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I am offering my Mercury KG9 H for sale. This engine ran the 1950 Albany - NY marathon. It belonged to a racer from New Jersey. The power head was rebuilt and never run since rebuilt. Been sitting on a rack for many years now and need to make room in the shop. Asking $1900.00 for the complete engine. Contact Bob
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Bob do you know what make boat the engine was on during the 1950 Albany to New York Marathon? Skip -
Skip, tried to Reply and got a mail failure. The boat was a runabout of course but don't know the make. The engine had 44J on the boat which back then was Johnny Corvell who ran the race. I did try to contact him but heard he moved out west and have had no luck.Comment
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John moved to Arizona, Scottsdale, & sad to say that he passed away a few years ago. Not sure about him racing the Albany to NYC marathon with that engine as he ran his BU Sid-Craft & with the 30 minutes delay before the big boats started he almost won overall only to be passed by Bob Switzer within view of the finish line. I have a picture of his fuel stop in Poughkeepskie where I was reaching out to grab his boat as he over shot the dock. I believe that this was 1950/1951Originally posted by Bob Rusnak View Post
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Thanks John, I did try to confirm this but the engine did belong to John. Some of the information I got from Dick O'Dea years ago. I tried to find some pictures of him using the engine but unable to find any. I spoke with both Vic Scott and Gib Peterman about John years ago and Vic seem to remember him running the KG9 in the event and thought it was 1950 or 1951. I did buy Vic's SR Johnson that was sitting in Wes Jones cellar. Gib and I went to Wes's house to pick it up. Doug Bindrim bought that engine from me and I believe he still has it. I am trying to finish a few Loopers and keep moving this KG9 and the MK 40 around, need the room so some of these engines have to go. The 44 Looper I am working on could run again, needs the cylinders bored and 4 new pistons made. Don't know who could do this but if I sell some motors I may spend that money on the 44 Looper. Would love to fire it up again. Bob N-96Last edited by Bob Rusnak; 12-16-2017, 08:01 AM. -
Bob, in regard to your 44 Looper, Steve Litzell has done all of my Quincy Looper engine work (for the ones that I could not do myself). He has done 20ci, 30ci, and 44ci Loopers for myself with new pistons for some. He has done sleeves and will need to do sleeves for a 40ci Looper he has from me. Hope this helps.
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Bob,
I don't believe he ever ran a "D" Runabout. The Covals, John's father, brother Alex & John all had apartments above their Mercury dealership on RT 17 in Hasbroughk Heights, NJ. . They were good friends & our dealer of choice for merc parts. My first hydro, a Jacoby was Johns that we borrowed for my very first race & hit a 30 gallon barrel bouy & damaged the boat. My dad talked them in to selling it to me. We then had Pop fix it. John became friendly with Hadley of Mass. who built the flying saucer looking 4 point hydros. He ran A & B on the smaller boat & the KG9H on the bigger boat. It was a very bad handling boat. At Harvey's :Lake in PA he took a nasty flip & broke his back. He quit hydros thereafter. I have a picture somewhere of that boat & even spoke with John before he passed about it. My previous comment about his BU & the Albany to NY marathon was remarkable & even documented in the Mercury video of the marathon. I might know someone who I think would be interested in the motor. I need to search for his e-mail.
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Thanks for the reply, I know when I got the engine I had no idea where it came from. When I took it apart I saw the 44J stamped on the block. This started me on the search for the owner. The APBA number led me to John Corvell. So the plot thickens, did John race this engine? Up until now from talking to several old time racers, gave me the story. Any way, the KG9 is for sale and it is a great piece of our racing history. I will pass this information to any one that has an interest in this engine. I know when I took it apart I found fresh grease on all the needle bearings and assembly oil on everything. Brand new unseated piston rings. This is what preserved all the internal parts. By the way, what ever happened to the C Looper you ran. I remember it was a real good runner.
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This is some really cool boat racing history. Marathon racing was a really big deal back then. I can’t imagine racing from Albany to New York. That is about 150 Miles.... Correct?
Approximately how long did it take on the average?
Thanks guys.sigpic
Dean F. Hobart
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Yes, Dean, Albany and New York City are 150 miles apart. Poughkeepsie, on the east bank of the Hudson, as John mentioned, is right at the halfway mark. Alden Merrick of Albany entered a 14-foot Raveau with a brand-new 1950 Evinrude Big Four (50-hp) in 1950 and I think won overall.
I met Alden in the middle 1950s during my teenage summers in the 1000 Islands. He had a summer house at the head of Murray Island. He and his wife used to travel the 4 miles to Clayton, on the mainland, for groceries in that Raveau at about 44 mph.
''That's my water-ski setup,'' Alden once quipped. ''My racing setup goes 48 on the Keller. You know, when the 6-cylinder Mercurys first came out, some guy with a new one challenged me to a run out on the River. I played him for awhile, then opened my ol' Evinrude up and just walked away from him.''
So you can figure out the driving time for that marathon: 3 hours plus.Last edited by dwhitford; 12-17-2017, 07:57 AM.
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Dwhitford,
Thank you for that great history. Cool stuff.sigpic
Dean F. Hobart
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dwhitford,
That's real cool river history right there! I still spend my summers on grindstone island right next to Murray isle. When I was a kid I'd run best runs in my 14' Starcraft Carlson with a 100 merc tower and two blade between Murray isle and Grenell isle. Times don't change. Still a kid at heart. I hit that corner and open up my donzi and do 75 down that strip like I'm 14 years old! What a great playground!!!
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