A NATIONAL HISTORIC MECHANICAL ENGINEERING LANDMARK

© OUTBOARD MARINE CORPORATION 1981. All Rights Reserved. THE LANDMARK The committee’s overall objective is to promote a PROGRAM OF general awareness of our technological heritage THE AMERICAN among both engineers and the general public. SOCIETY OF Saturn V Rocket State Line Generating Unit #1 Cape Kennedy, Florida Hammond, Indiana MECHANICAL Blood Heat Exchanger Pratt Institute Power Generating Plant Buffalo, New York Brooklyn, New York ENGINEERS Rocky River Hydro Plant Monongahela Incline New Milford, Connecticut Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Kaplan Turbine, York Haven Hydro-Plant Duquesne Incline York Haven, Pennsylvania Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania The American Society of Mechanical Pioneer Zephyr Winton 8-201-A Diesel Great Falls Raceway and Power System Engineers (ASME) reactivated its history Paterson, New Jersey and heritage program in September 1971 Chicago, Illinois Vulcan Street Power Plant Holt Caterpillar Track-Type Tractor Appleton, Wisconsin with the formation of the National Stockton, California Wilkinson Mill History and Heritage Committee. The Michigan-Lake Superior Hydro-Power Plant Pawtucket, Rhode Island Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan New York City Subway System committee’s overall objective is to SP #4294 Articulated Steam Locomotive New York. New York promote a general awareness of our Sacramento, California Baltimore & Ohio Railroad technological heritage among both Jackson Ferry Shot Tower Baltimore, Maryland Wythe County, Virginia Ringwood Manar Iron Complex engineers and the general public. Hiwasse No. 2 Reversible Turbine Ringwood. New Jersey One of the committee’s responsibil- Knoxville, Tennessee Joshua Hendy Iron Works Watkins Woolen Mill Sunnyvale, California ities is to gather data on all works and Lawson, Missouri Hacienda La Esperanza Sugar Mill artifacts with a mechanical engineering First All-Welded Steam Drum Steam Engine connection that are historically Chattanooga, Tennessee Manati, Puerto Rico Georgetown Steam Plant RL-10 Liquid-Hydrogen Rocket Engine significant to the profession. It’s an Seattle, Washington West Palm Beach, Florida ambitious goal, and one achieved largely Equitable Building Heat Pump System A.O. Smith Automated Chassis Frame through the volunteer efforts of the Portland, Oregon Factory Shippingport Atomic Power Station Milwaukee, Wisconsin section and division history and heritage Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Reaction-Type Hydraulic Turbine, committees and interested ASME Jumbo Nine Engine-Driven Dynamo, Morris Canal Greenfield Village Stewartsville, New Jersey members. Dearborn, Michigan Experimental Breeder Reactor (EBR-1) Two major programs are carried out East Wells (Oneida Street) Power Plant Idaho Falls, Idaho Milwaukee, Wisconsin Drake Oil Well by the sections, under the direction of the Ferries and Cliff House Cable Railway Titusville, Pennsylvania national committee. One is a listing of Power House Springfield Armory industrial operations and related San Francisco, California Springfield, Massachusetts Leavitt Pumping Engine, Chestnut Hill mechanical engineering artifacts in local Pumping Station historic engineering records, and the Brookline, Massachusetts Acknowledgements A.B. Wood Low-Head High-Volume other is the national historic mechanical The American Society of Mechanical Engineers Screw Pump engineering landmark program. The New Orleans, Louisiana (ASME) former is a record of detailed studies of Portsmouth-Kittery Naval -building Dr. Robert Gaither, President Activity Gus N. Nick, Vice President. Region VI sites in each local area, while the latter is Portsmouth, New Hampshire Art Ebeling, Field Service Director, Region VI a demarcation of local sites which are of 102-Inch Boyden Hydraulic Turbines national significance — people or events Cohoes, New York ASME National History and Heritage Committee which have contributed to the general 5000 KW Vertical Curtis Steam Turhine- Prof. J.J. Ermenc, Chairman Generator Dr. R. Carson Dalzell, Secretary development of civilization. Schenectady, New York Prof. R.S. Hartenberg Saugus Iron Works ASME also cooperates with the Dr. J. Paul Hartman Saugus, Massachusetts Robert M. Vogel, Smithsonian Institution Smithsonian Institution in a joint project Pioneer Oil Refinery Carron Garvin-Donohue, Staff Director of Operations Newhall, California Jill Birghenthal, Administrator to contribute historic material to the Chesapeakc & Delaware Canal, Scoop Wheel National Museum of History and and ASME Milwaukee Section Technology in Washington, D.C. The Chesapeake City, Maryland U.S.S. Texas, Reciprocating Steam Engines Thomas H. Fehring, Chairman Smithsonian’s permanent exhibition of Houston, Texas Dennis L. Carlson, Vice Chairman Kenneth Neusen, Secretary mechanical engineering memorabilia is Childs-Irving Hydro Plant Carl Romer, Treasurer Irving, Arizona directed by a curator, who also serves as Terence A. Hanson, History and Heritage Hanford B-Nuclear Reactor Committee an ex-officio member of ASME’s National Hanford, Washington Robert A. Jakob, Director History and Heritage Committee. First Air Conditioning, Magma Copper Mine Michael C. Jakus, Director Superior, Arizona Rita Hayen, Director Manitou and Pike’s Peak Cog Railway Harold E. Monde, Jr., Director Other Historic landmarks Colorado Springs, Colorado William Stamets, Director Edgar Steam-Electric Station The Evinrude outboard motor was the Weymouth, Massachusetts Outboard Marine Corporation 60th landmark to be designated since the Mt. Washington Cog Railway Mt. Washington, New Hampshire Ralph S. Evinrude, Chairman of the Board and program began in 1973, and the first Folsom Power House #1 Chairman of the Executive Committee consumer product to merit the Folsom, California Charles D. Strang, President and Chief designation from the ASME. The others Crawler Transporters of Launch Complex 39 Executive Officer J.F.K. Space Center, Florida Robert J. Lemay, Director, Marketing Communications are: Fairmont Water Works James W. Mohr, Director of Research William J. AuCoin, Public Relations Manager Edison Experimental Phonograph Philadelphia, Pennsylvania U.S.S. Olympia, Vertical Reciprocating Port Washington Power Plant Evinrude Motors Port Washington, Wisconsin Steam Engine Cooperative Fuel Research Engine Philadelphia, Pennsylvania James R. Riegor, Manager Graeme Paxton, Communications Manager Waukesha, Wisconsin Birmingham, Alabama James H. Jost. Manager, Editorial Services

