Johnson (outboard motor)

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Under the brand name Johnson , outboard motors were mainly produced in the USA under a changing name and sold worldwide.

The name comes from the company founders from Terre Haute (Indiana, USA), the brothers Lou (* 1881, † 1963 in Florida ), Harry (* 1884) and Clarence (* 1895), sons of Sören Johnson, who was born in Denmark.

Company history

  • 1908: As "Johnson Brothers Motor Co." the Johnsons manufactured first inboard engines until 1921 , then an airplane and finally auxiliary engines for bicycles.
  • 1921: Lou Johnson develops the first outboard motor. After successful tests the company "Johnson Motor Company" is founded.
  • 1925: Johnson rises to become world market leader before ELTO and Evinrude . Reason: through experience in aircraft construction, the 2 HP outboard that was initially produced is so light that it is very popular with customers.
  • 1931: The global economic crisis causes the Johnson Motors company to run into difficulties.
  • 1935: Steve Briggs and Ralph Evinrude buy two-thirds of Johnson's shares.
  • 1936: Johnson is taken over by the OMC Group . The outboard motors will continue to be sold under the name "Johnson", even if they are usually identical to "Evinrude".
  • 2000: OMC files for bankruptcy
  • 2001: The Canadian group of companies Bombardier Inc. takes over the outboard motor division
  • 2003: The division is spun off into Bombardier Recreational Products . Later only small outboard motors up to 25 HP are marketed under the name "Johnson".

Engines

Johnson used to build two-stroke engines . According to the rules of the "EPA" and the "Recreational Craft Directive", new boat engines must a. comply with certain exhaust gas limit values. This is not possible with conventional carburetor technology in two-stroke engines. Only small four-stroke engines are now offered under the Johnson name .

Engine program 2009

  • 1-cylinder engines with 1.8 / 2.9 / 3.7 / 4.4 kW (2.5 / 4/5/6 PS)
  • 2-cylinder in-line engines with 7.3 / 11.03 / 18.4 kW (9.9 / 15/25 PS)

Racing

Johnson engines were very popular in powerboat racing . Thanks to the lightweight construction, more victories were achieved from the mid-1920s to the 1930s than all other motorboat companies put together. Further title wins (selection):

  • 1946–1953: European championships in the 250 cm³ racing boat class (world championships were not yet held at that time)
  • 1946–1949: European championships in the 500 cm³ racing boat class
  • 1972: World Championship of Unlimited Outboard Speedboat Class
  • 1982: World Championship of the 850 cm³ outboard sport boat class

In addition, z. B. in 1929 alone set 26 new world records. Other world records (selection):

  • 1935: 77, 65 km / h, 250 cm³ (flying kilometer)
  • 1936: 93.59 km / h, 500 cm³ (flying kilometer)
  • 1938: 52.58 km / h, 250 cm³ (continuous record over 6 hours, was never surpassed)
  • 1951: 107.78 km / h, 500 cm³ (flying kilometer)
  • 2000: 197.45 km / h, Formula 1 3 liters (flying kilometer)

literature

  • Jeffrey L. Rodengen: Evinrude, Johnson And The Legend Of OMC . Write Stuff Syndicate Inc., Ft. Lauderdale 1992, ISBN 0-945903-10-3
  • Kevin Desmond: The Guinness book of motorboating facts and feats . Guinness Superlatives Ltd, Enfield 1979, ISBN 0-900424-86-9
  • Rainer Bergmann: The man who didn't want to row . In: Boats . 1/09, pages 18-28

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Note in the magazine Yacht (Bielefeld), issue 20/63, page 17
  2. ↑ United States Environmental Protection Agency
  3. ↑ Directive 94/25 / EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the approximation of the legal and administrative regulations of the member states relating to pleasure craft