fastjeff
Gold Medal Contributor
Eighty years ago this year, Carl started what has become the largest marine power industry on earth, and I feel it’s time to recognize his genius (and admit how wrong I was about him).
The excellent biography of Carl’s life, titled “Iron Fist”, reveals Carl’s thoughts upon hearing of the stern drive Dr. Strang had (clandestinely) developed without Carl’s knowledge. The first Mercruiser setup (though not called that yet) was powered by a Volvo 4 cylinder, 80 hp engine. Far from the later far better (and still in production) 4 cylinder Mercruiser setup, this was a heavy, low powered and noisy arrangement. After checking out in his ham-fisted way (WOT only) Carl fulminated over it, saying it was pure crap: “If you took a V-8 car engine, set it on its (crankshaft) end, on an OB tower, then you’d have something,” his insisted (or words to the effect).
What a stubborn jerk, I thought when I first read that, but Carl was RIGHT! For modern, high-powered 4 stroke OBs are quietly taking over from traditional inboards, including stern drives. At the latest boat show, most of the 30 to 40 foot express cruisers present were OB powered! The designers, and owners, have learned that OBs take up virtually no space below deck, are much lighter (and more fuel efficient), reliable, and far cheaper to get major services done; and they’re quieter to boot!
So Carl was right again!
Fastjeff
The excellent biography of Carl’s life, titled “Iron Fist”, reveals Carl’s thoughts upon hearing of the stern drive Dr. Strang had (clandestinely) developed without Carl’s knowledge. The first Mercruiser setup (though not called that yet) was powered by a Volvo 4 cylinder, 80 hp engine. Far from the later far better (and still in production) 4 cylinder Mercruiser setup, this was a heavy, low powered and noisy arrangement. After checking out in his ham-fisted way (WOT only) Carl fulminated over it, saying it was pure crap: “If you took a V-8 car engine, set it on its (crankshaft) end, on an OB tower, then you’d have something,” his insisted (or words to the effect).
What a stubborn jerk, I thought when I first read that, but Carl was RIGHT! For modern, high-powered 4 stroke OBs are quietly taking over from traditional inboards, including stern drives. At the latest boat show, most of the 30 to 40 foot express cruisers present were OB powered! The designers, and owners, have learned that OBs take up virtually no space below deck, are much lighter (and more fuel efficient), reliable, and far cheaper to get major services done; and they’re quieter to boot!
So Carl was right again!
Fastjeff
