Ole Evinrude
Encyclopedia
Ole Evinrude, born Ole Evenrudstuen (April 19, 1877—July 12, 1934) was a Norwegian-American inventor, known for the invention of the first outboard motor
with practical commercial application.
(now Gjøvik
), in Oppland
, Norway
. The Evinrude surname, which he adopted in the United States, came from the Evenrud farm in Vestre Toten
, where his mother was born. In October 1881 his father emigrated to America, followed the next year by his wife and three children. Three additional children were born in America. The family settled on a farm in Ripley Lake near Cambridge, Wisconsin
. At age sixteen Evinrude went to Madison
, where he worked in machinery stores and studied engineering on his own. He became a machinist while working at various machine tool firms in Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, and Chicago
.
In 1900, Evinrude co-founded the custom engine firm Clemick & Evinrude. In 1907, he invented the first practical and reliable outboard motor
, which was built of steel and brass, and had a crank on the flywheel to start the two-cycle engine. In 1907 he had built his first gasoline-powered outboard motor, and two years later, Evinrude Motor Company was founded in Milwaukee. The simplest type of engine the company produced was a 2-stroke internal combustion engine that was powered by a gas mixture of gasoline and oil.
Evinrude reported that his invention was inspired by rowing a boat on Oconomowoc Lake, a small lake outside Milwaukee, Wisconsin
on a hot day to get ice cream
for his girlfriend, Bess. By 1912, the firm employed 300 workers. Evinrude let two motorcycle mad teens tinker in his Milwaukee based machine shop; one was named Arthur Davidson
who went on to Harley-Davidson motorcycle fame, also based in Milwaukee. Ole Evinrude formed Evinrude Outboard Motors
, which he sold in 1913 in order to look after his sick wife.
In 1919, Evinrude invented a more efficient and lighter two-cylinder motor. Having sold his part in Clemick & Evinrude, he founded ELTO
or the Elto Outboard Motor Company. (ELTO was an acronym for "Evinrude Light Twin Outboard".) Although Elto faced stiff competition from other companies, such as Johnson Motor Company of South Bend, Indiana
, Evinrude's company survived through acquisitions, eventually forming the Outboard Marine Corporation.
His wife Bess died in 1933, at only 48 years old, and Ole Evinrude died the following year, 57 years old. After Evinrude died, his son, Ralph Evinrude
, took over day-to-day management of the company, eventually rising to Chairman of the Board. The company is now called Evinrude Outboard Motors
, and is owned by Bombardier Recreational Products
.
Outboard motor
An outboard motor is a propulsion system for boats, consisting of a self-contained unit that includes engine, gearbox and propeller or jet drive, designed to be affixed to the outside of the transom and are the most common motorized method of propelling small watercraft...
with practical commercial application.
Biography
Ole Andreassen Aaslundeie was born in VardalVardal
Vardal is a former municipality in Oppland county, Norway.It was created in 1837 as Vardal formannskapsdistrikt. According to the 1835 census the municipality had a population of 2,921...
(now Gjøvik
Gjøvik
is a town and a municipality in Oppland county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Gjøvik.In 1861, the village of Gjøvik in the municipality of Vardal was granted town status and was separated from Vardal to form a separate municipality...
), in Oppland
Oppland
is a county in Norway, bordering Sør-Trøndelag, Møre og Romsdal, Sogn og Fjordane, Buskerud, Akershus, Oslo and Hedmark. The county administration is in Lillehammer. Oppland is, together with Hedmark, one of the only two landlocked counties of Norway....
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. The Evinrude surname, which he adopted in the United States, came from the Evenrud farm in Vestre Toten
Vestre Toten
Vestre Toten is a municipality in Oppland county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Toten. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Raufoss.-Name:...
, where his mother was born. In October 1881 his father emigrated to America, followed the next year by his wife and three children. Three additional children were born in America. The family settled on a farm in Ripley Lake near Cambridge, Wisconsin
Cambridge, Wisconsin
Cambridge is a village located in Dane and Jefferson Counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 1,100 at the 2000 census.The Dane County portion of Cambridge is part of the Madison Metropolitan Statistical Area, while the Jefferson County portion is part of the...
. At age sixteen Evinrude went to Madison
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
, where he worked in machinery stores and studied engineering on his own. He became a machinist while working at various machine tool firms in Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, and Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
.
