7xchamp

Hi Phil: The exhaust was changed to the new Kiekhaefer header system, as dictated by Kiekhaefer. Mr. K. did not like the Patterson side exhaust and highly recomended to all his customers they switch to his out the back. Bob Patterson in conjunction with Gentry was a major contributor to the sport of offshore with the first water jacketed exhaust header system. He set the stage for all the header sytems that are available today, and should be recognized as such, He was one of the coolest guys of our sport, much could be written about him. We used to race the old log manifolds before his. when we went to the header systems we picked up close to 100 hp per motor, next step in progression is when I installed the Lucas/Kinsler fuel injection on the Mercruiser/Aeromarine conversion motors and picked up another 100hp which lead into sterndrive failures due to extra power which lead to beefed up drives and gear ratios, then the two blade props broke due to the extra power and additional speed, so then came the three blade props, and the rest is history, and is all about why the racers have what they have today. It all starts somewhere with people, inovators, engineers racers and the desire to win at any cost. All for now, this should keep us going for awhile.7XCHAMP

Deauville Trophy

Hi Richie,
Thanks for the explanation. That's an awful lot of hp to gain. I have read that Aeromarine IX was the first 36' Cigarette to have the back exhausts. Now it all make sense but I do find it strange that the other boat from the Kiekhaffer 'stable', Bob Magoon's Aeromarine III, stayed faithful to the side exhausts.

Back to Eraf, my guess is that the conversion to back exhausts had probably been planned but not yet finished. It was however completed for the next race.

Also, I read once that Balestrieri was forced to retire because his exhausts were red hot and too close to fuel tanks for confort. Did you guys used to have trouble with overheated exhausts?

Phil.

littlenige

Marco, thanks for the correction. Richie too - thanks for that - and I thought it was just fashionable to have the headers straight out the sides of the hull! I guess thereīs a good reason behind everything in reality! You started writing your book yet?! Please put me down for copy No. 1.

36widebody

Phil,
The Aeromarine 3 had rear exhaust from day one, it was first when it came to England Gill switched to side exhaust for unknown reason.

The Aero 1(KAM) however used both side and rear exits in the US when raced by Magoon.

On my boat the headers are approx 1" from the fueltanks and if there is a problem with cooling water I would be worried also!

Joern

7xchamp

Phil: The original red and white 36` Cig. was one of the first 36`s on the circuit I think it was called KAM ??? anyway it originally ran Mercruiser/aeromarine conversion motors with the old style log manifolds out the back. Kiek. I believe got the third set of headers ever built by Patterson which only were made one way and that was side exhaust. so that boat was converted to side exhaust and later converted back to Kiek headers out the back and was a test boat that I used to drive to test new products on Lake Winebago in Fond Du Lac. The Yellow and red I can`t remember what the story was, I`m pretty sure we converted that boat to Kiek. headers as well out the back. we may have had Patterson`s for awhile, can`t remember, but don`t believe so. Incidentaly the side headers would mezmorize you after awhile, I had a problem throttling with them, as the rpm`s eventually all sounded the same, and became hard to judge speed vs. rpm it was weird to say the least. I`ll tell you some test stories some time while I was employed at Kiek. how I used to go out and break crakshafts like up to four motors per day trying different crankshafts, that`s when we came up with the carrillo rods and Moldex crankshafts. we found that the old 482 cu in connecting rods were to massive and heavy for the GM cast cranks so the combination was breaking all the cranks due to the extra HP and torque, and additional rpm. at one point we had approx. 14 motors on stands with pans off showing broken cranks, but see what we learned, all pass`s on to todays motors. Just another memoir. 7XCHAMP

Deauville Trophy

Joern, Richie:
Sorry guys I was wrong with Aeromarine III. It is obvious from the picture from Searace that the boat was in the back exhausts configuration from day one as you mentioned, Joern. The photo of Aeromarine I, however, shows the side exhausts in place.

Richie, as Nigel said before, you have to write that book! (I will take the second copy)
I am amazed by the effect that the side exhausts had on you. I would have never thought of it. I suppose that 3 to 4 hours of this treatment must have taken its toll on your perception of noise.
All the victories must have been even more satisfying. Not only did you rig the boats, throttle them but you had played a big part in the R&D of the winning engines.