2 NATIONAL LANDMARK NATIONAL HISTORIC MECHANICAL ENGINEERING LANDMARK EVINRUDE OUTBOARD MOTOR 1909

THIS OUTBOARD MOTOR, DESIGNED AND BUILT BY OLE EVINRUDE (1877 - 1934) AT HIS EVENRUDE MOTOR COMPDNY IN MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, WAS QUICKLY ACCEPTED BY THE BOATING PUBLIC OF THE UNITED STATES. ITS IMMEDIATE SUCCESS STIMULATED THE FORMATION OF COMPETING COMPANIES AND CREATED A NEW INDUSTRY. OUTBOARDS HAVE INDEED ENHANCED THE RECREATIONAL LIVES OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE. THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS-1981

THE FIRST OF MILLIONS “kickers” to marine Product Group of Outboard power systems developing 235 Marine Corporation, the leading Outboard “motors” to propel horses or more, have horizontal worldwide manufacturer of had been around, in one cylinders, and vertical crank- outboard motors (Evinrude and form or another, for more than 40 shafts, and driveshaft power Johnson), as well as inboard power years when Ole Evinrude designed direction changing gears in the systems (OMC Stern Drive), and built his first outboard in lower unit. Just like Ole Evin- marine products (OMC Parts and 1907. rude’s very first. Accessories), lawn mowers (Lawn- Some were little more than After two years spent refining Bey), industrial vehicles (Cush- foot-powered paddlewheels. his prototype, Ole Evinrude and man) and professional turf care Others were steam powered. his wife, Bess, formed the equipment (Ryan). Electric outboards powered by Evinrude Motor Company in 1909 storage batteries in the , heavy and began production of what And Mr. Evinrude’s original four-cycle engines for outboards almost immediately was the outboard, the 1909 model that was . . . all had been tried and, for one world’s first truly commercially the inspiration for a new industry, reason or another, had failed to successful outboard motor. has been designated a National win customer acceptance. Ole Evinrude’s 1907 outboard changed all that, and revolution- EVINRUDE’S DETACHABLE ized recreational boating in the process. It was everything other ROWBOAT MOTOR outboards were not: light in weisht, easv to use. dependable, A NATIONAL MECHANICAL relatively powerful. The landmark internal com- ENGINEERING LANDMARK bustion two-cycle Evinrude motor developed 1½ horsepower at 1,000 Overnight, it revolutionized the Historie Mechanical Engineering rpm, weighed 62 pounds, and used recreational marine market until Landmark. It’s the sixtieth an engineering design that has today fishing and water skiing and mechanical item to be so desig- remained the standard for just plain cruising (most of it with nated by the American Society of outboard motors ever since. The an outboard-powered boat) are Mechanical Engineers, and the cylinder was horizontal, the some of the world’s favorite forms first consumer product ever to be crankshaft was vertical, the of recreation. Outboards also help declared a national landmark by direction gears were housed in a people around the world earn their the ASME. submerged lower unit. livings on the water. The Evinrude landmark out- Today, just about every Now, seven decades later, board motor. It was the first of outboard motor, from little two- Evinrude Motors is a flagship millions.

NATIONAL LANDMARK 3 IT’S A HOT AUGUST DAY IN THE EARLY 1900’S. Ole Evinrude, Bessie Cary and some of their friends are picnicking on Okauchee Lake, west of Milwaukee. Miss Cary suggests it might be nice to have some ice cream on such a warm afternoon.

