20 HP Mercury and 20 HP Tohatsu Racing Propeller

[Ron Hill]

With encouragement from Bill Gohr and a few other from APBA, I', making a racing prop for the 20 hP Four Stroke.

The colored props are 3 D Print made by Winrace Propellers in Norway.
3D Printing is the future of racing propellers.

[dandrews75]

I was wondering when this was going to happen. Friend of mine who was making props had suggested it to me 15 years ago. Nylon props are nothing new. We have one from Mercury, 2 blade blue in colour for the 22 ci 20hp Mercury circa 1978 there abouts. I had recently did the torque calculation for a 20 HP motor and it is just over 10 lbs and as the rpm goes up the torque output goes down. So these small engines put out very little torque so you don’t need to get into an exotic overly complicated material.

[Albert]

This is just too cool. Imagine being able to print your own prop from nylon resin at home? I wonder what the longevity is going to be like?
Ron will you be printing these yourself or having someone local to you do it?
Did you receive your motor yet? Wish you were closer I’d love to help test this set up and learn about it first hand.

[Ron Hill]

Propellers are usually made in wax, then cast in Stainless Steel. This is called the lost wax process.

3D printing a prop in plastic, plastic will replace the wax.

The propeller will still be cast in Stainless Steel and be finished by hand of a CNC mill.

[Albert]

Any progress on the prop project?

[Ron Hill]

One problem I'm having is people keep buying props, so it is hard for me to make props and to give away.

I was told the APBA was given 2-20 HP 4 Strokes to test.

I offered Chris Fairchild, to send one to me. I'd pay the freight.

I said, Ernie Dawe builds boats and lives 120 miles away and 70 miles from a perfect test lake. Send me the motor, I'll get with Ernie and build a boat, and have Ernie's granddaughter, who races test it.

I was told he loaned the motors to Hearn and Pavlick.. Pavlick has had his since last year.

I thought well, you know, if they have their plan, why do they need me?

So, I'm making 12- 10 1/2 X 15 Semi Cleavers and 12-10 1/2 X 16 cleavers. But I think I'll put them on E-bay and sell them. APBA has A PLAN.

OH, 3D printed props are casting like POPCORN....Here is a picture of the first casting pictures soon! Came out great!

[Albert]

That looks great,
Some of us may even be willing to buy them as is and finish them ourselves.
I have been keeping an eye out for a used Tohatsu 20 4t but they are thin on the ground around here. Can't quite justify new this year but maybe next.

[Ron Hill]

https://www.ebay.com/str/ronhillsign...cat=3155846012

https://www.facebook.com/winracepropellers/

We are casting these for Ollie. I don't know if he wants to sell castings.

Ollie and I have been friends for many year, he's a damn good propeller maker.

[dandrews75]

LMAO! APBA has A Plan? You doing standup now Ron? They have a plan alright………..The people putting rigs together right now have done more than those guys have done the last 2 years with the engines that were given to them! People putting outfits together are buying their engines! Buying a Morse steering kit, go figure………..you said that right off the hop lol. This is so far ahead of where racing is currently at, you can buy engines, parts, props from anyone. Your motor has resale value everywhere because when done with it someone will buy it to put on their fishing boat. With these props your making here, everyone is getting the same thing. With the current situation with stock outboard props it’s a crapshoot at best.

[Ron Hill]

When I was three, my dad blew his C Service motor all to hell. For at least two years, my dad would have me re tell the story to any of his friends that had not heard that he'd "Blown his C Service all to hell."

I enjoyed the attention, and teaching for 38 years allowed me to tell jokes, that many of my students liked.

When APBA had Conventions and people got to speak, I usually got more laughs than anyone. Frequently people asked to speak before me, and they didn't want to follow my "ACT".

The sad part of APBA, it the "Powers that Be" have positioned themselves to be in control. There was a time, if a Maverick, like Bob Nordskog wanted to be President of APBA, he ran for the office.

NASCAR talks "Business Model" all the time. They plan for growth and they are getting it. But, NASCAR sponsors races, they don't sit in their Ivory Tower tell racers to send them money...

A B Runabout class, being brand new, could shake up the racing day. Maybe run, 30 lap heats. Or run two 15 lap qualifier's. Run some 660 Foot Drags...The reason people have a trailer full of boats they want to be on the water more.

Run B Runabout 15 minutes, plus one lap....

Start a "Youth" Division and an "Adult" Division. Same boat, different weights.

Run time trials, start off docs slowest first....or fastest first.

As far as stand up goes, get me a beer or two and a crowd of boat racers and I'll have them laughing all night...

I could talk about the time, Marcel Belleville rode with me in F Runabout, and when I'd scoot back, Marcel's butt would hit the spark plugs and he'd jump on top of me...Monsieur you are sparking me he'd yell over the top of my Konig. (He spoke French but only when excited).