The Speed Record On The Water.
The world water speed record is the officially recognised fastest speed achieved by a water-borne vehicle. The current record of 511km/h was achieved in 1978 by Ken Warby. As of 2023, there have been only few official attempts to break it.
It is all started in 1964 when Donald Campbell set the first world water speed record of 444.7km/h on Lake Dumbleyung, 260 kilometers south-east of Perth.
The first attempt at challenging Donald Campbell's record was done by Lee Taylor and ended in a near fatal crash at Lake Havasu in 1964. Lee got off course and ran out of water, ending up high on the shore. He was tossed out in the rocks, losing an eye, breaking an arm, leg and ribs, plus internal injuries.
After a lengthy hospital stay, Lee Taylor equipped the boat with a chute and went to Lake Mead in the fall of 1965, only to be frustrated by mechanical problems in this attempt.
At this point, Taylor lost his sponsors. Lee finally went to John Beaudoin of Compton who had been a long-time friend of his father. John financed the final successful assault at Alabama's Lake Guntersville on the 30th of June 1967.
Lee's first run that fateful morning was an amazing 481.3km/h. On the return run, a spectator's boat got by the Coast Guard and wandered out to the lights, goofing up the return run time.
Lee Taylor tried to get the record again in 1980. Inspired by the land speed record cars, Taylor built a 12.19m long rocket-powered boat, Discovery-II. The missile-shaped craft was constructed of aluminum, titanium and stainless steel and was powered by a rocket engine that burned hydrogen peroxide fuel. On paper, the power plant generated 16000 horsepower.
The Discovery-II was fueled by 453kgs of hydrogen peroxide. The boat was valued at US$2.5 million. Taylor believed his boat would surpass 965km/h.
The trial took place November 13, 1980 on Nevada's Lake Tahoe. Discovery-II roared through its first pass at 434km/h and was decelerating when it appeared to hit a swell. Witnesses reported that the boat veered to the left and suddenly disintegrated, vanishing under the surface of the lake in a matter of a few seconds.
Until 20 November 1977 every official water speed record had been set by an American, Canadian, Irishman, or Briton. That day Ken Warby became the first Australian holder when he piloted his Spirit of Australia to 464.46km/h to beat Lee Taylor's record. Warby, who had built the craft in his back yard, used the publicity to find sponsorship to pay for improvements to the Spirit.
On 8 October 1978 Warby travelled to Blowering Dam, Australia, and broke 500km/h barrier with an average speed of 511km/h. As he exited the course his peak speed as measured on a radar gun was approximately 555km/h.
The final official attempt at breaking the record was in 1989, when Craig Arfons raced in his fiberglass Kevlar boat named Rain-X Challenger. He died when the hydroplane flipped at 483km/h.
Ken Warby's record of 511km/h set in 1978 to this day remains unbroken.