Great ideas often spring from idea in his inventive mind: more the inventor than the small happenings. So it was with develop a new kind of outboard business man, at first had Evinrude’s landmark outboard motor for a rowboat, one that difficulty seeing its commercial motor. wouldn’t require bulky batteries, promise. The small happening was, or weigh too much, one that would ironically, a gallon of melted ice Fortunately, though, be dependable and quick enough his Bess did. At her urg- cream. The great idea, of course, is to keep the ice in the ice cream the ing, Ole made ten, then the very first Evinrude outboard next time. 20, then 25 “coffee grind- motor, the one that has been Ole Evinrude was uniquely ers.” These quickly were honored by the American Society prepared for the challenge. Born sold and, in 1909, the of Mechanical Engineers as a in 1877, he was five years old when Motor Car Power Equip- National Historic Mechanical his family emigrated from Norway ment Co. was in the past, Engineering Landmark. to America, eventually to settle on the future was the Evin- It’s a hot August day in the rude Motor Co., and Ole’s a farm in central Wisconsin. But outboard was about to early 1900’s. Ole Evinrude, Bessie his interest lay with things Cary and some of their friends are usher in the modern world mechanical, not things agrarian, picnicking on Wisconsin’s Okau- of recreational boating. and in his late teens he moved to chee Lake, west of Milwaukee. Wisconsin’s capital city of Ole and Bess were, as he was Miss Cary suggests it might be nice Madison, where he became an fond of saying, “the perfect to have some ice cream on such a apprentice in a farm machinery partnership.” Ole’s place was the warm afternoon. Mr. Evinrude shop. factory, where he designed, and gallantly volunteers to row their After Madison, he moved on to built, and supervised, and boat to the ice cream store, work the steel mills of Pittsburgh motivated. Bess was at home in the “Schatz’s,” and get some. History office, handling the books, has misplaced the flavor of that ice and the giant machine tool factories of Chicago, returning a managing the sales (many a man cream, but one thing remains few years later to Milwaukee was more than a little surprised clear: by the time Ole had rowed where he opened his own pattern when he discovered the “B. back, the summer heat had melted shop. Evinrude” who signed the letter or the ice cream to ice cream soup. the sales contract was a woman!) The melted ice cream did little About this time, the internal writing the ads. to dampen the fun of the day, nor combustion engine was coming the romance between Ole and Bess into its own, so a few years later, DON’T ROW! THROW THE (they were married a few months Ole and another man formed the OARS AWAY! USE AN EVIN- Later, in 1906), but it did spark an Motor Car Power Equipment Co., RUDE MOTOR. This was the to build a standardized motor that theme of the advertising campaign could be installed in any “horse- created by Bess Evinrude that less” carriage. Bess Cary was the proved so successful that, in 1911, company’s office manager. the Evinrude company had to find Using his mechanical and new larger manufacturing facili- engineering genius, spurred by the ties. never-forgotten ice cream inci- Three years later, the Evinrude dent, in 1907 he designed and built outboard business had grown to the first prototype of an Evinrude more than 300 employees, with outboard motor. This “coffee sales throughout the U.S. and grinder,” as Bess Cary Evinrude Europe. But despite her enthu- called it, moved a boat through the siasm and hard work for the water better than any other out- company, Bess Evinrude was not a board on the market . . . but Ole, physically strong woman. Her THE GREAT ICE CREA Ole Evinrude 4 NATIONAL LANDMARK health was failing, and Ole wanted