Hans Küffner-McCauley ran 3rd in the SST45/Formula Lightnational championship races in Windsor, Col. Labor Day weekend sponsored by NGK Spark Plugs. He won the 2nd of 4 heatsafter starting 5th from pole (in a reverse order of start) and passing 4 boats on the outside in turn 1. His motor is a classic 1985 Johnson SST45 outboard, 45 cid with 69 hp at 6900 RPM according to SeaWay Marine’s dyno tests. We interpolatedmotorcycle jetting data posted on the internet for altitude and temperature and jetted down every 5 degrees from 80F to 100F. We hit the jetting on the spot every time. We had decent acceleration but top speed was 3-4 mph off the two fastest boats because we didn’t have a small enough prop in our box to compensate for the 22% hp loss at that altitude. Once we got the GPS speed from our MyChron5 (bolted to the steering wheel-it reads RPM and speed all around the course) I could calculate the available hp (from my speed-power-weight formula derived from hydrodynamics) and then the pitch and diameter needed. So we’ll be prepared if we go there again. The speed was so low due to reduced oxygen for the motor that there was no air lift on the boat. Hans had to trim it out all the way to get the boat onto its tail.
The heat that he won was the best race of the weekend because he out-drove the two faster boats preventing them from passing. The spectators, officials, everyone, loved his performance. Big applause from the spectators when he won.
1993 (Bobby) Austin tunnel with a capsule by R.C. Hawie, one of three built and the only one surviving.