In 1900, Evinrude co-founded the custom engine firm Clemick & Evinrude. In 1907, he invented the first practical and reliable outboard motor
Outboard motor
An outboard motor is a propulsion system for boats, consisting of a self-contained unit that includes engine, gearbox and propeller or jet drive, designed to be affixed to the outside of the transom and are the most common motorized method of propelling small watercraft...
, which was built of steel and brass, and had a crank on the flywheel to start the two-cycle engine. In 1907 he had built his first gasoline-powered outboard motor, and two years later, Evinrude Motor Company was founded in Milwaukee. The simplest type of engine the company produced was a 2-stroke internal combustion engine that was powered by a gas mixture of gasoline and oil.
Evinrude reported that his invention was inspired by rowing a boat on Oconomowoc Lake, a small lake outside Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
on a hot day to get ice cream
Ice cream
Ice cream is a frozen dessert usually made from dairy products, such as milk and cream, and often combined with fruits or other ingredients and flavours. Most varieties contain sugar, although some are made with other sweeteners...
for his girlfriend, Bess. By 1912, the firm employed 300 workers. Evinrude let two motorcycle mad teens tinker in his Milwaukee based machine shop; one was named Arthur Davidson
Arthur Davidson (Harley-Davidson founder)
Arthur Davidson was one of the four original founders of the Harley-Davidson Motor Company. One of Arthur's favorite pastimes was fishing in the beautiful Wisconsin wilderness, which inspired him to create a motorcycle that would "take the hard work out of pedaling a bicycle".Arthur was a natural...
who went on to Harley-Davidson motorcycle fame, also based in Milwaukee. Ole Evinrude formed Evinrude Outboard Motors
Evinrude Outboard Motors
Evinrude Outboard Motors is a company that builds a major brand of outboard motors for boats. Founded by Ole Evinrude in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1907, it was formerly owned by the publicly traded Outboard Marine Corporation , and is now owned by privately held Bombardier Recreational Products.-...
, which he sold in 1913 in order to look after his sick wife.
In 1919, Evinrude invented a more efficient and lighter two-cylinder motor. Having sold his part in Clemick & Evinrude, he founded ELTO
ELTO
The Elto Outdoor Motor Company was the second major outboard motor business founded by Ole Evinrude. Elto outboard engines were produced in the U.S...
or the Elto Outboard Motor Company. (ELTO was an acronym for "Evinrude Light Twin Outboard".) Although Elto faced stiff competition from other companies, such as Johnson Motor Company of South Bend, Indiana
South Bend, Indiana
The city of South Bend is the county seat of St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States, on the St. Joseph River near its southernmost bend, from which it derives its name. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total of 101,168 residents; its Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 316,663...
, Evinrude's company survived through acquisitions, eventually forming the Outboard Marine Corporation.
His wife Bess died in 1933, at only 48 years old, and Ole Evinrude died the following year, 57 years old. After Evinrude died, his son, Ralph Evinrude
Ralph Evinrude
Ralph S. Evinrude was an American business magnate best known for being the Chairman of Outboard Marine Corporation, and the husband of singer and entertainer Frances Langford....
, took over day-to-day management of the company, eventually rising to Chairman of the Board. The company is now called Evinrude Outboard Motors
Evinrude Outboard Motors
Evinrude Outboard Motors is a company that builds a major brand of outboard motors for boats. Founded by Ole Evinrude in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1907, it was formerly owned by the publicly traded Outboard Marine Corporation , and is now owned by privately held Bombardier Recreational Products.-...
, and is owned by Bombardier Recreational Products
Bombardier Recreational Products
Bombardier Recreational Products or BRP is a Canadian company that traces its roots back to the year 1942 when Joseph-Armand Bombardier founded L'Auto-Neige Bombardier Limitée in Valcourt in the Eastern Townships, Quebec.In 2003, Bombardier Inc...
.
Further reading
- Carstensen, Fred. "Evinrude, Ole," American National Biography Online, Feb. 2000.
- Jacobson, Bob. Ole Evinrude and His Outboard Motor. Madison: Wisconsin Historical Society, 2009.
- Lambrecht, Ralph E.. "A Wisconsin Legend: Ole Evinrude and his Outboard Motor," Wisconsin Magazine of History, vol. 89, no. 3, (Spring 2006), pp. 16–27.