Off Topic Swedish Midsummer....
Tomorrow is the big Day in Sweden, greater than Christmas and the sun is up
24 hours in the Northern part of Sweden.
Big time Party
If you are interested, click here for more info in English
http://www.sweden.se/templates/cs/Article____14830.aspx
One more thing after the Race in Forssa, Finland.
Paul Kalb called me and was upset with me not having spray paint on the gear case and
told me to paint them in the future.
I did, but the bad news was it did not slow me down and the next story is about that
and the European/Continental SE Championship in Sabadia, Italy.
I was asked by Paul if I like to drive his/OMC's SE Clerici or my own boat in that Race, and that
got interesting to, after I took a swim in a local Race in Stockholm with my own very fast boat.
My wife is telling me it is time for a Midsummer break and we are heading to Tan-Tar-A Resort
at Lake of the Ozarks for the weekend without the laptop......
Happy Midsummer
http://www.tan-tar-a.com/
Back after a fun weekend at the Lake
Are working on the next story, and it is about all the rumours before
my next swim and the big race in Sabadia, Italy 1975.
The SE European/Continental Championship
__________________________________________________ ______________
Rest in Peace, Scott Kalitta
You where one of my Racing Heros
First time in the history of the SE class, 3 years in a row
After the Race in Forsaa, Finland and my enormous success in the SE class the past 3 years winning over
50 races rumors was circulating that I had a special engine from OMC.
Well, I DID NOT and the engine I used on my own Clerici SE boat 1975 was a stock short leg 75 Hp
Evinrude from my inventory at my dealership.
A legal higher compression cylinder head was the only change, and the race power trim and stiff
rubber mount.
I can tell the truth now, and the speed advantage was from the boat and the set up and my driving
style.
One way to get the much higher top speed was to raise the engine up much higher than normal race set up.
The stock gear case was like a brake, and I was 2-3" above everybody else, BUT that made it very difficult
to drive/handle the boat.
The prop lost the grip, and the engine lost the cooling water but the trick was to just before
the prop lost the grip to use power trim and throttle/steering to avoid that to happen.
I tested for many days and weeks how far you could drive before the engine started to overheat,
and that was around 900 meters.
I lost many power heads before I found out a way to back of just a little to pick up enough water to cool
the engine on the straight a way before the turn.
On top of that you have to use the power trim in and out in a special way to make the "air bag" under the tunnel to lift the boat
and I have to say that was my best advantage.
The Big race this year was Sabadia Italy, and I called friends in Italy to find out about this new
place for the race and was told that it is in a Lagoon, shallow water and flat water.
That was for me great news, and I worked on raising the engine even higher on the transom and
picked up a few more MPH.
There was a local race in Stockholm before the Big one, and I used that race as a test, and hooked
and rolled.
Damage the boat, a few days after I told Paul Kalb that I preferred to race my own boat instead
of the factory SE boat.
I got help to repair my boat just in time to make it to Italy.
Normally I was hiding everything I was doing, (learned from Molinari) but for this Big race I changed that
and parked the boat in the pit so everybody could see my set up and prop.
I told the Race officials that I want my engine inspected before the race to put an end to "the special engine"
rumor.
They said No, but told me that my engine is going to be inspected very seriously after the race if I was
the winner.
I have never felt so ready to win a race and now all the good things started to happen.
Around 35 boats was at the race, and most drivers looked at my race set up and started to raise
up there engines higher. That was my plan...
Mercury had maybe 10 drivers using the 650 XS.
4 heat, 3 counts and clock start and I was pretty good at them and took the start and turned first
and just pulled away on this long 2 turn race course.
Many drivers was hooking left and right, because they could not drive with the engine that high.
This Race was for me a perfect race. I won 3 heat in a row and did not Race the last one and asked
the officials to start taking my engine apart and they did.
The power head, mid section even the gear case to check gears and impeller and everybody could now see it was a stock 75 hp Evinrude.
Never worked on the ports or pistons.
Just standard.
Lots of disappointed people when my engine was cleared, but Lars was happy and the European Champion for the third consecutive year.
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I won the SE European/Continental championship 4 times.
1973 in Lappenranta, Finland
1974 in Evian, France
1975 in Sabaudia, Italy
1976 in Nora, Sweden... (Yes, I used the new FT 19 S this year and that is an other story later)
1 Attachment(s)
Top speed on my SE Clerici Evinrude 75
I been asked by PM how fast my SE boat was going.
The answer is around 85-90 MPH, in good weather condition.
Newspaper photo of my 1975 SE Clerici/Evinrude 75hp
1 Attachment(s)
Using Boatracing success to sell Real Estate works...
Yes, I sold Water front properties in Florida a few years.