In Our Wake: Low Rider
In 1958, the Outboard Motor Corporation unveiled a radical new technology in the form of its V4 engines. Compared to Mercury’s inline offerings, from four-cylinder “Thunderbolts” to the six-cylinder “Tower of Power” that debuted in 1962, these Johnson/Evinrude motors had a much lower profile. Then came a revolution. “1969 was a major advancement,” said former OMC VP of Worldwide Marketing and current Antique Outboard Motor Club guru Jack Aylsworth. “The 115 and 85 horsepower motors represented the largest single advance in the eleven-year evolution on the V4 outboard—more power, greater thrust, higher speed and most importantly, better fuel economy. All from a motor that was smoother and far quieter. Advertising copy proclaimed that these new outboards complemented your boat, and didn’t overwhelm it with some ‘tower of whatever.’”
That V4 platform, Aylsworth added, would remain nearly the same until OMC closed in the early 2000’s. If you’ve ever seen these “short stroke” outboards, you’ll understand. Beneath low, wedge-shaped cowlings, it’s tough to believe they managed to stuff so much horsepower into these diminutive, carbureted two strokes.
During Johnson/Evinrude’s glory days, Mercury’s founder Carl Kiekhaefer harbored an obsessive hatred of OMC—reportedly even torching Johnson/Evinrudes at company events until their aluminum liquefied. So, it’s no surprise that OMC Mad Men poked fun at Keikhaefer’s “top heavy” designs, pointing out that Evinrude’s 115S “snuggles down on the transom like it’s part of your boat” or providing a full-shadowed outline Mercury size comparison in a Johnson 115 ad. For years, Mercurys had been offered in a rainbow of colors. But Aylsworth said OMC low-risers made Merc execs seriously concerned about their towering proportions. Mercury Chief Engineer Charlie Strang put it this way: “My late mother (her name was Ann) suggested we paint it black instead of white because she said, “a large woman wears a black dress to look smaller”. We tried black on an engine—which appeared to shrink tremendously. We showed it to Carl who took one look and said “paint them all black!” Thus, a color previously shunned in the industry became a major factor in the marketing of outboard motors, even leading to lawsuits between manufacturers as to who had the right to use it on their products.”
Strang passed away in 2018 at age 96. A much loved figure at Mercury, he later became OMC’s outboard engineering director and eventually, chairman of the board. Yet despite pioneering work that included sketching out the world’s first ever sterndrives, Strang might be best remembered for his mom’s suggestion that he turn Mercurys their iconic Phantom Black. “The message to budding young engineers,” says Aylsworth. “If you don’t have an engineering solution, just ask mom for help.”
This article originally appeared in the February 2025 issue of Power & Motoryacht magazine.
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Source: https://www.powerandmotoryacht.com/column/in-our-wake-low-rider
