10 YEARS AGO — 2001
Better steering for Sea-Doos: Maneuverability is the benefit of an innovative steering system for the popular Sea-Doo watercraft line. Sea-Doo O.P.A.S. (Off-Power Assisted Steering) assists boat operators when steering in off-power operation and when the throttle is released. It uses a dual rudder design that helps the watercraft decelerate and change direction when the throttle releases or the power turns off and the handlebars turn to one side. The system will be available on all new 2002 Sea-Doo GTX 4-TEC and GTX DI watercraft as well as the entry-level 2002 GTI watercraft.
30 YEARS AGO — 1981
Commuter Cub: Two husky six-footers can ride in comfort in a new 91-in.-long minicar called the Commuter Cub, says Convenient Machines Inc., New York, the firm sponsoring the development of the 600-lb vehicle. The car teams a Honda 100-hp four-cycle gasoline engine with a two-speed automatic transmission to deliver up to 80 mpg at a cruising speed of 35 to 40 mph. The aerodynamic high-strength fiberglass body of the three-wheel minicar is supported by a welded steel frame that provides a built-in rollbar, resulting in a low center of gravity and good roll stability.
50 YEARS AGO — 1961
Miniature recorder makes a permanent paper-tape record of any variable (voltage, current, power, temperature, pressure) that can be converted to an equivalent electrical signal. It can be used as either a portable monitoring and recording device or as a built-in component of an instrument system. The recorder, made by Amprobe Instrument Corp., Lynbrook, N, Y., has two basic meter movements (internal-core D’Arsonval and rectified D’Arsonval) that measure dc and ac quantities without amplification.