Evinrude Outboard Motors

[Jackie Bullinger]

EvinrudeOutboard Motors was a North American company that built a major brand of two-stroke outboard motors for boats. Founded by Ole Evinrude in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1907, it was formerly owned by the publicly traded Outboard Marine Corporation (OMC) since 1935 but OMC filed for bankruptcy in 2000. It was working as a subsidiary of Canadian Multinational Bombardier Recreational Products but was discontinued in May of 2020.

Evinrude produced two-stroke direct-injected engines ranging from 25 hp (19 kW) to a 3.4L V8 300 hp. They used carburetors until the late 1990s when EPA clean air regulations mandated new technologies. OMC partnered with FICHT of Germany to introduce direct injection. Extensive and thorough durability testing took place to assess the rigor and longevity of the design but the first design did not pass testing standards.

Initial production of the first design started prior to another round of EPA regulations. At the beginning, the company tried retrofitting the previous design in order to bring the motors up to the new standards. These modifications were not carefully engineered or designed and caused significant engine failures, most notably the powerhead failure. This eventually resulted in a recall of that generation of motors. The losses on these motors, the loss of reputation and the surge of competition from Japan and Mercury pushed the company into bankruptcy in 2000.

In 2001, Bombardier acquired the Evinrude and Johnson Outboards brands; the FICHT technology was re-engineered into E-TEC direct injection. This improved fuel efficiency and reduced emissions, oil consumption, noise levels and maintenance needs. This is due in part to a pinpoint oiling system that only applies oil to the necessary components, unlike the original two-stroke motors. Evinrude E-TEC was the first outboard engine technology to win the US Environmental Protection Agency's 2004 Clean Air Excellence Award which recognizes low emission levels.[1]

Ole Evinrude was born in Gjvik, Norway on April 19, 1877; five years later, his family emigrated to the United States, settling near Cambridge, Wisconsin. Interested in mechanics from an early age, Evinrude became an apprentice machinist at age 16 and eventually a master pattern maker, as well.

Along with a growing number of people at the turn of the century, Ole Evinrude was fascinated by the potential of the newly developed internal combustion engine, and he set up a firm to build small engines. The idea for Ole Evinrude's invention, a detachable internal-combustion engine mounted on outboard brackets or on the stern of a boat, first took root in the early 1900s. A pattern maker by trade, Ole Evinrude built his first outboard motor in 1907. To this day, outboard motors employ basically the same technology: a vertical crankshaft, horizontal flywheels, and set of bevel gears, but modern motors propel boats faster than the 1907 version (150 mph versus 5 mph).

While Evinrude concentrated on the mechanical and engineering aspects of the new firm, he entrusted the bookkeeping and business end of the firm to his assistant, Bessie Cary. The story surrounding Evinrude's invention of the outboard boat engine revolves around a picnic that Cary and Evinrude enjoyed on Okauchee Lake, in the lake country west of Milwaukee, two and one-half miles from shore. Cary expressed a desire for a dish of ice cream and Evinrude rowed back to shore for it. Of course, the ice cream was melted by the time he returned, but Evinrude, inspired by the incident, was determined to design an engine that would replace the oar as a means of boat propulsion.

Cary and Evinrude were married in 1906. In 1907, Evinrude founded Evinrude Motors in Milwaukee. The firm immediately began to develop its first outboard motor, a one-cylinder, 1.5 hp (1.1 kW) model, which became an instant success upon its introduction in 1909.[3]

Because of Bessie's poor health, the Evinrudes sold their company in 1913, and Ole agreed to not re-enter the outboard motor business for five years. His inventive mind kept busy, however, and during his "retirement", he devised a much-improved, two-cylinder outboard engine. In 1921 he and Bessie formed the ELTO Outboard Motor Company (ELTO standing for Evinrude's Light Twin Outboard). This new outboard engine was also very successful, and in 1929 the ELTO company merged with the original Evinrude company (since renamed the Outboard Marine Corporation) and the Lockwood Motor Company, with Evinrude the president of this new company.

Bessie, who had retired in 1928 for health reasons, died in 1933 in Milwaukee. Ole Evinrude died the following year on July 12 in Milwaukee, and the company was taken over by their son, Ralph. In 1936 the Evinrude company merged with the Johnson Motor Company to form the Outboard Marine Corporation. During World War II the company manufactured motors for various types of military marine craft.

