1000 hydro

[Bob Rusnak]

Found some more pictured for the past racing years. I was always fond of the big hi-hp alky's. I just love the brute power of "F" Konigs and the sounds of the Quincy's. The first picture is of my brand new Pugh Hydroplane at Lakland Fl. This was the first time it would be put on the a race course. It was powered be a "F" Konig built by Dick O'Dea. It was a real animal, so much low end torque. With all this power you could muscle your way around the course. At that time we ran "Grand Prix" outboard which was anything up to 1100 cc. We wired the pipes in the up position as we never needed to pull them. This engine is long gone now sorry to say. Tha second picture is our 1100 Runabout taken in Hartford Conn. in 1978. It was a Quincy 75 H running on alcohol. It was a great reliable engine and only missed one heat due to a broken prop. We later ran the Konig on the runabout as it was faster.

[Mark75H]

Cool! Hope you can dig up more of these pictures! :)

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Bob, was that an 850cc Konig that you ran in the "F" class? Also did you run a 15:16 or 1:1 lower unit?

[Bob Rusnak]

The engine from what I remember started out as a 48.ci Konig. It was one of those backwards powerheads. Dick O'Dea replaced the sleeves with smaller bore ones, I believe it came out to 42 ci. He felt the smaller bore would bring the RPM's up which it did. When the sleeves were out Dick did a lot on internal grinding to open up the breathing for the fuel flow. The pistons were made special by Marle and I had only one spare. The heads were made by Blankinstein out of 6061 alum blocks. We ran the 40 mm carbs with larger jets and provided more fuel than we needed. Something about the smaller venturi produced a ram effect but not shure of that. We ran a 15-16 unit under it and changed the oil after each heat. I ran in a problem at the 1987 Nationals when there was no class for it. (Rule error). The D hydro was over 500cc -700 cc. The F hydro was from 725 cc to 1100 cc. I had a 710 cc. ??? Some how the rule book skipped 25 cc. The commission meeting put me in the 1100 F hydro class. That engine was a real brute!. I could barely rope it. Ed Tomanni was always my roper. I almost pulled the nationals off in 1987. In the second of three heats, the pipes came off the headers and lost a lot of power. I managed to get forth in that heat. We won the final but the bad showing in the second heat gave us an overall second. Bill Rucker Jr. was the National Champ. Wish I could do it over again. We ran a lot of the Gran Prix races with it but the block were out of alignment and it ate up center main bearings. Sold the engine for $500.00 to Tom Goldstone and never heard anything about it after that. Thanks fo the interest, it shure brings back memories...Bob N-96

[Bob Rusnak]

Cool! Hope you can dig up more of these pictures! :)
Have tons of old pictures. Will try to find some that will interest others. Thanks for the interest and the reply.....Bob N-96

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Yeah, I had forgotten the displacement of those motors. I had a couple of those 48 cid motors. They were very hard on those 1:1 units as the same teeth would always be meshing and I think that would cause uneven wear,then the powerful motor would shuck the gears. The lower unit always somehow knew to go during the race rather than when testing.

I lost the pipe for the front cylinders at a World Championship. I felt something and looked back to see it slap the water. The second or third time it hit the water it came off. I was in front and figured Rex Hall would catch me coming out of the next turn. He thought so too. The other pipe continued to work perfectly and the motor never lost its performance and I pulled off the win. It was a 700 cc motor we bought from Marshall Grant. During an intermission I found a diver and we went to where I thought the pipe came off, and within 10 minutes he located it.

Keep the pictures and stories coming.

[Jeff Lytle]

I remember that boat and engine Bob!!

You ran with us in Valleyfield and other Grand Prix races here in Canada.

[Bob Rusnak]

I remember that boat and engine Bob!!

You ran with us in Valleyfield and other Grand Prix races here in Canada.
Hi Jeff, yea Valleyfield, that was some regatta! Still like watching the Gran Prix Inboards, what a show they put on with those supercharged 454"s on alcohol!!!. Here are two pictures from the Valleyfield race. If I am correct, I think Hank Engles won the outboard event with a 250 Konig. The rough water took its toll on many of us that day. I think we all got paid tow money and if I remember, the prize money was great. I went to that race with Pete Voss and Gib Peterman. Boy that was a long time ago.

[dave dalton]

l remember that outfit. Valleyfield 1983. Hank won. l was 2nd. l led for 3 laps....almost fell out... thought 2nd was better than swimming...
tried to post story of that race but lost game to computer ..again!!!
Jeff L. l have lot of old pics.... need to learn how to post !!...D.DALTON

[Jeff Lytle]

Send them to me if you wish Dave........I'll size them and post them.

It's really quite easy once you get the hang of it!! Go to the FAQ section you'll see to the left of the Members list and have a look around.

Sam did a whole thing on posting pics here, and had it posted as a sticky...........I cannot find it right now to give you the link. Sam??

Funny Dave, I don't remember you being there. I do remember you being at some of the GP races those few years, but for some reason......not Valleyfield. Roughest water I ever ran in..........Well, as rough as Clayton gets anyway.
I do remember your boat, it was Butts copy right? Rawsoncraft frames or something like that? It sure was pretty though.......Dark, dark mahogany.
I still have a video (Somewhere?) of a race taken in Carelton Place of you and Vince Gresko going at it. You in your 500, and he in a F44H.

Good memories.

>>>>>Found the link!!<<<<<

http://www.boatracingfacts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=735&highlight=uploading+images

[dave dalton]

JEFF . good to hear from you...l didn't make it out that first heat when it was soooo rough...l got out in heat #2 that was run at about 6 or 7pm.Yes my boat was built from a set of dave's frames. lt was going to be his 1st stock boat...DSH ..but deal fell through.l lengthened it to 13ft.& used (spelling?)
Brunzell aquapan Regina rotary cut dark plywood.Very nice !!! Got boat back 4 yrs. ago.Had to paint top decks...but bottom is still org. varnish.Yes l remember trying to get past that dam merc.Couldn't let 500 koing get beat buy a merc.Don"t remember who won..Would love to see video!!!

[Mark75H]

Look here (http://www.boatracingfacts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=735) :)

[Jeff Lytle]

JEFF . good to hear from you...l didn't make it out that first heat when it was soooo rough...l got out in heat #2 that was run at about 6 or 7pm.


I was out in heat 1 and 2.
Heat 1 was really stupid, we shouldn't have been out there. Someone coulda' got hurt in water like that.
I was chopping waves in my Marchetti......1/2 under, 1/2 over. A big one got me right in the melon in turn 2 and flipped my shield up, by the time I reached up to get it, another one got me right in the eyes and blinded me.
the engine took a load as well, but I kept it running. With my hand off the wheel trying to clear my eyes out, I finally gave it up and killed the engine. Good thing I did cause' I was about 20' from shore headed right towards the spectators.

Heat 2 I got a lousy start, but the water was good. Everyone was running way outside where the "Decent" water was in heat 1. At the start of the 2nd lap, I went from 2nd last to 2nd place. I was 3/4's of the way through the turn right behind Henk Engles when I saw this big wave outa' nowhere heading towards my right side. I ducked as low as I could, but the boat hooked and I got thrown out. The heat was stopped and re-run.

Best place to do it I guess, right in front of the grandstands!

I didn't get out for the re-start.

Yes, Henk won that day-------and went on to win high points that year as well in FGP. The next year I got serious and bought a new Pugh and a 700cc Konig.