Qatar Team To Attack Propeller-Driven Speed Record
#1
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#3
Nice to hear that Aqua-Mania will be back in action next season.
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#6
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From: Lake Travis ,Texas
The propeller speed record is actually not that high,
Russ Wicks hit a top speed of 221 miles-per-hour en route to establishing the new World Speed Record of 205mph.
By comparison the thrust style record is 317.596 mph (511.121 km/h) Spirit of Australia with driver Australian Ken Warby
Warby hit 350mph during that run.
With an approximate fatality rate of 85% since 1940, the water speed record are one of the sporting world's most hazardous competitions.
Last edited by HTRDLNCN; 10-17-2012 at 11:57 AM.
#8
Drag boats have gone faster then 221, but that is just in the 1/4 mile and it is not a 2 way run.
Last edited by Turbojack; 10-17-2012 at 08:18 PM.
#9
That is some cool stuff!! I found this old article after reading this post: Pay attention to where Ken Warby says in 2003-
"Those other guys have a whole bunch of airplane and computer geeks behind them," says Warby, whose intuitive approach has served him well over 50 years of designing, building, and racing powerboats. "But this is ****ing dangerous, and it's a boat, not an airplane. Their chances of breaking the record are absolutely zero, and I'm booking plans for two funerals."
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/11.03/cheating.html
"Those other guys have a whole bunch of airplane and computer geeks behind them," says Warby, whose intuitive approach has served him well over 50 years of designing, building, and racing powerboats. "But this is ****ing dangerous, and it's a boat, not an airplane. Their chances of breaking the record are absolutely zero, and I'm booking plans for two funerals."
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/11.03/cheating.html
#10
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Joined: Mar 2002
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From: Milton, Fla!
Interesting stuff for sure and yes this means, no rules, propeller driven record period.......
Couple of points.
#1. The current record is held by an Unlimited Hydroplane and they broke a record that had stood since either '60 or '62 and was held by a V-12 piston boat where the new one was turbine powered.
#2. The record comes from an average of two passes, opposite directions of a timed, surveyed and certified one kilometer course. This is the stuff that busts a lot of ego's. Flashing a big number on a GPS is one thing, this is way different. Keeping the mechanicals together and boat together while your foot is one the floor that long......., YIKES!
#3. We have seen "reported" speeds from the fastest Offshore boats to be equal to or beyond the official record for many yrs and I've been waiting for someone to step to the plate. A LOTO # is one thing but this is way different. Personally I believe the current hull designs and their abilities to handle the power that they do...,it's only a matter of time.
#4. Rumor is the Unlimited guys have plenty in hand to re-break that record but no one wants to die trying
#5. Top Fuel drag boats are running their top speeds through the very end of the course only. No way they could do it through a flying kilo. The last attempt at the outright (jet power) record was one of the Arfons boys who believed he could do it w/a stretched out Top Fuel hydro design and it killed himi.
#6. Ken Warby still holds the outright record some 30+ yrs later and knows of which he speaks. EVERYONE that has attempted to break his record has died trying. EVERYONE!
Ken is a friend of mine and he and one of his sons are completing a new boat to go after the outright record in the near future.
When you go after a record at this level, you're going where no man has gone before and one that has a very high mortality rate.
Couple of points.
#1. The current record is held by an Unlimited Hydroplane and they broke a record that had stood since either '60 or '62 and was held by a V-12 piston boat where the new one was turbine powered.
#2. The record comes from an average of two passes, opposite directions of a timed, surveyed and certified one kilometer course. This is the stuff that busts a lot of ego's. Flashing a big number on a GPS is one thing, this is way different. Keeping the mechanicals together and boat together while your foot is one the floor that long......., YIKES!
#3. We have seen "reported" speeds from the fastest Offshore boats to be equal to or beyond the official record for many yrs and I've been waiting for someone to step to the plate. A LOTO # is one thing but this is way different. Personally I believe the current hull designs and their abilities to handle the power that they do...,it's only a matter of time.
#4. Rumor is the Unlimited guys have plenty in hand to re-break that record but no one wants to die trying
#5. Top Fuel drag boats are running their top speeds through the very end of the course only. No way they could do it through a flying kilo. The last attempt at the outright (jet power) record was one of the Arfons boys who believed he could do it w/a stretched out Top Fuel hydro design and it killed himi.
#6. Ken Warby still holds the outright record some 30+ yrs later and knows of which he speaks. EVERYONE that has attempted to break his record has died trying. EVERYONE!
Ken is a friend of mine and he and one of his sons are completing a new boat to go after the outright record in the near future.
When you go after a record at this level, you're going where no man has gone before and one that has a very high mortality rate.


