PON first trying out Spitfire Wwe clocked only 95 mph with « Mercury Hurricans ana Fydro-"Quickie” lower unit, which is very poor performance in any cate- gory. We first cut the motor board down to 10/4 in. The moter rev'ed up beautifully but the speed only went up to 40 mph. Now the Merc with a hydroquickie lower unit requires « motor-board height of 13 in. and highor if possible. Our problem was—why must we run the motor 20 deep, creating that oxtra drag to gain § mph. Aiter carefully analyzing the problem, we came to the conclusion that the fin beccuse of its length and depth was causing considerable turbulence around the pro: peller. Wo then cut the fin down to the size shown in Fig. 11 and raised the motor to 19 in. The speed in creased to 43 mph. After raising the motor to 1949 in, the speed increased to 48 mph, and this with « “dinged" propeller. With @ new prop 50 mph wos achieved. To obtain the utmost speed from Spitfire, or any high speed outboard craft for that matter, some experiment: ing must be done. Following are some suggestions: NUMBER 1: Install « water speedometer so you can be sure of the effect each adjustment you make has on speed. NUMBER 2: Try various motor angles until you find the one that works best. Ono noich of motor tilt on the criginal Spluixe was the liference between poor and excellent performance. NUMBER 3: Jack up the motor as high as it will go without cavitating (sucking cir from the surface of the water). In rough water you may need to lower the Outboard Racing Speed Hints motor about ¥4 in. So have a supply of plywood shims Ve Ya and % in, thick and the size ofthe top edge of tho moter board with you. Use these shims under the mnotor bracket to raise or lower the moter to obiain best speed for water conditions. NUMBER 4: Experiment with different types of propel- lets. Use the one that gives you the utmost acceleration as well as speed. If you intond to race seriously. have one prop for competition and one for knocking around. NUMBER 5: Try éiferent types of spark plugs in your motor to find the Kind that works best for you, Also ‘ry various epark-lever settings. The wide open setting, ordinarily required for average boats, may not be best. You may he able to pick up a mile or so by retarding the spark slightly. ‘NUMBER 6: For fuel, use straight casoline of the non- leaded type, 72 octane or better, Mix with highly x fined and filtered S.A.E. #30 or #40 grade oll contain- ing no detergents to the proportions of 1M pts. of oil to 1 ga gasoline. NUMBER 7: Our last item to socuro slightly higher speed Is to alter the bottom of the motor. Mercury Hydro Quick Silver lower units are equipped with a small Gluminum skeg to protect the propeller when selting the motor down. If this skeg is sawed off just below the Gear caze (be very careful not to cut into the gear case) the speed may be boosted up to | or 2 mph more, How. ever, when this skeg is eliminated scant protection is afforded the propeller. The propeller, of course, can be removed when the moter is transporied.Here's a red hot hydroplane for Class B racing eventsaqsaagasds ae Huan rat ui i i i Hatt ann i qi ull Ht eat Halt ait vi Ha ue aH ia i Eu He iaumeall 1 ue fedtanetii ¢ Dea ae SUE fap Hyung HT sn i iy Hes & nF bit at a ain at HT ‘eral ana a La ae a fil edit ait fie, eae | lag 1 te 53% Bis He i g Hie | See |eg #841 a aro tech lo ring Stitt& ae E Sie ce ys eC he Sih sd noe wh a #48 Soci a eaten poten ip tant fee amed Si opr een gs foe ren shactplnhig wits 97 finer a ge [Rste aod tee $x fh nanes dees "Teen be ned Cts ‘Soa eset pi een vege a a eee Ici tt & and hse tes eat cnn ton al ‘teens a name at om ens Th shod Sp somei ahaa eg Real Help To‘nd fun erin with one $8 ME Th nren. Spee 1 & ics | EE teow Face easeee cee 0st = 0 ee JOBS ON SHIPS sag a lt‘rngern te 2 fame with Sm mabogy ‘Sek prwood Futen wth ure $0 ne s set ienremarricarinsenat ‘TOR nde ebieniere = err oreuies Ss Boerd Cee ee CE ee ee ec eng peer Brod