Our domain name aomci.org was donated by Alison Kiellar in honor of Kenneth Kiellar.
Dedicated to the Preservation and Restoration of Antique Outboards
| Hi,
I’m Shawn Warner. I’m 13, and antique outboards are my hobby. Let me get
started by telling you my story. Here it goes: One year when me, my dad,
and my brother stopped at a bait shop to get minnows for ice fishing, I
saw the top of a little motor sitting near a garbage pail. I told my dad
to ask about it. And he did. It was a tiny air cooled 1.2hp Aqua Bug, or
Tanaka. The owner of the bait shop said I could have it for $20.00. And
sure enough, it ended up in the back of the truck. One warm April day we (me and my dad) decided to get it going. We took it all apart, and cleaned it in and out. Then we started it up. It ran good. Then quit. My dad adjusted the carb. Valve. It ran much better. It was time for me to find a boat. My mom said she saw a perfect little 6ft fiberglass dingy all repainted and everything. We went and saw it, and I used most of my Birthday money to buy it. I ran it at small lakes, and even in Cape Cod. Well that was about 5 years ago, and things have changed a little. Instead of the little putt-putt motor and boat, (which I still have) I now have a really nice 8ft three point hydroplane, and a Mercury 7.5hp KE4 Rocket. I Also have other motors too, such as a 53’ Mercury Mark 5, a 47’ TD-20, a 73’ 4hp Evinrude, a 76’ 2hp Evinrude, a 53’ 5.5hp Champion, and my 1985 6hp Johnson. I have had many other motors, which I sold or traded. I am currently now looking for a Mercury KG7 10hp Hurricane. To me, working on a motor is much more fun than playing video games, or staring at a TV all day. (well it depends on what the problem is!) Especially running one of mine on a boat! I usually run my 6ft fiberglass dinghy a mile or two down my street into town in a small river about 3 feet deep in some spaces, to about 5 or 6 in others. Me and my friend go up and down fishing, and exploring. One of my friends has a 10ft V hull row boat that they paddle around. In their cellar they have a 50’s 5.5hp Evinrude Fisherman that has a nice gas tank that sits there. I saw it about 3 years ago, and I know its still sitting down their because me and my friend peaked through the windows and saw it a few week ago! We asked about it and my friend said I don’t know its mine! He lives with his mom (Like me) and his dad lives with his mom. So I never got a chance to ask him. I think a lot of young kids would be interested like me, if they just got to know what its like to experience the thrill of outboarding! I got my 9 year old cousin hooked too! He wants to come to a meet with me and get a small putt-putt of his own. I think its great to have after school projects. I saw one of them on a website were a guy and a few kids after school built a nice runabout. It would be cool for science class, to completely take a small motor apart, and go over it in class. Then rebuild it, and paint it up so it looks nice. Then at a near by pond or lake, run it with the kids, and let them drive with you in the front! Also, the club should have a place on their site for kids. And maybe a meet were kids race hydros, with a medium motor in the 7.5hp range, that would be great! I hope you liked my story. Shawn Warner For any leads on a Hurricane, or the
racing meet for kids, drop me a message at: PS: Check out my website still under
construction at:
See you on the water! |
