Michael Werner

[corin_huke]

Nice pics Wayne

In your extensive collection of photos have you any of the (6/8-cylinder?) König engines that raced in the catamaran classes - I'm thinking the likes of Uli Rochel, Irwin Zimmerman(?) & Co who I gather raced in the 850cc classes where mostly OMC engines were used

It's a little before my time, so pleased excuse me if I've got names and details wrong

I was once told of a race where Alfred Welschar kept most of the catamarans at bay with his kneeler, until they finally got the better of him after a few laps when he got tired

Sadly no longer with us, Alfred was a demon when it came to tuning engines. His 0-700 König engines were evil and I mean, EVIL. I've lost count of the number of ropes I have seen broken when trying to start his engines

The guy who I crewed for had one of Alfred's engines - it was the full blown 700cc one (698cc) rather than one of the old bike ones. We put it on the back of a Popoli boat which was designed only for 350 & 500. Jeeeze, it was a missile, it was all he could do to hang onto it - turn the buoy, staighten up and grab a handful then hang on for dear life.....!!!!!

On the back of one of the Russian trimaran boats, it was incredible. Used to running 5-port 500s on the back, we were used to fast, powerful engines and we were a bit blasé about running it - "Just how fast can a 700 be?". We soon found out Good times.....apart from the poor crew member who had to rope it!

Actually, this Welschar engine found it's way across the pond!

[Master Oil Racing Team]

I do have some Corin. I'll try to put some up soon. Hans Krage was also good at fending off the catamarans. If he got a good start and stayed in clean water he was tough. Once in Karlshaven he was running that 6 cylinder Konig in a one (or two?) hour marathon on a proprider. All classes ran together. It was on the Weser River and there was some debris. The pits were at the bottom turn where we watched them come around. After a little while Hans didn't come back around. A little longer and he came in a patrol boat towing his propride.

Hans was running in Cees Van Dervelden's wake just a little behind. Cees was leading in the ON class and Hans was second overall and first in his class with his alky burning OF. He was following Cees because Cees was up higher and could spot the debris. Well, it happened that Cees spotted a small log floating right at the surface in front of him and he was able to pass over it and not tag it with his lower unit. Hans was unable to avoid it and it put a small hole in a sponson. It was on the straight heading to the upper turn 45 minutes into the race. Hans hoped he could make it back around, but when he slowed for the turn, there was more water in his boat than he realized and it rushed to the bow causing the lower unit to come out of the water. When it came back down, the sudden force split the gear on the prop shaft. So Hans settled in that cold water and sank. It was three miserable hours standing around in the cold before we went back to the motel.

As far as cranking the 700's you're right on the mark. My Dad built his own crank ropes from 1" oak dowels and either 3/8 or 5/16 rope--I forget which. They wouldn't break, but it would sure bring him to his knees if it didn't rope through. He would only put a half turn and snap it through. Very seldom did it not start on the first pull. I can't imagine what you guys went through in a climate much colder than where we normally raced.

It was the brute power and speed that made the 700 hydro my favorite all time class. The 1100 hydro was fun too, but there was generally more competion in 700.

[corin_huke]

Thanks Wayne

As far as cranking the 700's you're right on the mark. My Dad built his own crank ropes from 1" oak dowels and either 3/8 or 5/16 rope--I forget which. They wouldn't break, but it would sure bring him to his knees if it didn't rope through. He would only put a half turn and snap it through. Very seldom did it not start on the first pull. I can't imagine what you guys went through in a climate much colder than where we normally raced.

I recall when we ran the 700 on the Popoli it fuelled up on the start and the usual starter snapped his rope. A friend laughed and said "Christ, your not pulling it hard enough!! Let me show you" He stuck a rope around it and launched into it - if I tell you that the guy (Graham) was 400lbs+ and built like the side of a barn. Well, still fuelled up, the fly wheel didn't move an inch, but the boat, driver and engine were dragged 6ft up the jetty. Graham was pissed by now and believe me, it was going to start the next time and it did. He never let on, but I bet it hurt a little

The other tale I heard was one about a race in Berlin. It was an 0-700 race and as you know we race modfied lemans starts most of the time. Most of the boats got away ok, but one of them was left on the jetty. A keen mechanic from another team ran over to help put a rope on it and pulled with all his might. Little did he know was that it had siezed solid because they had forgotten to put oil in the methanol. He was later spotted walking around with forearms like Popeye!!!

[Master Oil Racing Team]

Dieter had a 3 cylinder 850 he put together and partnered with volvo penta. I have some pics of that. In the meantime here are some of Dieter's 6 cylinder OF that Hans G. Krage won back to back world championships with in 1976 and 1977. It ran great in smooth water, but if it ever overrevved, the crank would twist. It was a 6 cylinder with the crank at 120 degree intervals with opposed cylinders. Walt Blankenstein was in the pits when Hans overrevved it on the bank at Berlin. We went back to Dieter's shop and pulled it down. Walt told Dieter that it was statically and dynamically out of balance. The 120 degree banking would never be stable. Note: This was because it was a crankshaft pressed together.

All the pics I took at Phoenix were overdeveloped and way to much contrast. But here are the few pics of the Konig six.

[epugh66]

When we were at Berlin-Tegal in '86, Uli Rochel was running the eight cylinder(a 350cc and 500cc stacked?) It was a reed valve engine too. By then the rules mandated gas and Rochel was mid pack. I've got a couple of poor pics in albums.

[corin_huke]

Great pics - how could I forget that Hans ran a 6-cylinder Konig! Looks like a real beast. Glad it has an electric starter! I would not like to have been in Dieter's dyno room when they tested that engine on the brake

Going back to your first posting Wayne, has anyone had any recent contact with Gert Lowisin. My Swedish buddies tell me that, sadly, he's not in the best of health and that no one has heard from him in years. A real shame as he must have a lot of memories and knowledge - boats, props, engines (Crescent in particular)

I'd like to hear if anyone has heard from Gert, or has any up to date info about him. In the meantime, I'll have to make do with a pic of him

[corin_huke]

When we were at Berlin-Tegal in '86, Uli Rochel was running the eight cylinder(a 350cc and 500cc stacked?) It was a reed valve engine too. By then the rules mandated gas and Rochel was mid pack. I've got a couple of poor pics in albums.

As Eric and others may know, Uli (Ulrich) Rochel was one of the 'works' drivers for the factory, especially for the larger cc engines (500, 700 and bigger!!). Uli was the one who spent time trying to get the last of the König engine designs working - 5-port 500, mounted with carbs facing forward, 4 pipes, reed valves, etc - quite similar in many ways to the Rossi and VRP engines of today

[mintominto]

Tim,

Took a while but finally dug out a shot of Michael Werner. It was taken at
the Bristol GP around 1990.

[tthibodaux]

Tim,

Took a while but finally dug out a shot of Michael Werner. It was taken at
the Bristol GP around 1990.

Very cool Rod.. Keep them coming.

[mintominto]

I found another pic with Michael Werner, he's in the middle ( boat 11).

But I just noticed something about this shot from Bristol 1988.

All six main boat drivers and the seventh red boat coming into shot (bottom right) have something in common.

Any Guesses?