Gentlemen,
We had a pretty good turnout at Louis Rothermel’s 19th Annual Swap/Dry Meet November 9-11. See the photo gallery at: http://www.texaschapteraomci.com/gallery/louis-rothermels-swapdry-meet-2012-photo-gallery/
By the way be sure and click on the above cut-off picture to see who is taller, Ed Slominski or the motor.
From the sign-in roster those members attending (who left legible entries) included:
Tom Ashe, Junior members Emma and Jake Bayless, Mark Betner, Tom Brandon, Bruce Bratton, Allen Carter, Tony Cloud, David Coffee Jr, Tom Croasdale and Pat Nichols, Tim Dugan, Weldon Eklund, E. J. Fournet, Di Johnson, Captain Gary Keeney (although without his captain’s cap), Dan and Wanda Kubecka, Robert and Brendan Macaluso, Joe McCauley, Bruce Miller, Tom Oncken, Scott Pearse, Dan Peoples, John Platou, Chip Rathbun, Tony Robinson, host extraordinaire Louis Rothermel, Dave Samstag and grandson Chris, Howard Sandoz, John Schmidt, John Slator, Scott Atwater Al Smith, Ed Slominski, Junior member Jack Stevens and Jeff Workman.
After some early swapping and trading on Friday afternoon, Di Johnson, John Slator, Dan and Wanda Kubecka, Bruce Bratton and Allen Carter hit the Jax Grille in Bellaire for tasty burgers and chicken Fried steak.
Things got off to a good start on Saturday morning with Louis hosting coffee and donuts. The popularity of this event has spread as we also had a good number of non-member walk-ins. Louis, Chip and I handed out more applications to prospective members than I can recall. Some of these folks brought some unusual and nicely kept motors.
Herman Hall found us through perusing our website. Herman brought the most unusual motor at this meet. This is a 1943 Navy Model 4375 Evinrude Lightfour Heavy Duty 9.7hp motor used to power landing/shuttle launches. This motor has a shaft over 4 feet long and an integral horizontal steering wheel built completely around the top of the motor. I was told that after WW II, these surplus motors were snapped up by the logging industry to power log-pushing barges.
David Jones brought a nice (almost) matching pair of 1957/1958 Johnson 35s with dual controls. Dave had to haul these beauties home as this was a sweet deal that somebody should have taken him up on.
Weldon Eklund brought two Elto suitcase motors from the roaring 20s. The one in the tall case is a 1923 Model A Ruddertwin 3hp with the solid rudder. The fold-up motor in the smaller case is a 1926 Model H Super Elto Light Twin 4hp. 
David Coffee, Tim Dugan and Gary Keeney kept the run tank busy most of Saturday.
Although we are an outboard club, Allen Carter brought an inboard. Not so fast (literally)…this converted Lone Star aluminum fishing boat sported a REO (yup – Ransome Eli Olds – the Oldsmobile guy) lawnmower conversion kit ¾ hp inboard motor. Pretty interesting rig. Careful Allen, as the un-insulated exhaust tube vents overboard right next to the tiller handle –ouch!
For lunch on Saturday, Louis and Tom Oncken organized the collection and hosting of a true TX BBQ feast for only a paltry 5$ per. Sliced brisket, savory sausage, beans, tater salad, coleslaw and a delicious pineapple cake were great fare which always tastes better outside. Oh… don’t we all love the aroma of BBQ and 2 cycle motor smoke in the afternoon?
After lunch, chapter officers Chip Rathbun and Di Johnson stood in for Adam Finn and gave an update on finances, recent events and activities and planned events. Chip passed thanks around to Louis Rothermel and Tom Oncken for organizing this meet, Joe McCauley for writing articles, Scott Atwater Al and Uncle Moses for culinary delights at Kingsland.
There were a lot of buys, sells and trades. But here’s a first for me to witness – Louis even put some for sale signs on a dozen or so of his motors, and actually let some go (to create space he says).
Things began to wind down earlier on Saturday afternoon than in the past, and then someone reminded me that TX A&M was pit against Alabama so folks were packing up early to catch the game. FYI, the Aggies upset the top-ranked Crimson Tide 29-24.
On Sunday, we had a light attendance. Tom Oncken helped Tim Dugan of Keller, Texas get two of his motors running properly by adjusting the carburetors while running them in the test barrel. The hardest part of that is you must adjust the high speed needle first while under way at high throttle. You get a bath when you run a 15hp motor at high speed in a barrel.
After the high needle is set, then the low speed needle can be adjusted. Tim’s 1953 Evinrude 15hp and his 1956 Johnson 15hp both ran fine when he left. They also installed some NOS parts that Tom brought to him. Tim then bought Tom’s 1957 Evinrude Lightwin 7.5hp originally repaired for a lady in Baytown many years ago. Short story…Tom ended up buying it and it sat on a rack in his garage for over 15 years When Tom took it to Louis’ shop on Sunday, he cleared out the fuel line on his twin-line tank, attached it to the motor, and it started with a single pull. Tim and Tom were both surprised, especially since the gas in the tank was two years old.
Joe McCauley brought the “May Fly III” up to the shop and did some work on it. Louis spent some time cleaning up some parts that he had purchased from Weldon Eklund on Saturday. Gary Keeney came by later in the afternoon to visit. We had one member who showed up briefly Sunday morning, said he was going to get some breakfast, and then never came back. We feasted on the remaining Bar-B-Q for lunch and had everything cleaned up and put to bed by 5:00pm.
