motor performance - 1990's vs now

[Mike Daly]

Hi Guy's : Sorry for the basic questions but I have been out of the sport for over 17years and trying to come back up to speed on what has changed.

It is apparent that todays motors are producing much more power than what I ran in the mid 90's

[OPS,Picco,Nova Rossi and K&B]

Gas motors aside

Are todays motor's turning more RPM'S,Higher piched props...What should I expect ?

could someone elaborate please

Thanks - Mike

 

[Andy Brown]

The biggest difference since 17 years ago is that they are race ready or nearly race ready out of the box today. 17 years ago they needed more pre-run preperation and modification.

The real big difference is from some of CMB's engines as they have learned a little over the last 12 years how high nitro boat engines need to be built.

We run faster today, but it is a combination of all of the componants that have improved a little.

Easy proof that the old engines are just as fast as the new engines is the Video of Charlie Silers 'Evil Twin' here on I/W. He has a new Eagle SGX Twin with mildly tuned OPS 90's. While the engines are new, nothing has been changed about them by OPS in 25 years and they were orginally designed 30 years ago. Charlies Twin has already run 87 mph and will get faster with a little more tune time.

To answer your question, "Are todays motor's turning more RPM'S,Higher piched props...What should I expect?" It could be one or the other or both. We ran some pretty big props years ago. I ran a cut 1465 on my 1977 Pinkert Gator 40 with an 8.5" pipe, and a cut 1457 on my K&B 3.5 powered Gator 20. Ran a 1467 and a 1667 on my 1977 Rossi 65 powered Gator. Today we are running similar props at higher rpm or sometimes smaller props at very high rpm. Today's engines will tolerate higher rpm than many of the engines of 25 years ago.

 

[Mike Daly]

Thank You for your answer,Andy

I just realized that my questions have been pretty vague and there are probably not too many folks reading this that ran boats back then.

Back in the day I used to have my engines gone over by a gentleman from florida, A.T .Wright of A+B hobbies .

I still have a couple of Picco 90's that he did for me to run in a twin Mongoose,been thinking for dusting the old stuff off for next year now that there is a active pond in my area .

Andy you build some beautiful gear !

Thanks again -Mike

 

[Dasboatman]

Hey Mike,

If you lived through A. T. Wright, you are good to go. I miss the old Navy Machinist Mate - Har, Har !!! You're also going to notice that CMB is making the only current 67 & larger, 45s from CMB, AA, and Picco, and Nova Rossi, quite a few 3.5s being built - CMB, AA, NR.

Your going to see a decrease in Nitro boats and an increase in Gas and electric.

Andy is not giving you info from 17 years ago. 1977 was 35 years ago, running solid shafts in ball bearings - Har, Har!!! Some of us are revisiting that yet again.. Come to think about it, I was still running an OPS 67 in Scale, and K&B 45 in Sport 40 in 1996. I still have some K&B 6.5s around the house, Andy.

Gawd, are we getting old. Har, Har, Har !!! CHEERS !!! Bob

 

[Andy Brown]

Hey Mike,

If you lived through A. T. Wright, you are good to go. I miss the old Navy Machinist Mate - Har, Har !!! You're also going to notice that CMB is making the only current 67 & larger, 45s from CMB, AA, and Picco, and Nova Rossi, quite a few 3.5s being built - CMB, AA, NR.

Your going to see a decrease in Nitro boats and an increase in Gas and electric.

Andy is not giving you info from 17 years ago. 1977 was 35 years ago, running solid shafts in ball bearings - Har, Har!!! Some of us are revisiting that yet again.. Come to think about it, I was still running an OPS 67 in Scale, and K&B 45 in Sport 40 in 1996. I still have some K&B 6.5s around the house, Andy.

Gawd, are we getting old. Har, Har, Har !!! CHEERS !!! Bob

Thanks Mike,

A.T. Wright was a great guy and engine man. We miss him.

That Picco 90 / Twin Mongoose combination won it's share of Twin races.

Yes Bob, it's kinda hard for me to compare 17 years ago, because 17 years ago my heat race set ups were going just as fast as everyone is going now.

1992 Internats, set an F hyrdo (Twin) SAW record @ 90 mph with my heat race set up. (20 years ago)

1993 Internats, set the E (.67) hydro SAW record @ 86 mph with my heat race set up. (19 years ago)

1994 Internats, won B (.21) hydro with a 77 mph pass (one way passes were over the record) with my heat race set up. (18 years ago)

1997 internats, won D (.45) hydro SAW @ 82 mph with my heat race set up. (15 years ago)

1997 ran over 100 mph with a CMB 45 in my 45 SG race boat. (15 years ago)

Boat and engines used:

Twin 90 Eagle - Picco 90 Hydro, MACS 15 cc pipes, props - ABC 67 X 114 ~ Raced with those props.

67 Eagle - Picco 67 EXR Disc version. Picco 67 pipe, prop - cut down ABC 65 X 110 ~ Raced with same prop but less cup.

21 Eagle - Picco 21 EXR, Picco 21 EXR pipe, prop - ABC S-15 ~ and yes I did heat race with that prop.

45 Eagle SG _ Picco 45 EXR Silver head ( 4 port ) Modified CMB pipe, Prop - V955/3 ~ Raced with that prop.

Fuel was 60%. .21 boat used 70%

Welcome back Mike! And yes, dust off the old stuff. A great place to get warmed up again. Replace it as needed at a later date.

 

[Mike Daly]

Hey Bob :I remember A.T.telling me about testing in a drainage pond near him and having the boat die,he waded out to about chest deep standing on a rock and was just about to reach it with his radio antenna....the rock moved !

Yes a lot has changed,no one is even running 1/8 scale or sport 40 here in New York...as long as they dont change the flying start to assigned lanes like they did with the Unlimiteds

I was digging out my stuff and i just ran across a 6.5 K+B ,I know I still have a Gator 60 stuffing box with bearing still in the package .

Thanks for the word -Mike

 

[Eric Canto]

I am glad to see A.T. finally getting some of the credit he deserved. He truly tried to help boaters run better and more consistently. He was a genuinely nice man. I miss him greatly.

Eric