DON’T ROW! THROW THE OARS AWAY! USE AN to devote his full time to her. In EVINRUDE MOTOR. This was the theme of the 1914, he sold the Evinrude Motor advertising campaign created by Bess Evinrude Co. and they retired. that proved so successful that, in 1911, the As the Evinrudes motored Evinrude company had to find new, larger around the pre-Interstate highway manufacturing facilities. with their son, Ralph, the “modern” outboard industry that water-scoop cooling system (Elto), business since he joined it after Ole had begun was growing, with slip clutch (Lockwood- two years at the University of companies like Caille and Koban Ash), auxiliary gas tank (Elto), Wisconsin. With Ole and Bess and Arrow and Lockwood-Ash combined and gone, it was up to Ralph to joining the competition. All, of control (Caille), and continue the Evinrude tradition of course, used the basic Evinrude remote outboad steering (Elto). innovation and leadership. He design concept. proved more than ready for the Under Ole Evinrude’s leader- challenge. ship, Elto led the way in outboard When Ole sold the original In 1935, the Outboard Motors engineering. In 1928, it broke the Evinrude company, he agreed to Corp. acquired the other major two-cylinder “barrier” when it stay out of the outboard business outboard company in the U.S., introduced the four-cylinder out- for five years. Still, once an Johnson Motors of Waukegan, board to meet the public’s growing outboarder, always an outboarder, Ill., and formed the Outboard demand for more power and speed. and even as they enjoyed their Marine and Manufacturing Co., Elto was the first outboard builder early retirement, even as Bess was with Ralph Evinrude as president. regaining her health, Ole was to completely enclose the “mind designing” his second- powerhead in a water-resistant Today, it’s known as the generation outboard, one that motor cover. In 1930, along with a Outboard Marine Corporation, would use two cylinders instead on few other outboard companies, it one of America’s largest corpor- one, weigh 50 percent less, yet introduced electric starting on ations with sales in excess of $700 develop 50 percent more power. outboards. million. It’s a leader in every one of its product lines. It has By 1921, “the perfect partner- Meanwhile, historic manufacturing and marketing ship” was back in business in corporate restructuring facilities in the U.S., Canada, Milwaukee, this time as the Elto was usnderway. In 1928, Belgium, Australia and Hong (for E vinrude L ight T win the Briggs & Stratton Kong. It employs more than Outboard) Outboard Motor Co. Corp. had acquired the 10,000 people. Ralph Evinrude is Aluminum had come into common original Evinrude Com- chairman of its board of directors. pany, which had passed industrial use during World War And it all started with a gallon I, and the first Elto was the first through several owners of ice cream melting under a hot outboard to substitute aluminum since Ole had sold out back in 1914. A year summer sun less than 80 years for the traditional heavier metals. later, Evinrude merged ago. As promised, it developed three with Elto and Lockwood- horsepower instead of 1½, and Ash to form the Outboard weighed 47 pounds. Motors Corp. By now, the outboard industry had followed the trail blazed by But as the outboard industry Ole Evinrude, and innovation and Elto were growing, Bess’ followed innovation: streamlined always-frail health again was lower unit, full tilting, waterproof failing. She passed away in ignition system (Elto), full pivot Milwaukee in 1933. A year later, steering (Johnson), underwater Ole Evinrude died suddenly in his thru-the-prop-hub Milwaukee home. He was just 57 (Evinrude), anti-ventilation plate years old. on the lower unit for more The Evinrudes’ only Child, efficient propulsion (Johnson), Ralph, had been active in the

