Rotary outboard

[DrunkenSailor]

https://www.boatingmag.com/worlds-first-rotary-combustion-powered-outboard-racing-engine/

This article got me thinking what if. Mazda has gotten as much as 700 horsepower out of the rotary they put in the lemans car. Obviously not a consumer motor but a 300 horse rotary weighing under 350lbs could be that motor that would make the small tunnel guys smile. Not sure if they could make it pass emission standards but I still think there is some potential here for something fun.

 

[sintax]

It would totally be cool, but from anyones whos been around performance rotary's would tell you.. you better like working on them, and plan on buying apex seals in bulk =)

 

[lbhsbz]

Evinrude did it back in the day I believe...didn’t work. Probably not enough grunt on the bottom end.

 

[wallnutz]

Evinrude did it back in the day I believe...didn’t work. Probably not enough grunt on the bottom end.

Yep no torque

 

[Universal Elements]

Thirsty too, rotaries drink fuel when souped up

 

[old rigger]

Harry and Debbie Christensen (Advantage boats) have a daughter and her husband had (he may still, I don't know) a business in the the old Fiberglass Concepts building where he installed rotary engines on outboard lower units and in buggies too. He said the outboards hauled ass but I never saw one run. This was 20+ years ago too.

 

[wallnutz]

Harry and Debbie Christensen (Advantage boats) have a daughter and her husband had (he may still, I don't know) a business in the the old Fiberglass Concepts building where he installed rotary engines on outboard lower units and in buggies too. He said the outboards hauled ass but I never saw one run. This was 20+ years ago too.

That’s Mike at Redline.

 

[old rigger]

That’s Mike at Redline.

Is he still in the old shop?
Still married to Jennifer? She use to babysit our son a little back when he was a just a baby. He's 32 now.

 

[wallnutz]

Is he still in the old shop?
Still married to Jennifer? She use to babysit our son a little back when he was a just a baby. He's 32 now.

Yes still married to Jenifer, their shop is in Corona off of Lakeveiw. He builds some pretty bad ass motors.

 

[old rigger]

He must have moved. The old shop is off Lakeview on Eisenhower Cr, but that's Anaheim over there.

Glad to hear they're still married, she was a sweetheart.

 

[wallnutz]

He must have moved. The old shop is off Lakeview on Eisenhower Cr, but that's Anaheim over there.

Glad to hear they're still married, she was a sweetheart.

Maybe Anaheim Hills, but that sounds right. Actually I’m pretty sure, I was just there about two months ago.

 

[Ziggy]

Rotary rpm's are insane.

 

[old rigger]

Maybe Anaheim Hills, but that sounds right. Actually I’m pretty sure, I was just there about two months ago.

Across the street are the old Advantage Boat's buildings, one directly across and the other across the parking lot from that one. Of course it all started in Mikes shop when Harry had it.

Lotta boat shops on that street back in the day.

 

[Dana757]

Redline builds my engines. They are still on Lakewood in Anaheim. Have a second shop down the street. And yes, still married as well.
This is what you see when you walk in the front door.

 

[monkeyswrench]

Many years ago there was a buggy at Glamis with an outboard 2stroke mated to a vw swing axle mid-engine...fast, sounded weird

I like rotary motors, pound for pound, they do pretty good. Gas guzzling, 10,000rpm, chainsaws

 

[robert1050]

Many years ago there was a buggy at Glamis with an outboard 2stroke mated to a vw swing axle mid-engine...fast, sounded weird

I like rotary motors, pound for pound, they do pretty good. Gas guzzling, 10,000rpm, chainsaws

I knew the guy with 2-stroke outboard motor at Glamis. It was a 2.5 Merc and sounded wicked as hell. He had major cooling issues and tried a bunch of different radiator and fan set-ups. Money wasn't really an problem, his dad was a senior research electrical engineer that worked for Hughes Aircraft. They were both rocket engineers, real rocket engineers.