On May 27, 2020, BRP announced that they would be retiring the Evinrude brand and would exit the outboard boat motor market, in favor of manufacturing recreational boats. BRP also announced a partnership with what it termed "market leader" Mercury Marine to supply power packages to their craft.[5]

BRP claimed it "will continue to supply customers and our dealer network service parts and will honour our manufacturer limited warranties, plus offer select programs to manage inventory." A statement it followed with an extended disclaimer on "Forward Looking Statements" disavowing any obligation to comply with what it said.[6]

Evinrude's name continued not only on many an outboard motor but also by the presentation of the Ole Evinrude Award. Given annually between 1955 and 1986 by the New York Boat Show, it was presented in recognition of an individual's contributions to the growth of recreational boating.[9] It also gained worldwide popular fame when the name of a character in the animated feature film, The Rescuers echoed that of the company.

Evinrude motors parent company, Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP), announced last week that it would discontinue manufacturing of its Evinrude E-TEC and E-TEC G2 outboard engines. Instead, the company will focus on growing its boat brands and developing technology and innovation of other marine products.

How big was this announcement? Consider that Ole Evinrude invented the first commercially viable outboard engine in 1907. The Evinrude name stepping out of the outboard business would be akin to Ford announcing it would no longer build automobiles.

The announcement came as a surprise to Evinrude's now jobless global workforce of 650, mostly located at its factory in Sturtevant, Wisc. Many of the employees were already on furlough and were told their positions were eliminated by recorded phone message, according to Scott Martin of Clewiston, a professional bass angler and 20-year Evinrude pro team angler.

"I was driving back from the coast Wednesday with my wife, had had a really good day including getting my first haircut and dining out for the first time in months, when I got this phone call," Martin said via his YouTube channel. "My stomach sank. I immediately thought of all the great, hard-working people and service technicians who worked for them. As I called a few of them, they had just heard when I did."

Our outboard engines business has been greatly impacted by COVID-19, obliging us to discontinue production of our outboard motors immediately," said Jos Boisjoli, president and CEO of BRP. "This business segment had already been facing some challenges and the impact from the current context has forced our hand. We will concentrate our efforts on new and innovative technologies and on the development of our boat companies, where we continue to see a lot of potential to transform the on-water experience for consumers."

Evinrude was a well-known name among the Treasure Coast boating community. Ralph Evinrude was the longtime husband of singer and philanthropist Frances Langford living in Jensen Beach from 1955 until his death in 1986. Evinrude was the president and CEO of Outboard Motor Corporation which manufactured outboards under the Johnson, OMC and Evinrude brand names.

A saltwater outboard engine test facility in Stuart next to the Roosevelt Bridge was named after Evinrude. As recently as 2017, Evinrude donated two E-TEC outboard engines to the Environmental Studies Center in Jensen Beach for its River Scout boat as part of TCPalm's Twelve Days of Christmas program. It was unclear Monday what was the status of the test facility in Stuart.

David East, builder of Horizon 3000 catamaran powerboats in Fort Pierce, has always been a devoted Evinrude outboard engine customer. He said the entire marine industry was shocked by the sudden news.

"It caught everybody off guard," said East, who before returning to the boatbuilding sector, was the longtime editor of Florida Sportsman magazine's Best Boat series of magazines, boats and television programs. "The G2 had on issues mechanically or technologically. I rig my boats with Evinrude, Yamaha, Mercury or Daihatsu and my boat is better with an Evinrude. It performs better and has much better fuel efficiency."

East said conversations he had Monday with BRP contacts alleviated some of his concerns. He said the company will have to stand behind warranties and parts for the next 12 years partly because their other product lines like Sea Doo, Ski Doo and Can-Am are cross-owned by loyal Evinrude outboard owners.

BRP announced it has entered into an agreement with longtime outboard engine competitor Mercury Marine which will support boat packages and continue to supply outboard engines to our boat brands, Alumacraft and Manitou. It will continue to supply customers and its dealer network service parts and will honor manufacturer limited warranties, plus offer select programs to manage inventory.

I have a 1953 (I believe based on serial #) Evinrude Fastwin 15HP model 15012. I am looking for some or any information about this motor? It ran last summer and is in pretty good condition for a motor of its age. There is a vintage outboard motor show in Detroit this weekend and I was going to bring it with me and see if I can sell it to anyone who may appreciate it more. I have looked on ebay and all over google and just find parts for sale. I am just wondering if anyone may know a fair number for something like this?

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