DREAM COMES TRUE Bess Evinrude

NATIONAL LANDMARK 5 THE EVINRUDE EARLY YEARS PHOTO ALBUM

VISITORS — Ole Evinrude, left, and Finn Irgens, right, pose in THE PLANT — Because of his great interest in things front of the plant with Evinrude’s London distributor, J.W. mechanical, Ole Evinrude always made sure his manufacturing Shillan. Irgens, an engineering genius who held numerous U.S. facilities had the most modern and efficient machines available. patents, eventually rose to the highest levels of Outboard And by the late 1920s, women had become a major part of the Marine Corp. Evinrude factory work force.

POOL SHOW — By 1930, the public’s interest in power boating DOUBLE DUTY — Running boards served double duty on that started with the Evinrude outboard more than 20 years Evinrude salesmen’s cars. They were a rack to carry the display earlier was booming. Here, a group of outboard-powered race motor from town to town (securely latched down, of course). boats stage a pool show at the famed Beauville Hotel in Miami And they kept the motor out in the open, where the curious Beach. could see it. After all, in the 1920s, an outboard as light and compact as the Evinrude was a curiosity indeed!

SERVICE TRAINING — A class of service school students REMOTE CONTROLS — Evinrude was the first outboard poses with its instructors in front of Evinrude’s main builder to offer remote steering on its motors. This early 1928 Milwaukee plant in the early 1930s. Evinrude Motors was one of model used two cables with handles to grip. Soon after, the the first in the industry to offer factory service training. handles were replaced by a single steering wheel — the same basic remote steering system used today. 6 NATIONAL LANDMARK MORE FUN — In the late ’20s and early ’30s, flying and boating were two favorite sports for the “thrill” seekers. It was a heday for the promoters . . . like this Racine, Wis., dealer whose trailer offers free boat demonstrations that he prmises will be “more fun than flying”

‘R’ — This 1917 model was the first Evinrude with 360- degree reverse steering and tilting too. Full forward- neutral-reverse shifting was to come later.

THE LONG, LONG TRAILER — The year was 1937, and Evinrude had become a part of the Outboard Marine and Manufacturing Co.Lawn-Boy lawn mowers were part of the family now, and shared display space with the outboards.

SAMPLE CASE — Every peddler had to have his sample case, and an Evinrude salesman was no exception. Date: 1926.

WARTIME — The world went to war in 1941, and Evinrude went with it. Until late 1945, when commercial production resumed, the company made only outboards and other SKI BOOM — The landmark Evinrude outboard opened the exciting military equipment for the war effort. Here, a flotilla of world of water recreation to everyone. This scene of a family enjoying Evinrude-powered barges supports a temporary bridge over a aquaplaning was typical of lakes and rivers around the U.S. in the mid European river. It was December 1944, victory was in sight, 1930s. and soon America would return to more pleasant pursuits ... like boating. NATIONAL LANDMARK 7 Note: Jim Webb, who retired in 1963 as vice president and general THE manager of Evinrude, knew Ole and Bess Evinrude well. He joined the Elto WAY Outboard Motor Co. in 1926 as a sales correspondent, and spent his next 37 IT years with Elto and Evinrude. After his retirement, Jim Webb authored the WAS book, “The Pictorial History of Outboard Motors,” thus keeping a promise he had made to Bess Evinrude 38 years earlier. The following is BY JIM WEBB excerpted from Mr. Webb’s book.