 

[old rigger]

View attachment 775640 View attachment 775641 Redline builds my engines. They are still on Lakewood in Anaheim. Have a second shop down the street. And yes, still married as well.
This is what you see when you walk in the front door.

I still have video footage of Harry’s big crash in his original K. I’m sure it’s online somewhere.

 

[Riverbottom]

I still have video footage of Harry’s big crash in his original K. I’m sure it’s online somewhere.

I went to almost every race with Glen Ward and the Christensen's. We caravanned all over the west with the Comp Jets and the K boat. I wore out two new crew cab trucks in four years. Harry was real lucky when it came to crashes. Worst thing I can remember was his broken jaw being wired shut. Circle boat racing in the 80's was lots of fun.

 

[old rigger]

I went to almost every race with Glen Ward and the Christensen's. We caravanned all over the west with the Comp Jets and the K boat. I wore out two new crew cab trucks in four years. Harry was real lucky when it came to crashes. Worst thing I can remember was his broken jaw being wired shut. Circle boat racing in the 80's was lots of fun.

We probably crossed paths when I was GM there.
Glen had great stories from his drag racing days.

 

[Riverbottom]

We probably crossed paths when I was GM there.
Glen had great stories from his drag racing days.

Yes, I was in and out of the Fiberglass Concepts building a lot. I did a lot of paint work for Harry and Glen, had a auto body shop in Santa Ana at the time.

 

[Blackmagic94]

Rotary sucks balls


Apex seals be leaking yo

 

[old rigger]

Yes, I was in and out of the Fiberglass Concepts building a lot. I did a lot of paint work for Harry and Glen, had a auto body shop in Santa Ana at the time.

You paint all the scoops?

 

[STV_Keith]

https://www.boatingmag.com/worlds-first-rotary-combustion-powered-outboard-racing-engine/

This article got me thinking what if. Mazda has gotten as much as 700 horsepower out of the rotary they put in the lemans car. Obviously not a consumer motor but a 300 horse rotary weighing under 350lbs could be that motor that would make the small tunnel guys smile. Not sure if they could make it pass emission standards but I still think there is some potential here for something fun.

Pretty sure the rotary died because Merc had it outlawed in racing...it was whooping their butts bad. 300hp in a 350# package is basically what the old 2.5 motor was. Hard to beat that.

 

[monkeyswrench]

Anybody have a pic, or 20, of a rotary powered outboard? In any state of completion? The lack of torque on a naturally aspirated 13B sucks, but adding a small turbo really helped them out. Add a big turbo, some bigger ports...and yes, bigger carbon apex seals, and they flat move. Making them quieter isn't easy though.

 

[twocents]

Watched OMC debut their rotary creation at the Parker 9-Hour in 1973. Two tunnels - one with Jimbo McConnell in the seat, the other boat could have been Johnnie Sanders or Tom Posey. It was OMC's plan to embarrass Mercury on the opening lap, and Jimbo did -- he was a good 120+mph and then some. I don't think OMC anticipated running for the full 9-Hours, they just wanted to show their speed, but they probably wished it had lasted longer than two laps. Never saw the rotary again in the U.S. after that.

 

[lbhsbz]

Some significant history of the OMC rotary here:

http://www.boatracingfacts.com/foru...s-4-Rotor-Wankel-Racing-Engine-The-Real-Story

 

[STV_Keith]

Anybody have a pic, or 20, of a rotary powered outboard?

There's a bunch over here too: http://www.boatracingfacts.com/foru...s-4-Rotor-Wankel-Racing-Engine-The-Real-Story

 

[KingofBeers]

View attachment 775846 View attachment 775847

There's a bunch over here too: http://www.boatracingfacts.com/foru...s-4-Rotor-Wankel-Racing-Engine-The-Real-Story

What a cool read!

 

[Ouderkirk]

Yep no torque

And THAT was OMC's whole claim to fame. The 99.5 ci V4 had much more torque that the 99.5 ci in-line 6 cyl that Merc was producing at the same time.

The OMC would beat the pants of the Merc off the line, but eventually the Merc would chase the OMC down and pass easily.