Is the OB class doomed?

Julio Almazan · Oct 30, 2024

Hi:
Yes... it's true: there are fewer and fewer drivers competing in this category... however, nobody, NOBODY gets rid of their Tunnels boats; NOBODY throws them into the garbage container. They stay there and sleep for a while... some Spanish and Portuguese people (many of whom participate in this forum) have decided to recover this beautiful category and, SLOWLY, step by step, we are achieving it.
Each new race the grid gets bigger... new water spaces are appearing to carry out the tests... WE ARE NOT GIVING UP!!

Grimracer · Oct 30, 2024

Awesome stuff Julio!

Carl Van Houten · Oct 31, 2024

Julio Almazan said:
Hi:
Yes... it's true: there are fewer and fewer drivers competing in this category... however, nobody, NOBODY gets rid of their Tunnels boats; NOBODY throws them into the garbage container. They stay there and sleep for a while... some Spanish and Portuguese people (many of whom participate in this forum) have decided to recover this beautiful category and, SLOWLY, step by step, we are achieving it.
Each new race the grid gets bigger... new water spaces are appearing to carry out the tests... WE ARE NOT GIVING UP!!

Yes! Keep running those O/B tunnels! I see a few that came from Deatsville Alabama in that line up! I hear there were some very fast tunnels at the Nationals in Huntsville. I heard that Mike Z was there. Maybe he can post some pictures of that race?

Grimracer · Oct 31, 2024

ONE NAME.. JOEY JONES!

I would list him as a Huntsville (SUPER CLUB MEMBER) he was there as much as he could to help AND.. he is your IMPBA National Champion in Sport Tunnel. Lynx hull, OS motor and Grimracer Prop.

Truth is the entire club did a nice job with the race.

GOOD PEOPLE and good weather make a race like the internats so much fun!

We had a nice time.. I took VERY few pictures.. we missed ya Carl!

Grim

Carl Van Houten · Oct 31, 2024

Grimracer said:
ONE NAME.. JOEY JONES!

I would list him as a Huntsville (SUPER CLUB MEMBER) he was there as much as he could to help AND.. he is your IMPBA National Champion in Sport Tunnel. Lynx hull, OS motor and Grimracer Prop.

Truth is the entire club did a nice job with the race.

GOOD PEOPLE and good weather make a race like the internats so much fun!

We had a nice time.. I took VERY few pictures.. we missed ya Carl!

Grim

Joey is one O/B tunnel loving guy! YES he was on cloud #10 for sure. I have always enjoyed his willing to help and be a team player! All I could do is send some hit men up there. LOL I heard that the old cliche "My name is Mudd" wasn't such a bad name to have either. LOL! Now that I'm retired I will make it out a little more often.

Y'all missed me? You have forgotten what a pain in the A I can be...LOL.
Thanks!
- Carl

Grimracer · Oct 31, 2024

I will tell ya what.. KENNY HAD IS &^% together!.. CLEARLY had his program ready.

Was fun to race with him again.

Grim

Dave Gilles · Oct 31, 2024

where is everyone getting the PTO's for like CMB outboards and stuff?

Dave Gilles · Oct 31, 2024

Carl Van Houten said:
I agree with the very low participation. It's just a fact and if it were that way across the board I would say "its dusted" as well BUT, the decline is the result of multifaceted issues. Other classes are on the rise. Just recently a new gas class was added: Super Boat. So why is the current class attraction moving away from outboards?

For the ones who are still interested in racing O/B's the core upfront issues are still first availability and second price then third comes glow plug prices. Gone for ever are the days of the $3.00 glow plugs. They are $8.00 to $12.00 now days and then there is fuel prices. Feeding a 7.5cc fuel all afternoon can get a bit pricy.

At the moment the neat & simple left handed power head that we have enjoyed for many years can not be purchased new anymore and we are now left with lower units that require them.

If a comeback is possible from this point, a lower unit needs to be built around a right hand engine to prevent this from ever happening again down the road. Will it be gear drive, belt drive or right hand direct drive? Somebody that is interested in outboards, retired and owns a decent CNC can fix the current availability issue fairly quickly but who is that person?