. . .Ole never went beyond the In the building process, Ole did not survive, and Evinrude-Elto third grade. At that point, his bought and made 25 sets of parts. made it. father needed more help on the He didn’t expect to need them in a I well remember one Sunday farm. So the youngster left school hurry, but the foundries charged night in the spring of 1933. Jake at the ripe age of 10 and began about as much for one set as for Stern (executive vice president of farming. He was big and strong for 25, so it made sense. the Outboard Motors Corp.) came his years, and was a willing and downstairs to the office show- dutiful worker. The new motor started room. I was just loading a motor easily and ran beauti- Ole was a shade different from fully. Ole lent it to a into the car of a banker from a most farmers’ sons. From his friend one Sunday. He nearby town who had been maternal ancestors, he inherited came back with orders chiseling for a better price for a an uncanny understanding of for ten smotors and great couple of hours. After the man had mechanical things. Somehow he stories about the excite- gone, Jake said — “All right, old was able to fix anything and make ment it caused at Pewau- boy, you can close up now. With it run as it was supposed to. He kee Lake. that one we can cover the payroll saved his father and neighboring tomorrow.” farmers many hours by devising Within a short time, the There was, of course, suffering repairs that ordinarily meant a trip Evinrude success story attracted among our employees (during to the blacksmith shop. When he new firms to the motor-building these years), but they were more was engaged in these tasks, the business. Most of them copied fortunate than many because they husky youth was really happy, but Evinrude, but Ole disregarded the still had their jobs. They learned otherwise he longed to leave the competition. He never conscious- how big Ole Evinrude’s heart was. farm and go to town where there ly copied others and he didn’t care Often he stopped to chat with were all kinds of machines. who copied him. He and Bess some old-timer who was particu- . . . Bess was a fair-minded believed the one who did the best larly hard pressed, and during the woman. She always thought things job would prosper. The more conversation he would unobtru- through, and so now she began to people advertised and sold motors, sively leave a well-folded, personal reconsider the outboard motor. the sooner the public would check. He did not want to be Suddenly, the exciting possibil- become conscious of low-cost thanked. ities of the coffee grinder came boating. And as demand for out- It was characteristic of Ole through to her. “Ole,”, she said, boards grew, Evinrude would get Evinrude that from 1930 until his “if that thing does what you say, its share. Consequently, when a death, he drew no salary. Had he people will buy it. Clean it up. competitor came to them for help, done so, the company probably Make it better. There are lots of he would get the best advice they could not have survived — things pattern makers, but no one is could give. were that close. making anything like this.” To meet payrolls (during the Ole Evinrude was the most With constant needling from Depression), Evinrude-Elto began honest man I’ve ever known. Bess, Ole . . . rounded the square to hold factory sales over Utterly without guile, he could not corners, polished the brass, weekends. Motors sold here were dissemble in a matter, large or painted the iron parts and added a not current models, but leftovers small. He remembered every favor muffler with an aluminum or motors made out of overstocks ever done him and, as far as I manifold. When he finished, the of old spare parts. Competitors know, forgave every fault. He was coffee grinder image had vanished. tried to make capital of it, but they extremely shy, but when he spoke

8 NATIONAL LANDMARK Note: Hugo Biersach retired in THE 1954 after a 42-year career with WAY Evinrude Motors. Starting as a stock clerk,Biersach later became IT sales manager, advertising mana- ger, a director, and a vice presi- WAS dent. Today he lives on Pewaukee Lake, west of Milwaukee, not far from the place he first met Ole BY HUGO BIERSACH Evinrude.

