For Old Guys Only

65HP Merc Greg. Three cylinder two carb, one cylinder always running lean. Buddy of mine just sold his 1973 Boston Whaler with a 65HP Force, with a similarly blown piston to some one in SC. My engine and his mechanically were identical.
Tom
 
Greg58 said:
I’m living proof that God looks after foolish people, in 1975 my brother bought a 1974 close out 750cc Kawasaki triple, that was the fastest bike around, I was only 17 riding a rocket. We would swap out his bike for my car at times, I don’t care how mild mannered a person is, when you climb on something with that kind of power you have to let it rip.
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Those bikes had a rep for being killers.
 
I can relate, I had a 750 Honda 4cyl that I thought was fast, and it was for its time. But the local drag racers were buying the 900 Kawasaki Z1’s and kicking ass. I jumped on the first used one I found in 1975. Low mileage and prestige condition. I took it out on the highway for a trip and went to pass a car. Going about 60, I went to pass and gave it the gas, the front end came up, about threw me off the back, scared the living **** out of me. When I got home I put it up for sale, sold it to a buddy, got my money back and said good luck. Those 900’s were just freaking scary !!
 
They were meant for expert riders. I sadly know more than a few Crotch Rocket fatalities.
Buddy of mine, just turned 65 last week. Crashed a year ago fracturing a vertebra and trashed a set of leathers. Wears a chest brace now and once back in the saddle. He is a Moto Guzzi man. They were made to take a curve which he has never mastered. Steve crashed his first Guzzi in 1979 one month after he bought it.
It is curious how some riders study riding and some that just ride like it is a Carnival ride.
Steve has an enlarged heart, any day could be his last and he sure rides like it is.
Never less than 100mph on county roads.
 
Oldbiscuit said:
I was no stranger to bikes when I got that 900 Z1. By then I was already on my 4th road bike and who knows how many dirt bikes. I was racing enduros and hill climbing/trail riding. Those 900’s were just plain stupid fast !
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I’ve also lost many a friend to bike wrecks. Sadly most were their own fault. Taking curves too fast, slick road surface, driving while impaired. Only a few were due to other drivers.
 
I sold my last bike years ago when I got married. Always told the wife that when all my debts were paid off I was going to get me a Harley. Now that I’m older and debt free, I don’t trust my reflexes and instincts enough to ride one. I guess I’ll stay with these motorized bicycles instead.
 
You have rode a 49cc Huffy Davidson on three-four beers? Sober is doable, bearably.
Short wheel base and flexy frame. I did it once, but it wasn't pleasant.
Proficiency tests are part of my being.
The Sportsman Flyer is more pleasant riding, tuned up Longer wheel base.
Once on any engine powered two wheeler, my mind is in defensive mode.
I never carried debt, and only married Ramona when she accepted the fact that credit and carrying debt was a no win.
I bought a 1950 Harley in 1971. Awaiting the full build from NOS in house. Still not finished. If you have never been there, rebuilding a old Harley in the 70's. Plus lot's of chrome. I went way over budget for the time. (Could have bought new). My 1979 R80 BMW was on a count of the gal who bragged Beemer, was for her, never got to second base.
still got the Beemer
Tom
 
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Tom from Rubicon said:
65HP Merc Greg. Three cylinder two carb, one cylinder always running lean. Buddy of mine just sold his 1973 Boston Whaler with a 65HP Force, with a similarly blown piston to some one in SC. My engine and his mechanically were identical.
Tom
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I have a 90hp mercury 3cyld with 3 carbs, I have had it since 1990 and it has always been very dependable. I bought the boat when it was 6 months old and still under warranty, the manual says to run the engine above 5k rpm when cruising for extended rides, I run it wide open and have never had a problem. It’s on a 16 foot Astro bass boat, does 42 mph with two adults and gear.
 
How many of you know what I’m talking about when I say “I ain’t as good as I once was”? My son and I have spent the last couple of months constructing a pole barn to keep his travel trailer and small boat out of the weather. Mostly Saturday work only missing days that one of us had something planned, we did it all, with the help of my son in law and his tractor we cored the holes for the donated telephone poles. My son and I made all the trusses using a online calculator, we got the trusses on two weeks ago with the help of a friend with an excavator to raise them up to us so we didn’t have to climb a ladder. We got the decking on last Saturday, I’m still sore!
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Greg58 said:
I have a 90hp mercury 3cyld with 3 carbs, I have had it since 1990 and it has always been very dependable. I bought the boat when it was 6 months old and still under warranty, the manual says to run the engine above 5k rpm when cruising for extended rides, I run it wide open and have never had a problem. It’s on a 16 foot Astro bass boat, does 42 mph with two adults and gear.

" 5k rpm when cruising for extended rides"
And that is why I got my Homelite/Bearcat 4stroke outboards. They will run at idle, all day, every day without a fouled plug.
It's the way my wife likes it. Her idea of a boat ride, is 1kt around lake shores. window shopping lakefront property.
By the way. Nice shelter Greg, but I'm thinking. Poles were too long or pole holes were not deep enough.
Just saying, pay me mind.
Tom
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Tom they were 16 feet long with three feet in the ground with about 200 lbs of concrete around each pole. We have 11’6” clearance on the front truss, it gains because of the slight slope. We made it tall on purpose, he can get on top and do maintenance with it in the barn
 
There is a wood boat forum that would love this site. I will post a link to the forum. Thanks Steve
Rick, for ten years I was a Marathon canoe racer. Member of the St.Charles Canoe Club.
The Mid-American Canoe Race in 1978 I raced in the Mixed Class finishing 4th and off the podium.
There were always a few strippers in that 22 mile race. Usually a grandfather that built it, and his grandson.
I considered Strippers too precious for river running.
Mid-American Canoe Race 1978 (paddlestats.net) Winners in mixed that year, I partnered with both in other marathons.
Tom
 
I am an artisan or metal tooler in a lost wax art foundry. I build sculptures. Bronze silver and gold.

My claim to fame is exponentially growing daily.


Disney used the monterey bay aquarium for a model in the movie finding Dory.

In one of the scenes..

When the fish are talking to the curator asking about their friend, in the background they show a golden whale hanging up.

I built the real one hanging in the real aquarium in Monterey.

Google "Monterey Bay aquarium bronze humpback whale" and switch to the image tabs and its the 4th 5th pic down. It's the one with the two people standing underneath the tail section of it.

My conservative estimate is=== box office sales of the movie + Disney's reported dvds sold .( In just the u.k. and u.s. alone) and the annual visitors to the aquarium yearly (1.25 million ) =

2.52 Billion people have either seen the sculpture or a disney rendering of it . And that's not including all of the bootleg and cable t.v. runs that it has had. I can almost easily say double my figure....

5 billion people roughly... its a job.
 
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