Water Speed Record

[Jeff Higgins]

Not being much of a boat guy, I had no idea this record has stood for so long. 317.59 mph, set in 1978 by Australian Ken Warby. Both men who have tried to break it since have died trying.

[red 928]

I'm surprised that speed record is not higher.
Top fuel hydros hit 260 nearly every weekend,
and the record is 272.
Give them a steeper prop and more
than 1000 feet and they might get there.

[sc_rufctr]

I've always been fascinated with people like that. They know how dangerous it is and yet they do it anyway.

Hats off to them but I've never had the nerve for high speeds. Anything over 100mph is more than enough for me.
(The fastest I've ever driven in a car is about 130mph)

[Jeff Higgins]

I've watched a bit of Top Fuel Hydro racing. It occurred to me as well just how close they come to the absolute water speed record. I would think in this day and age, with all of the advances in boat design since 1978, that this would be a "soft" record. Much safer as well, with the driver capsule kind of technologies in drag boats, unlimited hydros, and offshore boats. Seems it wouldn't be nearly as risky and daunting to give it a try these days.

I don't mind a little speed. I've gone quite fast in a car and on a motorcycle. Boats, however, terrify me. I've broke 100 mph in two of them over the years (actually many years ago) and will never get aboard one that is capable of that ever again. The first was an offshore boat powered by two 500 inch Merc outdrive setups. We went up Puget Sound and made a lap of our San Juan Islands. The second was a flat bottom drag boat motivated by a blown 454 Chev big block, on Lake Washington. In both cases I was sure we would hit an unseen deadhead and die. In the latter case, I was equally sure it was just going to kite up, flip, and we would die. Never again.

Anyway, one would think any modern unlimited hydro hull could break this record if it were allowed to be truly "unlimited" with regards to its turbine power. This class is anything but truly "unlimited" anymore, what with restricted inlet size and all of that. Lift those restrictions and I bet one could do it.

[Seahawk]

What a great video Jeff...the narrator did, I think, a great job.

We lived in a place called Cobb Island, Maryland before we moved to the farm. We had a place on Neale Sound and had a dock and access to the Potomac and other, smaller creeks.

We owned, this was in the early 90's, two Seadoos...by todays standards they are Model T's but in those days they were state of the play.

On a back bay, I opened up the little, more powerful one and may have been going 35/40kts, perhaps a bit more: Smooth water, and my dumb ass. Surface tension, as you know, is interesting, especially with a shifting operator, me, driving the parade. That and the torque moment from the power train.

There was a point when I was smart enough to ease off the throttle.

[astrochex]

Fascinating topic and excellent video.

Such an unforgiving and cruel mistress.

I love that Warby’s first boat was built in his backyard and out of plywood and fiberglass. Like the narrator said, he did a “good” job.

Are there boat designs that have moving elements akin to a car suspension? It seems like once an oscillation starts, its over at these very high speeds.

[schwarz633]

Originally Posted by red 928

I'm surprised that speed record is not higher.
Top fuel hydros hit 260 nearly every weekend,
and the record is 272.
Give them a steeper prop and more
than 1000 feet and they might get there.

* From 1930 the rules of the record stipulated that a craft must make two runs over a timed kilometre course in opposite directions, with the record being the average speed of the two runs.

[Rusty Heap]

I did 105 in a boat once...........well twice..............the first and last time............insane even at that speed.

[Tobra]

I like going fast, love it really.

Fast on water, no thanks. I would rather ride in a helicopter than go more than 50 mph on water

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by astrochex

Fascinating topic and excellent video.

Such an unforgiving and cruel mistress.

I love that Warby’s first boat was built in his backyard and out of plywood and fiberglass. Like the narrator said, he did a “good” job.

Are there boat designs that have moving elements akin to a car suspension? It seems like once an oscillation starts, its over at these very high speeds.

Modern unlimited hydros have a moveable wing between the sponsons. I'm not sure if the driver controls it, like an elevator on an airplane (except in the front of the boat), or if it is trimmed automatically. It's really cut down on blow overs, though, however it is operated.

Originally Posted by Tobra

I like going fast, love it really.

Fast on water, no thanks. I would rather ride in a helicopter than go more than 50 mph on water

I'm with ya, Toby, 100%+ with ya. Something about it just terrifies me. Too unpredictable or something.

[herr_oberst]

America's Cup boats are up on foils these days; I'm not very smart but I wonder if there is some science and technology that could break on through to the other side and create a whole new class of WSR powerboats....that sort of bypass all the old thinking.

[Jeff Higgins]

Or maybe the new water speed record could be set underwater...

My older brother served on a Permit class nuclear fast attack submarine. He claimed it was actually faster underwater than when surfaced. Some complex water dynamics, cavitation, and other issues at play.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permit-class_submarine

[Superman]

Jeff is right about many things, including this. Speed on water is terrifying. 60 is unsettling. !00? Just NO!

NO!

Can they go 400 mph? Physically, this is likely in reach. That boat would probably touch the water every 150 feet. The water would have properties in common with a rough, changing concrete surface.

Heel NO!

[herr_oberst]

Unforgiving.