I first met Ole Evinrude at an There have been so many export order, an -order for 1,000 Evinrude company picnic at Wau- changes. The biggest change, of motors. That put a whole new kesha Beach on Pewaukee Lake in course, is with the outboard perspective on the thing. Boy were 1911. I met Ole and his wife and motors. Back then we didn’t make we excited! Ralph, who was quite a small guy many changes in the outboards. In at that time. They brought out a fact, the model that Ole Evinrude Ole Evinrude was a very number of outboard motors and sold in 1909 remained approxi- genial, pleasant man, always with a rented a fleet of 15 or 20 boats and mately the same until about 1912 smile. A very easy man to get along put motors on them and gave the when he added a on the with. He was an easy man to be employees turns at taking rides on gearbox to ward off obstructions. with. He loved the company, loved the lake. I was very impressed. Then, in 1913 I think, we made a conviviality, loved the outdoors. big change. We changed the He was just a very fine gentleman. But I didn’t go to work for horsepower from 1½ to 2- He had a very fine and efficient Evinrude until 1913 and by that wife, too. She managed the office time Ole Evinrude had sold out to horsepower. and Ole ran the plant. It was a good Chris Meyer. I started as a stock We had, maybe, 250 employ- partnership. I don’t think one or clerk, and they appointed a new ees. I remember when we were on the other alone could have done it. general manager, P.M. Tallon. He Walker Street we got the first The two together made it work. brought me upstairs to the sales department. This was 1914. When Mr. Meyer sold out his interest, EVINRUDE: THE CHOICE Ole came back into the business. I was still there so I just continued OF PRESIDENTS on with the company. Note: Teddy Roosevelt, boat. It was made by the 26th president of the Evinrude Motor Com- The Way It Was — Webb United States, also was an pany. Though the motor it was with persuasive conviction. explorer and adventurer was left out in the rain Mr. Evinrude was quite a man! of note. In 1913, he led an and sun, often without a Bess possessed the same exploration to the head- cover. . . it never failed us. integrity as did her husband. She waters of South America’s We found it particularly had the natural instinct for designing an advertisement or a Amazon River. The fol- valuable in going against sales campaign as Ole had for lowing is excerpted from the strong current of the engineering and production. his personal log of that Sepotubia River, where While she ran the Office end of the exploration: several all-night trips business, she never thought of taking charge in such a way as to “We had with us a were made upstream, the cast the slightest shadow on Ole. three and one-half horse- motor attached to a heavy She discussed every important boat. For exploration move with him. He practically power motor which could always agreed with her sugges- be attached to the stern or upstream ... it was easily tions, but she never took it for gunwale of a or portable.” granted.

NATIONAL LANDMARK 9 “You know you’ve chosen wisely when your new motor bears the name Evinrude. For that name is more than a mere brand, a maker’s label. It’s the master-mark of an industry’s founder. It’s the sign of forty years of true creative engineering. It’s the index that implies: ‘in this mechanism there is every feature that could contribute to your lasting enjoyment of outboard motoring.’” — from Evinrude Motors’ 40th anniversary catalog, 1949.

outboard, the first outboard that boards, using an electric-starter THE was a marketplace success. generator that replaced the OLE EVINRUDE flywheel of the engine with an After that, start counting armature. (1930) TRADITION OF up the Evinrude engi- Evinrude introduced a rubber CREATIVE neering firsts.. and what mounting system to isolate the that list is, is the history powerhead, for less vibration, ENGINEERING of modern outboarding. smoother running. (1932)

