| Author |
Message |
    
Burt Norris
Visitor
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 05, 2010 - 11:11 am: | 
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I recently learned of this old marine engine website. Some may be interested in the story of my engine, a Roberts Motor originally and currently installed in "Atosis" a 1907 23 ft displacement racing runabout. Atosis was built by my grandfather Bert Norris and originally had a 15 hp Roberts. When the 15 became non-competitive, he installed the 20 hp Roberts in 1910. Atosis was so succeessful that E.W. Roberts featured the raceboat on the front of his 1910 sales literature. After two racing seasons. too slow again, the 20 was rebuilt and stored in 1912. A 40 hp Roberts was then installed but it was too much for Atosis so the boat was also stored - until 1985 when I discovered these treasures in my father's boyhood barn. The 1910 Roberts was always referred to as a Roberts Aircraft Motor in Grandfather's ledgers of the day. Maybe it was aircraft derived as it does not exactly resemble the 'production' motors in the brochures I've seen. Grandfather spent many days with Roberts developing new pistons/cyl and intake systems etc. to stay competitive. I disassembled the 20hp in 1986 for cleaning/inspection, replaced nothing but seals and wires then ran Atosis in shows and recreationally through 1989, when I decided I didn't need to destroy a one of a kind piece of marine history. The boat and motor are 100% original as stored in 1912, nothing has been refinished or even touched up, only cleaned/oiled and remains a show winner, usually as "Oldest Original Antique Boat known to exist". Atosis race records were consistently in the 23 mph category. For more of the story, see the Jan-Feb 1987 issue of "Antique & Classic Boat". |
solarrog
Senior Member
Username: solarrog
Post Number: 432
Registered: 03-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 05, 2010 - 11:19 am: |
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can you post some pictures? Great story |
andrew
Moderator
Username: andrew
Post Number: 1062
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 05, 2010 - 11:31 am: |
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Burt,
Thanks for sharing that information!
Maybe someone can find a link to the 1987 article? |
bruce
Senior Member
Username: bruce
Post Number: 224
Registered: 07-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 05, 2010 - 09:26 pm: |
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Burt, Great to hear of ATOSIS again. I first saw it at the Clayton NY Antique boat show. It's a spectacular glimpse into the glory days of the past. I do hope you will post pictures to share with others here. |
bill_loveland
New member
Username: bill_loveland
Post Number: 1
Registered: 08-2009
| | Posted on Thursday, May 06, 2010 - 03:58 am: |
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Bruce I have to laugh. I finally renewed my login here just to post to Burt the same message as yours. I remember being wowed by it at Clayton years back. I wasn't interested in the Roberts at the time but the "time-capsule" quality of the boat was phenomenal. |
burt_norris
New member
Username: burt_norris
Post Number: 2
Registered: 05-2010
| | Posted on Thursday, May 06, 2010 - 11:04 am: |
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At the Clayton show in the late 80's, about 90% of viewers were agast that Atosis would not be restored in the then near future. Beginning in the 90's people have been about 80% supportive of maintenance not restoration. Gotta make my pictures small enough to post. |
andrew
Moderator
Username: andrew
Post Number: 1063
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, May 06, 2010 - 03:05 pm: |
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If you have trouble with the photos you can send them to me and I will post them or you can use our tool here:
http://www.oldmarineengine.com/resize/resize.html
Thanks. |
burt_norris
New member
Username: burt_norris
Post Number: 3
Registered: 05-2010
| | Posted on Sunday, May 09, 2010 - 08:57 pm: |
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Photos of 1907 Atosis racing runabout and 1910 Roberts Aircraft Motor  |
burt_norris
Member
Username: burt_norris
Post Number: 4
Registered: 05-2010
| | Posted on Sunday, May 09, 2010 - 09:05 pm: |
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1910 Roberts Motor |
burt_norris
Member
Username: burt_norris
Post Number: 5
Registered: 05-2010
| | Posted on Sunday, May 09, 2010 - 09:08 pm: |
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1910 Roberts Internal parts  |
burt_norris
Member
Username: burt_norris
Post Number: 6
Registered: 05-2010
| | Posted on Sunday, May 09, 2010 - 09:16 pm: |
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1910 Roberts P & C |
burt_norris
Member
Username: burt_norris
Post Number: 7
Registered: 05-2010
| | Posted on Sunday, May 09, 2010 - 09:30 pm: |
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1907 Atosis at 1st launch after 75 years |
burt_norris
Member
Username: burt_norris
Post Number: 8
Registered: 05-2010
| | Posted on Sunday, May 09, 2010 - 09:50 pm: |
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1910 Roberts Motor brochure featuring Atosis & race wins |
noodles
Member
Username: noodles
Post Number: 11
Registered: 11-2010
| | Posted on Saturday, March 26, 2011 - 05:49 pm: |
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Awsome pics of the engine. I saw the article in Classic Boating and have know about the boat since it was in the rudder mag 1990? Also I restored a Roberts 6 hp this winter that came out of a launch,Would love to see more pics of Atosis,email me some if you can, my Dad would to see them.
Noodles
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Skip norris
Visitor
| | Posted on Monday, April 11, 2011 - 07:40 am: |
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These are all of the pictures that are currently available. For your information, Atosis now resides in the Antique Boat Museum at Clayton NY. may be seen when the Museum opens this spring |
hightekkrednek
New member
Username: hightekkrednek
Post Number: 1
Registered: 09-2013
| | Posted on Sunday, September 29, 2013 - 07:23 am: |
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hey everyone. have a Roberts Marine engine we just restored to running condition and wanted to share it with some folks that can appreciate it. wont do a huge write up here, but will post a link to my Facebook album containing some pics and steps of where we started and ended up. if you have any questions, please fee free to ask. thanks!
pics:
https://www.facebook.com/dennisnuckols/media_set?set=a.10151190901714197.472775. 675224196&type=3
and here is a video and local newspaper article written up. Bob Davis is the machinist we worked with to bring this engine back to life.
http://www.baxterbulletin.com/article/20130815/NEWS01/308150019/Bob-Davis-makes- rare-marine-motor-purr |