I use amazon glow plugs $20 for 5. aliexpress has 12 OS 8's for $40 shipped

the german · Oct 31, 2024

LohringMiller said:
For reference tunnel participation at the NAMBA Nationals:
2022 tunnel classes:
Gas - 5; 7.5 stock - 18; 3.5 stock - 18; 3.5 mod - 16; P limited - 10

2024 tunnel classes:
Gas - 4; 3.5 stock - 7; 3.5 mod - 9 ; P limited - 8

Lohring Miller

I ran all the nitro/gas outboard classes at the NAMBA nats. They even didn't offer any 7.5 OB classes and I know for sure that a ton of boaters have shelf queens sitting at home and not bringing them out. When I talk to guys at the lake I always get the same answer ...... gas is so user friendly and cheaper to run.

A big thank you to Carl for all his work to keep those outboards alive !!!!

Alex

Joey Jones · Oct 31, 2024

Wow, thanks for the kind words fellas. Much appreciated. I had a lot of luck on my side!!

Also, huge shoutout to the HSV club for hosting, performance and planning. I think they organized a great event - I'm just glad that I was finally able to help out my long time clubmates at an event. I've not been present for a lot of them.

Big congrats to the US-1 and other award winners. I wasn't able to make the banquet, so I don't know who won those awards, but my hat's off to you all! It was absolutely worth a week away from my normal routine, and I am very much looking forward to the next one.

Of course, thanks to all that keep outboards going....from designs to entering races. It all counts.

Kris Flynn · Oct 31, 2024

Dave Gilles said:
I use amazon glow plugs $20 for 5. aliexpress has 12 OS 8's for $40 shipped

These are fake plugs last about 2 maybe 3 good runs...the seals are crappy and they discolour (in an OS Sport motor). Definitely worth using proper plugs like genuine OS, Rossi and Odonnel.

David Krienke · Oct 31, 2024

Kris Flynn said:
These are fake plugs last about 2 maybe 3 good runs...the seals are crappy and they discolour (in an OS Sport motor). Definitely worth using proper plugs like genuine OS, Rossi and Odonnel.

I was reading they may be made out of platinum wire and not the rhodium wire as well. I don't know how the catalytic reaction would be with just platinum wire.

Grimracer · Oct 31, 2024

when you can buy plugs from Al Hobbs....in 2024 for those prices!.. I think we are OK.

Grim

David Krienke · Oct 31, 2024

Grimracer said:
when you can buy plugs from Al Hobbs....in 2024 for those prices!.. I think we are OK.

Grim

I agree. Al is really keeping our hobby alive and I am so grateful to have his support .

Joern Markset · Nov 1, 2024

Dave Gilles said:
where is everyone getting the PTO's for like CMB outboards and stuff?

The CMB outboard was discontinued at least 15 years ago. You can e-mail directly to the factory and ask if they still have some parts left.
Contact info: http://www.cmb-motori-italia.com/Contact us.html

Dave Gilles · Nov 1, 2024

Joern Markset said:
The CMB outboard was discontinued at least 15 years ago. You can e-mail directly to the factory and ask if they still have some parts left.
Contact info: http://www.cmb-motori-italia.com/Contact us.html

ooh ok its not something people are making themselves or buying aftermarket. gotcha.

Joern Markset · Nov 1, 2024

Dave Gilles said:
ooh ok its not something people are making themselves or buying aftermarket. gotcha.

If you are talking about 3,5 cc CMB made them back in the days. For 7,5 cc there is a few guys who makes adapters that let you mount the engine on a Lawless or K&B lower.

LohringMiller · Nov 1, 2024

A couple pictures of a CMB to K&B mount. This was the best mod 7.5 tunnel setup.

Lohring Miller

David Krienke · Nov 1, 2024

Is that second cable for adjusting pipe length?

Duck899 · Nov 2, 2024

Just putting the finishing touches on a lynx 20 tunnel, powered by OS

Is the OB class doomed?

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