly my kids found a 25 Hydro hanging in a shed and now it is ours and it is a very solid boat. Not sure what we are going to do with it yet but for now I may just build up the transom and run a yamato on it for fun but we may change our minds but that raises a few questions.

1. What would the approximate transom height be for a 25xs motor?
2. If any are available, what would I expect to pay for one?
3. Are there any available?
4. If I were able to put this thing together, would anyone in R-10 be willing to come out and run periodically?
Addition:
5. About how much does a 25XS motor weigh?

Anyone? Anyone? Beuller? Anyone?

Best Regards,
Ron McMurphy

[Adams52R]

Ron,
The Adams have a 25XS rig that is ready to go anytime. We will also have the sidewinder available for 25ss next year. I'd like to see this class come back. We need something else to run besides yamatos.
52R

[Fastjack]

I checked and our 25 SSH has a 12 inch transom-Jack had used the boat in 300 Hydro with a slip on spacer .I have purchased and sold Merc 25 XS motors for $ 2500- 3500. over the years . We have never had a gear case failure and have had one broken rod bolt in the 12 years of racing - Power head parts are all available - I have been given several fishing motors for free just by checking the scrap piles of local marinas.Blocks can be plated and E bay has pages of parts- Mercury still has fishing motor parts available and a few aftermarket suppliers are out there if you do your homework.

[25xs]

FastJack knows the 25XS engine well and has taught me much of what I know about it. The engines are plentiful online and at the repair shops for used parts and new parts are available as well. Mercury Performance Products sold second to last 25XS in in Louisiana in1992 and the very last 25XS was sold in South Carolina on March 14, 1995 (I owned them both until recently and both were late model design cowlings with Nikasil blocks and upgraded crankcase fronts, aluminum one-piece lower engine pan and side mounted throttle bracket).

The efforts of a group in the 2000's to reproduce "new" 25XS engines was nothing short of a miracle to me since I like this engine so much and I really think the U.S. economic downturn had everything to do with the demise of those efforts. I think if the 25XS gearcase housings were reproduced today, there would be 10 or 15 more complete engines back on the water.

It's pretty easy to use the search function on this site to go way back and see where the I.A.I. Performance, Olson Aluminum Castings, ScottCraft Boats/A.I.M. Outboard Recycling stepped up to reproduce the most difficult parts to build a 25XS from a stock fishing engine. The gearcase housings weren't pursued because Palmquists still had several NOS to sell, but I think enough parts were produced to build 10 to 20 brand new engines. There were several other players who made individual parts and did machine work that I haven't mentioned.

I sure would like to see another push to make more of the tuner/adapter plate, exhaust housing, throttle bracket, and gearcase for the 25XS.

[ronronx]

Thanks for the replies everyone. Very good and helpful info from all. One last thing though, about what does a 25xs motor weigh. The boat we now have is very heavy.

Thank you,
Ron M.

[Rocket]

I might have a boat for that 25 motor

[ronronx]

Thanks skeet but it is just the opposite. We have the boat but are tentatively looking for a motor. Like i said, don't know for sure what we will do but everything is on the table.
Cheers mate and thanks,
Ron

[ZUL8TR]

Thanks skeet but it is just the opposite. We have the boat but are tentatively looking for a motor. Like i said, don't know for sure what we will do but everything is on the table.
Cheers mate and thanks,
Ron

See your PM

[25xs]

image_39625.jpg image_39626.jpg The 1985 Mercury Hi Performance brochure listed the 25XS at 85 lbs. This was the original "longshaft" version 25XS where a 1984/85 Mercury 25hp fishing powerhead was adapted to the older Mercury 25SS "hydro short" racing tower & gearcase.

Late model 9" exhaust tower 25XS engine weighs 80 lbs with steering bars & kickout bracket.

The reproduction 25XS engines from 2000's were likely back to 85 lbs using an aluminum lower engine pan, and heavier (lever latch, not the cam latch) cowling.

The following year, the Mercury 25XS and the Mercury 44XS were reintroduced with the same, 9inch (very short) exhaust tower, swivel bracket & clamp assembly. The swivel & clamps were adapted from the 25hp fishing engine. The exhaust tower casting is the same between the 25XS & 44XS although it's machined differently at the bottom to accept either the D or A/B/C size gearcase. The adapter/tuner plates were obviously different between the two.

1985 25XS brochure.JPG

[ronronx]

Thanks to all who have responded and messaged me. I will call you back but still not sure what to do moving forward as yet but I will call. Like J Adams stated, one of the coolest motors ever and I agree.