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Is there a good reason not to included newer Evinrude/Mercury stickered(rebadged) Tohatsus in the Tohatsu class? or list them in the rulebook with allowed model designations?
Merc or Evenrude could change the carb, prop or flywheel on their own. This would defeat the idea of the Tohatsu Class.
Frank Vandall
Confederate Division
They don’t though, provable, only a sticker change. I could bring a merc with a tohasu cowl and there would be no difference, no way to tell and, no advantage other than I would have to buy more stickers.
The 6hp Tohatsu 4-Stroke Class was created to facilitate, as close as possible, “One-Design” racing conditions, including motors that are, as much as possible, identical in performance. Anything that might diminish uniformity of equipment, or even weaken the “One-Design” perception of the class would be detrimental to the value and the popularity the class enjoys.
If CCWBRA were to add a second or third brand of motor to the class it would require us to take on the added responsibility of periodic research of engine component variations, and an increased inspection effort to assure uniformity of engines, props and accessories across alternative motor brands, a role that a volunteer-based organization with limited resources would need a more pressing reason to pursue.
The question raised is inevitable, a good one. But for the reasons mentioned, the Executive Committee and Engine Committee agree unanimously that adding motor brands, “re-labelled” or otherwise, to the 6hp Tohatsu 4-stroke class would serve no good purpose.
Grand Poobah
Simple enough to track, main benefit is I don’t have to buy Tohatsu stickers and matching serial number plate for my Evinrude stickered Tohatsu.
Now if I change paint and stickers your have to work harder to prove it was originally sold as a Tohatsu instead of doing 10min of serial number cross research. I would be glad to volunteer my time to provide.
As the Class was formed and is being populated with one-brand of motors over a few years now, we have not heard any objections, only positive comments. No alternate brands were included, partly because they may or may not have deviations now or in the future. We don’t know. And as a benefit, we are not burdened with keeping tabs on that.
The simplicity of the one-motor brand is one of the class’s strong selling points! With one-motor brand, it is most likely that no one will have an edge. If a driver is accustomed to looking at someone’s stern, he can assume it is probably a matter of driver skill that got him there.
So, imagine a situation in which everyone has Tohatsu’s, except one driver has an Evinrude or Mercury. If one of the Tohatsu drivers consistently finds himself behind THAT boat with the re-labelled motor, he will start to think, understandably so, that it might not all be a matter of driver skill. And no one will be able to convince him otherwise. Phht! The magic is lost for another attempt at one-class racing. And you can’t put that back in the toothpaste tube.
The alternative argument being emphasized suggests the reason for permitting other brands is to prevent someone from circumventing the rule. I think that “logic” may have been given in jest. Obviously, that’s no reason to change a rule. If the remarks were serious, we had better up the ante with better trophies or start handing out cash prizes to make all that effort worthwhile!
“And that’s all I have to say about that!” F. Gump
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