Molinari Racing Boat History and Information

[Lars Strom]

Renato and his passenger making a victory lap.. 1983

[Lars Strom]

Renato and his passenger making a victory lap.. 1983

Very interesting..the passenger on the back of Renato's boat below is Fabio Porta..I am now a friend of him at Facebook.
I asked Fabio to show this thread to Renato.

[Lars Strom]

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[Lars Strom]

Renato Molinari in his Molinari/Saffa/Evinrude CCC in Paris 6 hours 1977.

[Lars Strom]

Yes..there was a six hour race in Stockholm, Sweden 1968.
3 hours on Saturday and 3 hours on Sunday.

The winner was Renato Molinari in his #34 Molinari/Merc
See attached picture..it is Renato on top of the Merc..sorry for Swedish.

Second picture is # 51 Carlo Rosini from Italy. Also in a Molinari /Merc at the Stockholm Six Hours.

More from "Stockholm 6 hours" 1968..Sorry for Swedish only

[calvin]

Looks like #37 is a Chrysler?

[Lars Strom]

Yes it is..a Swedish driver Sven Hermansson in the Schulze/Chrysler.

Here is a link to a complete race program with entry list..

http://svera.se/blogg/smorgardsbord/...plett-program/

[Lars Strom]

Video.. Renato Molinari testing inboard Cats..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uhs9U...&feature=share

[Lake X Kid]

This is Renato Molinari leaving the Como, Italy race shop to test drive this picklefork.
Later that year in the 1973 fall season, the pickleforks became the dominate Molinari race boats that were built, for the up and coming Paris 6 hour race.

Just before the Paris and Amsterdam race that year, I witness the only time I ever saw Renato flip-over. Getting ready for the 1973 fall race season, Renato took out the first new picklefork (of about 4 or 5 race boats being) built for their maiden races. Renato motors out to the middle of the lake in the -primer paint coat only- boat which was the first boat delivered from the second floor down to the first floor rigging area.

At that time the mountain wind was funneled strong, creating big white cap waves. Bigger swells than any Paris 6 hour race. Renato, I believe, wanted to see how this picklefork design would handle such rough wave conditions. And Mother Nature got the best of Renato who was driving over-his-head. The boat with Renato staying in the cockpit did a lazy blow-over.

This is all in a day’s job, which remind me of Roy Ridgell flipping in the mid 1960’s at Mercury’s Lake X. I came home from school and my mom said dad had to come home to change into some dry clothes. Later in the 1970’s it became a given that tunnel boats can and will blow-over.

I consider my self fortunate in witnessing the fledging small 2-cycle outboards grow-up to compete competitively with their bigger bore inboards. With 1960’s & 70’s formidable technology of power trim, 4 or more bladed props, picklefork hull, and fuel injection has survived as today’s mainstream outboard tunnel boat racing legacy.

[Lake X Kid]

The house behind Renato’s white race boat and next to the Como race boat shop is where Roy Ridgell (Mercury European Race Manager) lived with his family. That is Roy idling away from shore with the boat house in the background. The house is on the south side of the Molinari race shop.

Most likely the photographer of Renato preparation picklefork test drive is the same photographer in the front seat who took Roy’s picture. In all likelihood it was my brother or me.

The top of the third floor Lake Como race shop is just below street level.