OMC D class motor

[Mark75H]

Mark is correct. The 45ss was designed for OPC SST - 45 class; it was never run in any class called D. I'm also pretty sure it never raced against Mercs except in Formula E where a Merc 44 can beat it pretty well, a 60 ci 6 will wave bye bye and a 49 ci OMC triple will almost lap it in stock configuration. I think the powerhead is box stock and reliability is therefore the same as the fishing motor, run all day and night, every day of the week.

Tunnels and hydros are both legal in FE

[MN1]

Mark is correct. The 45ss was designed for OPC SST - 45 class; it was never run in any class called D. I'm also pretty sure it never raced against Mercs except in Formula E where a Merc 44 can beat it pretty well, a 60 ci 6 will wave bye bye and a 49 ci OMC triple will almost lap it in stock configuration. I think the powerhead is box stock and reliability is therefore the same as the fishing motor, run all day and night, every day of the week.

Tunnels and hydros are both legal in FE

It was originally designed for stock outboard and to be run on an hydro. This is why it has the 1:1 lower unit. If it were designed to run in OPC it would have had a different ratio for better acceleration out of the corners with a tunnel boat. This is straight from Sam LaBanco, one of the engineers of the motor.
Mark N

[Jeff Akers]

Mark is right , I remember when we(dealership) got the catalog...It was pictured on a kneeler hydro....It was to be for the SO catigory...I herd that APBA didn't want a "stock" class going that fast ...so they pushed it for OPC and thats ware it is today.


Sam, I was not aware that tunnels are ok to run in FEH

[JohnsonM50]

Class A 15cu. max B 20 , C 30, D 40, E Heh Heh 50 , so on , so on.
What about that 03cyl. 31+ cu omc. Class rules??
RichardF.

I thought D was 45ci... learn somthin daily

[Mark75H]

The only hull restriction in FE hydro is the tunnel may not be deeper than 5 inches at the back .... hydros, tunnel hulls, Mod-VP type, even runabouts are legal in FE hydro

Why did OMC put power tilt on them if they wanted to get them into Stock? Power tilt is not allowed in Stock (or even Mod) classes outside of the 45 SS class that was made just for them.

A tooth or 2 off (or more) gear ratio has always worked very well in Stock. Most Stock races are short or medium lenght where a slight reduction ratio would have helped there too. Ratios other than 1:1 are also mechancially better because the same 2 gear faces are not contiually coming in contact. It has 1:1 because someone wanted it to be 1:1, not because it would work better in Stock.

[Jeff Akers]

Why did OMC put power tilt on them if they wanted to get them into Stock? Power tilt is not allowed in Stock (or even Mod) classes outside of the 45 SS class that was made just for them.

Sam, looking through the parts books this morning...in 1986 they show NO Power T/T for that engine..1987 ether.... the Power tilt doesn't show up in the parts books until 1988.

Thanks for the clarifacation on the FE class...I wonder why we don't see any tunnels in the class...Seems like they would work realy well with the OMC 3 cyl.

[Mark75H]

Thanks, that is information I did not have before and is very helpful.

Tunnels usually don't have the same top speed, but like they say its not who's fastest, it is who is "firstest"

I agree with you, a tunnel might just be the true FEH hull design. I have a DeSilva Delta that I am modifiying for FE. Several Deltas and other tunnel designs have been tried in FE already, but not yet brought to full development. My Delta had too much step on the center pod and didn't turn like a tunnel. I have modified it a little, but haven't tested it yet. I have plans to have it modified some more for even better performance for next year.

[Fred Hauenstein]

The 45SS was designed for S.O. and they set up both hydro and runabout classes. It originally had no power trim. After a season or two, very few SO racers bought and used the 45SS engine, and a movement from OPC started to include it on a tunnel boat. S.O. didn't really want to give up the class and established 45SS (took off the H) to take care of the few S.O. members who owned these engines. That, incidentally, is why there are duplicate classes (45SS and SST-45).

When OMC engineering saw the need, they did come up with a power trim and the rest, as they say, is history.

Jerry Wienandt had probably the best 45 SS Hydro outfit and I believe he was able to run speeds around 95 MPH in competition at Wakefield.

I think some put the engine on runabouts, but I can't remember who?????

S.O. people apparently do not want to go that fast. The evidence is that very few people bought the engine and joined the class(es).

Fred

[Fred Hauenstein]

The DeSilva brothers built some tunnel-like boats (trimarans?) from Russian plans and installed the 45SS engine. Probably the first hint that the engine should be in OPC instead of S.O.???

Fred

[Trident]

Geez, it wasn't that long ago... How does this story get that messed up?

Some facts. Just want to correct some of the 'Urban Myths', as I was there...

The motor was developed for a new Stock Outboard class, 45SS, not
45 SST. It was not orginally equipped with electric start or with power trim; it had an adjstable link that also held it down (no tie down rope). Power trim and electric start was added later, when they converted the class to Tunnels only. This is all documented in the originally supplied owner's manuals, showing a parts list and set up instructions.

The engineer that tipped it over was Dave Hamman. No, it wasn't going 90+ mph. The boat was an A&H. That's the same boat that appeared in the OMC catalog with Sam Hemp driving it. I tested the prototype on my B&H with OMC, and submitted a report which was read to the SORC at the National meeting. Speed was upper 80's. The class was adopted as a probationary class for 1986 and run at major events around the country. Participants included hydros, hydro-cat and tunnels in 45SSH, and 'normal' runabouts in
45SSR. I ran my B&H hydro, won with it at Ocoee, Dayton (where it broke my hand starting it, as it had fixed timing) and the '86 Nationals at Wakefield (they added variable timimg for rope starting).

Its on a SO Nationals tape Badger State still uses as a promo tape at boat shows. OMC published a poster with my Johnson powered B&H which was distributed to Johnson dealers, after I won FEH and set an FEH APBA record at the Mod Nationals with it. The irony of that, which I don't think OMC was aware of, is they asked me to submit a photo, but the only good shot I had was taken by Fred Hauenstein. They used it, without photo credit. An Evinrude won FER, I apologize, but I don't remember who... senior moment.

Now, some facts plus opinion...

It was a great ride on my hydro, although a little top heavy, and although I won their major races and the Stock and Mod Nationals with it, it didn't exceed 90 mph on its best day. My E-Mod Merc was faster... on top speed and lap times. I sold it when they switched the class to Tunnels, as a 250# driver wasn't going to be competitive in 45SST. I had no problem with them establishing a 45 Tunnel class, but I wish they hadn't killed the 45SSH and 45SSR, as I felt we were appealing to two different pools of potential drivers... who knows where that might have gone?

Jerry Wienandt
Trident Racing