Thanks for the annecdoctes, they're great.

Phil.

Black Tornado

To complete the interesting lessons of Richie about the exhaust I would want to add that apart a little experience with side exhaust in the Aeromarine I in 1971 all boats that was powered with Kiekhaefer engines had the exhaust on the back,included the Aeromarine III.
About the I Like It Too then Realite Charger that had the exhaust on the sides I read somewhere that the original Kiekhaefer was switched to the Chevy prepared by McLaren in UK. It's a gossip?
About the story of the positions of the exhaust on the Cigarettes,in 1970 alls the boats(Cary 32') had positioned on the back,then in 1971 the Balestrieri's Black Tornados and Wishnick 32' Boss O'Nova II had the exhaust on the sides(first appearance of that solution). From that nearly alls the 36' powered MerCruisers had the exhaust on the sides. They made exception in cronological order,Lady Nara (I),Starduster,Boss O'Nova III,and Rock A Bye/Triple B Special.
When the MerCruisers powered 36' switched to the powerful Aeromarine in 1973 like Eraf,Copper Kettle,they changed from sides to back exhaust. They didn't make it instead Balestrieri on him two Black Tornados and the (mustard)Tornado and Mondadori on him Nicopao.
That year(1973) Balestrieri was forced to retire in a lot of time for various mechanical problems. Like engines broke,steering,stern drives.I didn't believe that the problems came only the fact that the exhaust went too hot during a race. In this it would want the testimony to us of Jack Stuteville or Dave Wilson.

Marco

Deauville Trophy

Hi Marco: The "Red hot exhausts" incident which forced Vincenzo Balestrieri to retire occured during the Naples Trophy 1971. For this event, Balestrieri was with his heavily modified 32' Cary, the one with a wooden deck. (see photo below).
As for 'I like It Too', the Chevy engines were prepared by Nicholson who also was tuning the Ford Cosworth DFV used by the McLaren F1 team as the time.

Phil.

Black Tornado

About the exhaust of Eraf light blue the story it's the following.
When the new 36' raced the first season in 1972 was powered with MerCruisers and the exhaust came out from the sides.(image below)

In 1973 De Angelis switched to the powerful Aeromarine and Franco Esperto(the throttleman of ERAF) put the exhaust on the back.
In 1974 until the Viareggio-Bastia-Viareggio the Eraf was with the exhaust on the back.
Then in England the boat was prepared with the old exhaust on the sides. Then in 1975 that boat was abandoned.
I think that De Angelis switched to the exhaust on the sides because he didn't have Aeromarine or back exhausts to mount on the boat and he was forced to an chosen of emergency.

Viareggio,July 1974,after the winning goal. In that year the legendary mechanical problems of the 36' of De Angelis they were cancels from a season of victories that carried it to
threaten the leaderships of Bonomi. Note the absence of "guns" on the side.

Marco

Black Tornado

Phil,I know very well that picture because I have the original. It was take in Viareggio on the outer dock, minutes before the start of the race .
The problems had to Naples with the hot exhaust were added those regolamentary ones. The day before the race the Bonelli's Firebird Racing Team protested versus the Tornado Racing Team because according to the regulations those exhaust mounted on the 31' did not exit from the stern but from above it. The Napolitan organisators refused the protest of Bonelli and admitted the Black Tornado 31' in the race.
The problems(regulations and mechanical) was resolved in the next race,the Viareggio-Bastia-Viareggio when the rough seas give in fragments the light plywood deck.
In the next Dauphin D'Or Balestrieri had the new 36' made arrive by plane in Nizza.
Balestrieri sent the 31' in Usa for repairs and never drove it again.
That boat was set up to the race debut for two others Champ: Giulio De Angelis and Hal Sahlman.
It was drove by De Angelis in the Sam Griffith race in 1972 and was sold or leased to Hal Sahlman to set the new World speed record in 1974 in California.

About the I Like It Too what you say confirm that Gill switched the Aeromarines for another type of V8.Therefore explained the fact of the exhaust on the sides on him 36'.

Marco