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Thread: desilva delta wing

  1. #11
    Sam Cullis Mark75H's Avatar
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    The motor is a legal OSY 400 motor, the boat would be a legal hydro in Mod
    Since 1925, about 150 different racing outboards have been made.


  2. #12
    Tim Weber
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    Bob Dunlap in Savanah Ga. has one too. He might even sell it.

    The Delta for the most part, was the end of the Desilva's active building for the pro division. The boat was superior to the conventional boat, safer, turned better etc. It was so superior that it was ruled to be illegal after they had built about a dozen of them. It wiped up the existing boats and there was a lot of griping that it was unfair etc. The Delta obsoleted everything overnight.

    When the boat was outlawed, the Desilva's basically said we brought a revolutionary hull to the division that will improve the safety of the runabout and you guys don't want it. We have invested a bunch of time and money, we have built about a dozen of these things and now you tell us its' illegal?

    Basically, when they pulled out, this opened the door for the Krier boat. If they were to run the Delta and the Krier together, my money would go on the Delta.

    Tim

  3. #13
    Team Member Jeff Lytle's Avatar
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    I remember those DeSilva's too........I saw them on the USTS circuit for 1 summer, Todd Brinkman and Pete Voss each had one that they ran in 500R.

    I remember the day that Todd blew his over too.

    Funny now, thinking back,..........The PRO Division was always "Run what ya' brung", and I suppose that's why I liked it so much:

    -Stick to your displacement class, run a hydro in a hydro class, and a runabout in a runabout class, and burn fuel that was liquid at normal atmospheric temperature

    Quote Originally Posted by Tim Weber View Post
    The Delta for the most part, was the end of the Desilva's active building for the pro division. The boat was superior to the conventional boat, safer, turned better etc. It was so superior that it was ruled to be illegal after they had built about a dozen of them. It wiped up the existing boats and there was a lot of griping that it was unfair etc. The Delta obsoleted everything overnight.

    Tim
    And I agree, I was there the years it happened. It happened fast too!
    The thing I could never figure out though is why the PRO Commision "Let" it happen. Custom engines were coming out of the woodwork hot and heavy in those days (Nicholson/Yamaha, Harrision/Yamaha), as well as new improved factory engines from Konig and Yamato. These engines were miles ahead of the older engine technology, and everyone was expected to step up and replace their older engines with new if they wanted to finish in the money. This was normal in the PRO Division...........you either did that or built your own to keep up with those who did. "Buy one, or finish behind one"

    So........Why did it happen to the Delta?
    Boats were cheaper than engines, and no one bitched about having to spend 4K to play fast on a new engine back then. It seemed really unfair to me then, and still does today.

    Anaywayzzz..............Cool cottage toy! I would love to have it!
    A word of advice? store it well, put it away carefully, It'll be worth something (to a collector (Ewwwwwwww!)) one day.
    Last edited by Jeff Lytle; 11-04-2008 at 07:14 AM.

  4. #14
    Sam Cullis Mark75H's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jeff Lytle View Post
    So........Why did it happen to the Delta?
    The open bottom is seen as an aerodynamic device. Runabouts are not supposed to be flown off the water/take advantage of aerodynamic lift in any way.
    Since 1925, about 150 different racing outboards have been made.


  5. #15
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    Default It was legal and then it wasn't

    Like the politician who is saying a lot these days, "first I voted for it and then I voted against it", that is what happened to the Delta runabout.

    The following is how it happened, with possibly a few minor differences, but the general outline is as follows:

    DeSilva's approached the commission about a new type runabout they had in mind, but wanted approval of it first before spending the time and money involved to bring it to market. Commisssion studied the proposal and decided it "met the spirit of the runabout rules" in effect at the time and legalized it. DeSilvas's built and sold several (not sure exactly how many, Todd Brinkman still has a 20 year old new one in the rafters). Certain individuals became upset the boat was legalized and raised hell and a petition to ban it. This was done over the winter after the boat was approved. Politics won out and the boat was banned after several were sold and run for a while. DeSilva's and the buyers lost their investments, and as previously mentioned the experience soured them on further development of runabouts for the ALKY classes except for the Antique division.

    As previously mentioned in another post, the PRO category is supposed to be "run what you brung". The boat was developed to answer a problem that existed at the time, namely the large runabout classes (500 and 700) were losing competitors as speeds and blow overs went up and numbers participating went down. I have talked to Todd several times over the years about the performance of the boat, and he always said it was NO faster, all factors the same, i.e., same setup, prop, etc. Where it excelled was it was a much safer boat around the course, straightaway and turning. As to him blowing it over once, I don't remember that either personally or him mentioning it. Could be, I just don't know. I will ask him next time we talk.

    Also as mentioned earlier, that experience soured the DeSilva's on PRO boat building. Can't say as I blame them, the way it was handled.

    "I voted for it, and then I voted against it" Sounds real familiar these days.

  6. #16
    David Weaver David Weaver's Avatar
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    Default Like A Mod VP

    I never saw a Delta run, but have seen one example personally. It looks like a Mod VP from the OPC category back in the day. To my eye, it does look like a boat that I would consider a monohaul. If it was saver, perhaps it would have been the way to go. An unfortunate episode that we can all learn from going forward.

  7. #17
    BoatRacingFacts VIP racingfan1's Avatar
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    Default What is Jim Kirts' runabout

    Is the runabout that Jim Kirts has a desilva and if so how is it different from the deltawing? Here a picture from this years Pro Nationals.
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  8. #18
    Tim Weber
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    Jim is in a Delta 2.

    I know quite a bit about this boat as I have been in 8 of them. I driven 4 CSR's, a 25ssr which was Jack Kugler 125 boat and 3 antique C-service runabouts.

    Jim will do quite well with it once he gets rid of the engine gremlins.

    It doesn't have the same bottom as the original Delta. The bottom is more conventional to comply with the rules. The boat has lots of little trick things in it.

    The boat is so different that it really hasn't met with acceptance yet. I have had some success with the boat. Those that have seen me run will admit its' no slouch. I have already seen a few of the design ideas creep into a few other hulls.

    Tim

  9. #19
    Team Member BRIAN HENDRICK's Avatar
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    Tim; -while we are on radical DeSilva designs, what is this,
    a hydro or runabout, legal?, apparently called a "wedge"?.
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  10. #20
    Team Member BRIAN HENDRICK's Avatar
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    Tim; -is this one of the 'DELTA IIs' ?
    I think you were trying to sell it to me that day
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