Power Products Marlin

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PaulHail

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Joined
Mar 30, 2017
Messages
357
I've looked through the old posts and haven't seen mention of this mid 80's West Coast outrigger. For those not familiar, Howard Power was the editor for the model boating column in RCModeler magazine. He also produced a fiberglass verson of the Northwind that was supposed to be an improvement and as I recall he called it the Mirage.

As I recall, the boat was a 45/67, 36" long. The tub and rear sponsons were a copy of the Octura Wing ding, the front sponson's were a copy of the Crapshooter and the front sponson supports were rectangular aluminum extrusions. Conventional for the time plywood tub with plywood over foam sponsons and a fiberglass cowl. The tub was 5" wide, engine mount was a rigid Octura and there was room between the sponsons to fit a pair of 8 oz Sullivan tanks. The front sponsons could be built with an optional tunnel on the ride surfaces.

Power products produced their own hardware featuring glass filled nylon for the strut supports, rudder support, rudder blade, and turn fin bracket with what appeared to be an Octura strut blade. The flex tube was an S bend design, but not to allow the engine crank to be mounted parallel to the tub. The S-bend allowed for the strut to be mounted 5 degrees off the boats centerline (and there was a tapered wedge included with the strut) which was supposed to account for prop walk and allow the hull to track straight without compensation from the rudder.

I built one as a teenager, and never ended up racing. As memory serves, I used an OPS 45 with OPS nitro pipe and an X-455. I never got the engine to run well with the stock carb but found the OPS 21 car engines used a cab with the same diameter stub so installed the slide valve carb and actuated it from a bellcrank. The engine ran great with the slide valve carb. Somewhere I've got some pictures I'll have to dig up and scan.

Anyone else ever build one?
 
Learned quite a bit about RC boating from Howard Power back-in-the-day (1980's). Collected most all of the Radio Control Modeler magazine (RCM) issues featuring his regular "Power Boating" column (it was the main reason I maintained an RCM subscription). I was in my early twenties. Howard was very generous about providing technical info on boat construction and engine set-up (used to talk to him on the phone all the time). One thing I remember, he always preferred controlling an engine using an elaborate (2 or 3 needle) RC carb rather than a simple exhaust throttle and venturi set-up.

Dreamed of having a Marlin, thought it was a cool-looking outrigger, (as you say) a combination/implementation of other designs. Although I built an Octura Wing Ding, and later got a Prather Piranha (which I still have). Interesting you mention the offset strut mounting position, seems very popular on many hulls back then, especially outriggers. Also port, or left-side of center, mounted rudder position. Seems the standard eventually became right-side of center (or starboard side).

Really liked Howard's Mirage mono as well. I've discovered years later that a somewhat popular (early 1980's) japanese-designed mono kit design produced by Kyosho, the "Transonic" 400, appeared to be almost a carbon-copy of the Mirage's unique shape and dimensions (may have influenced Howard's fiberglass Mirage version). I recently came across a brand-new Transonic kit.

I used Howard's fiber-filled plastic hardware on a few boats, it worked well. I still have a box of brand-new Power Products plastic hardware components.

HowardPower_OutTakesFromArticles_RCM1980's.pdf
 

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I never subscribed to RCM, but Howard's articles were my favorite part of the magazine. I wished I'd kept my old issues, they were pretty tired from all the times I'd re-read those articles. I don't recall if my parents tossed them when I went to college or what happened to them. Thanks for scanning the pictures, it brings back memories. I'd wondered why I'd chosen the OPS 45, looking at the picture I guess the answer was that's what Howard used! I tried to find my photo album but it's buried in amongst 20+ years of photos of my kids.

I didn't build the air ride front sponsons. The boat seemed to come out pretty good considering my building skills as a teenager, though I was generous in my application of epoxy and probably used twice as much as I needed. It's funny I read how outriggers are so hard to get to run right. I followed the instructions on setting up the strut depth and angle, balanced an X-455 and once I got the carb dialed in on the OPS 45 it ran straight and true.

One other interesting design feature was the inverted airfoil in the front sponson support. As I recall you were supposed to glue sq. stock to the front of the extrusion and TE stock to the rear of the extrusion and sand it to an inverted airfoil shape to create down force to keep the front of the boat planted. Another one of those features I didn't incorporate.

Just remembered another unique item. I think Howard was one of the earliest users of square drive flex cables.
 
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I'd wondered why I'd chosen the OPS 45, looking at the picture I guess the answer was that's what Howard used!
the OPS .45 was one of the most popular and successful marine engines produced. Still quite a few around, although they are becoming extinct (and not preferred). I think Howard influenced me to use the OPS .45 as well. He also used the Rossi R65 marine.
 
wow, now there's a museum piece! I almost wonder if that was Howard Power's personal boat? The address shows Pacific Grove, California (I know Howard lived in that area). But most likely built by someone else, the close-up details are a little messy (ie. funky plastic control horn fixed on the rudder, etc.,...). But definitely Marlin with Power's unique hardware package (ie. plastic injected rudder assy, strut mount, turn fin assy, etc.,...)

PowerProducts_Marlin-K&B.67_eBay-wilsul1_Feb2018_11.jpg

PowerProducts_Marlin-K&B.67_eBay-wilsul1_Feb2018_07.jpg
 
If anyone is interested I have a new in box Marlin kit that I have no plans to build. I believe it is complete other than It is missing the cowling and the rectangle sponson booms but no guarantees as it's been years since I have looked at it. It has the orginal instructions / Power Boat Magazine article and blueprint.. I've had it for years and thought I would offer it up in case someone may be interested. I believe I have the original glass filled skid fin bracket and strut hardware but I am going to need to locate them. Please send me an IM if you would be interested. I would be looking for $60 plus the shipping costs.

Thanks,

Chris

Marlina.JPG

Marlinb.JPG
 
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Chris, PM sent.

Thanks,

Steve Ball

If anyone is interested I have a new in box Marlin kit that I have no plans to build. I believe it is complete other than It is missing the cowling and the rectangle sponson booms but no guarantees as it's been years since I have looked at it. It has the orginal instructions / Power Boat Magazine article and blueprint.. I've had it for years and thought I would offer it up in case someone may be interested. I believe I have the original glass filled skid fin bracket and strut hardware but I am going to need to locate them. Please send me an IM if you would be interested. I would be looking for $60 plus the shipping costs.

Thanks,

Chris
 
wow, that's a rare find. It would be nice having a full-size copy of the original detail drawing.

I also have an original set of Power Products glass-filled hardware, including- complete rudder assy, strut w/bracket. Let me know if interested, I can post images.
 
What ever happened to Howard and Beverly Power??

I can remember having dinner at their home when we raced in seaside 1978 / 79? Really nice people......
 
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