“Creative engineering” has been a way of life at Evinrude ever since Ole Evinrude built his first. prototype outboard motor in 1907. Under his leadership, at first, and his legacy since 1934, Evinrude — and Elto for a few short but significant years — has blazed the engineering trails of outboard technology, introducing innova- tion after innovation that, today, are, feature-after-feature, stand- ard on modern outboard motors . . . features like water cooling, remote steering, and multi- The Evinrude sales van made stops in many neighborhoods. cylinder powerheads, and separate fuel tanks, and quiet running. Evinrude’s Elto introduced Evinrude helped quiet motor lightweight aluminum to out- operation — and make modern Much of what’s taken for boards, the first exhaust through outboard styling possible — by granted in today’s modern the underwater propeller hub for “hooding” the motor’s powerhead outboard motor owes its very more quiet operation, the first for motor protection and noise existence to that tradition of enclosed and streamlined lower reduction. (1934) creative engineering and quality unit, the first motor with full Evinrude introduced reed manufacturing that was Ole tilting, the first with a waterproof valves (still used in most Evinrude’s way of doing business. ignition system (especially outboards today) and the angled, Make it the best way you know important for an outboard motor, weed-resistant propeller shaft for how, he would say, then make it which tends to get somewhat wet smaller outboards. (1935) better. in normal operation). (1921) Evinrude converted its entire The roster of Evinrude Elto pioneered a basic remote production to the war effort. Noise engineering “firsts” began with steering system, soon modified reduction knowledge learned here that first Evinrude outboard more into the steering wheel design resulted in the much more quiet than 70 years ago, and has grown common today on most medium- outboards of the post-war era ever since. Set aside that first and high-horsepower outboards. (1941-1945). Evinrude, the one that was the (1926) first lightweight outboard, the first Along with a few other Aquasonic silencing, using a really dependable outboard, the manufacturers, Evinrude intro- rubber “cushion” between the first convenient and easy-to-use duced electric starting to out- engine and the stern mounting

10 NATIONAL LANDMARK The new shell molding process was introduced to the marine industry by Evinrude. The significant cost savings of this manufacturing process — with no reduction in quality — helped make outboards more affordable than ever to the average American boater.

Evinrude introduced the 50- piston outboards of the times, the to-1, gas/lubricant fuel mix for its rotary performed well on the top two-cycle outboards. Compared to racing circuits of the world. It is the 24:l mix previously used, this still part of OMC’s ongoing new mixing ratio meant less research and development pro- lubricant used, less smoke and gram. (1973) fumes. (1964) Evinrude introduced the most The world’s first mass- powerful outboard motor ever, the produced in-line three-cylinder 200-HP V-6, designed for larger loop-charged outboard motor — runabouts and blue-water boats. the 55-HP Triumph — was Gertrude Ederle, the first woman (1976) to swim the English Channel introduced by Evinrude, featuring (1926), with her Evinrude a computer-designed lower unit To meet consumer demand for outboard motor. and a computer-guided “transfer more powerful outboards to power line” method of precise power- larger boats, a 235-HP V-6 model, head production. (1968) bracket, reduced engine noise by the world’s most powerful 50 percent. (1954) Overboard fuel drains outboard, was introduced, to complement the other V-6 Evin- The new shell molding process were eliminated, so un- rudes: 150-, 175- and 200- HP was introduced to the marine burned fuel is recircu- lated in the engine, in- models. (1978) industry by Evinrude. The stead of discharged over- significant cost savings of this board. In the interest of manufacturing process — with no cleaner waters, Evinrude These, of course, are just a reduction in quality — helped made this drainless tech- representative few of the many make outboards more affordable nology available to its Evinrude engineering firsts. There than ever to the average American competitors. Today, all have been many, many more . . . boater. (1956) major outboard motors and they continue today, all in the Evinrude introduced the first have no overboard fuel Ole Evinrude tradition of 90-degree, V-4 design outboard, a drains. (1972) engineering innovation and leadership. 50-horsepower model that, at the Evinrude unveiled the world’s time, was the most powerful first rotary combustion outboard Throughout the years and Evinrude ever. Today, that same motor, as an experimental racing throughout the engineering basic V-4 design is used in engine. Developing up to two- triumphs, the Evinrude tradition outboards from 90- to 140-HP. thirds more power than the biggest (1958) first defined by Ole Evinrude continues. Ralph Evinrude, chairman of the board of Outboard Marine Corp. said, “In 1909, my father built the world’s first commercially successful outboard motor. In the custom of the day, he placed his name on it; a proud craftsman’s personal guarantee of integrity and quality. We are still a company of proud craftsmen. The name on the motor still attests to the quality of the workmanship Many of the innovations introduced by Evinrude Motors on its inside.” recreational outboards were tested and proven on the race course.

NATIONAL LANDMARK 11 EVINRUDE’S DETACHABLE ROWBOAT MOTOR A NATIONAL HISTORIC MECHANICAL ENGINEERING LANDMARK

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