55h foot on 44xs

[randyrap]

I agree, I ran a Merc in Marathons last year and had a bit of trouble with it mainly the foot. I'm retiring the Merc to lake racing with a Yamoto foot. It was cheaper to put a maintenance free Yamato foot on it than rebuild the D foot. Also I won't have to spend an hour servicing the merc foot after every outing at the local lake. In the meantime I got a 302 for the marathons and now won't be the only boat in my class in region 11. Now if they, APBA, want to let the Mercs in with Yamato feet I'll bring the Merc back to TopO'. Highly unlikely I'm sure.
kk

This brings up an excellent point. Why not allow the Yamato lower units to run on Mercs? This year, the Canadian Boating Federation is allowing Yamato lower units to be run on 55h engines that compete in the D Classic Hydro class.

[bh/]

I would apprecuate some one sending me an e-msg explaining what design elements of the 44xs boot are inferior to the 55H boot. It should be the opposite, and in my limited experince in stock, the 44xs boot will run higher.

This bolt on adaptation of a 302 boot to a 55H was available for $550, but I do not think he made any money at that price. $750 woud be more
reasonable.

[sam]

This bolt on adaptation of a 302 boot to a 55H was available for $550, but I do not think he made any money at that price. $750 woud be more
reasonable.

Brian, who made that?

[brian]

Bob D.from GA.

[jeff55v]

I would apprecuate some one sending me an e-msg explaining what design elements of the 44xs boot are inferior to the 55H boot. It should be the opposite, and in my limited experince in stock, the 44xs boot will run higher.

My understanding of the problem with the 44xs gearcase is this: When Merc made the 44xs unit, they used a different casting method than the 55H unit. To save money, Merc used a method called "lost foam casting". This method produced a lot of variation in outcome. Some units were very good and straight. Others were junk. What do you do with a unit that has the skeg cast onto the housing crooked?

Add: Does that adapted 302 unit have a water pump? What gear ratio does it have?

[bh/]

Jeff; -in other words there are good ones and bad ones
I only have one, and it runs better at 1/2" than any of my OEM 55H boots. Maybe my next one will be hairy! I do see though that my cone nut does not line up well with the rear of the case.

The current 102/302 boots come as one tooth under with 16mm shafts
D size props can be bushed down to 16mm but the shear pin locaton must be changed.
No water pump on this adaptation. A spacer plate was used to assist rerouting the water back to the up-tube.
Looks good though. I think some one could make a few $$$ supplying these at $750. One option could be a skeg welded up to 44xs specs.
But of course, none of this would be in keeping with the ideals of stock racing.

[Dave M]

Great...

After three or four years of trying I decided to do something different with my 55H unit, oh well. GO figure it gets passed. To little to late.

Glad it finally actually made it to the table and then it passed. Should help some.

It only takes 4 years for common sense to prevail...... good grief.

[reed28n]

gear case

No memebrs requested this to be on the agenda, but after Alan made his presentation Mike Ross offered it from the floor.