Champ XVII

[Enrico1996]

Hi Bill, what a breathtaking story . Sailing through the air for 50 meters at nearly 2 meters high must have been terrifying and absolutely beautiful at the same time. You were very lucky she landed as smooth as a duck—flying a boat into a strong headwind can easily end in a nasty flip!As a boatbuilder, I find it fascinating how well-engineered Charlie's hull design actually is. Having a proper ride pad at the stern makes all the difference on a 17-foot boat at 70+ mph. Keeping her perfectly stable without any chine walking or porpoising at those speeds proves that this isn't just a simple garage build, but a highly sophisticated high-performance hull.It's amazing that you got to experience the absolute limit of what this boat can do. It makes me even more proud to own one and to restore it.I’m more excited than ever to see the structural photos of the unmolested hull and the deck when you get around to it. Hearing how well she handles aerodynamically makes me appreciate the shape of the top deck and the hull even more.Stay safe and thanks for sharing this incredible piece of Champ history!Best regards,Enrico

 

[HelmutSheina]

I'm deaf today from running those old cross charged OMC V4 & V6s on flushers and in back-in test tanks. It is a shame that so much effort was put into two stroke development, then mostly discarded. I guess the four strokes will go down the same path. I certainly won't miss the noise.

 

[BMcF]

I'm deaf today from running those old cross charged OMC V4 & V6s on flushers and in back-in test tanks. It is a shame that so much effort was put into two stroke development, then mostly discarded. I guess the four strokes will go down the same path. I certainly won't miss the noise.

I'm fortunate to have a local vintage boat racing club; I get to hear modified 2-strokes at full song several times a year. I still have a quite a few OMC V-4s, including a 140HP that I hope to get on to the back of a vintage racing hull before I'm too old to play that game any more.
Southern Maryland Boat Club | Leonardtown, MD 20650 http://www.southernmarylandboatclub.com/

That said, the sound of the 533ci Ford V8 in my Champ XVII, with open exhaust, will be thunderous. It was pretty loud before, with the OMC V-6 in surface drive mode....but a different kind of loud.

 

[HelmutSheina]

I'm fortunate to have a local vintage boat racing club; I get to hear modified 2-strokes at full song several times a year. I still have a quite a few OMC V-4s, including a 140HP that I hope to get on to the back of a vintage racing hull before I'm too old to play that game any more.
Southern Maryland Boat Club | Leonardtown, MD 20650 http://www.southernmarylandboatclub.com/

That said, the sound of the 533ci Ford V8 in my Champ XVII, with open exhaust, will be thunderous. It was pretty loud before, with the OMC V-6 in surface drive mode....but a different kind of loud.

The club looks like a lot of fun, with a mix of ages for longevity.

There isn't much fresh water boating in Australia and outboards don't often make their vintage years. The buddha belly exhaust on the 140 cross charged V4s was a problem to seal and salt water corroded the block, seized bolts and etched journals, then the bottom rod went out the side. They didn't last long in salt.

The big Ford will be something. I never saw their big blocks much in boats, a 560 Cu In OMC branded one pushing a King Cobra SD is the only one I remember. Lots of Chevys and a few Chrysler big blocks, but they mostly went to diesel around that HP here.

One thing that makes you cry here is the sheer volume of cast iron engines salt water cooled because manufacturers made heat exchangers a very expensive extra on them.

I can't handle the roar any more with this industrial deafness and prefer 4 stroke outboards, electric & sails now. Not that I don't appreciate powerful engines, but the noise is like a knife in the ear hole.

 

[BMcF]

The club looks like a lot of fun, with a mix of ages for longevity.

There isn't much fresh water boating in Australia and outboards don't often make their vintage years. The buddha belly exhaust on the 140 cross charged V4s was a problem to seal and salt water corroded the block, seized bolts and etched journals, then the bottom rod went out the side. They didn't last long in salt.

The big Ford will be something. I never saw their big blocks much in boats, a 560 Cu In OMC branded one pushing a King Cobra SD is the only one I remember. Lots of Chevys and a few Chrysler big blocks, but they mostly went to diesel around that HP here.

One thing that makes you cry here is the sheer volume of cast iron engines salt water cooled because manufacturers made heat exchangers a very expensive extra on them.

I can't handle the roar any more with this industrial deafness and prefer 4 stroke outboards, electric & sails now. Not that I don't appreciate powerful engines, but the noise is like a knife in the ear hole.

We're all salt water here...I know the pain. ;-)

 

[HelmutSheina]

Yep, the pre mid 80s Mercs just dissolved away. We had no towers of power, they were towers of death. Then what the salt missed, newly introduced (1986) unleaded fuel finished, with that high piston deflector. Did you run any OMC V8s?

 

[BMcF]

Did you run any OMC V8s?

Nope, never did.