500kph boat (Spirit of Australia II)

[220]

Thought I would start a thread as I am sure hardly anyone would be aware the water speed record is under threat and will probably be broken next year.
It has stood since 1978 and a few have died trying in the last 41 years.
The current record was set on Blowering dam at 511kph by Ken Warby, the challenger is Kens son and he has chosen the same water..
They have slowly been building up and ran at over 400kph a few months back, lucky for me Blowering dam is only 30min drive from home so I have every intention of being there when they decide to give it a serious run.

Very little information about the challenge and certainly none of the hype that accompanies land speed records but they do have a face book page if anyone is interested

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[cider_and_toast]

Its good to hear that this record is being pushed. The technical challenges always seem far higher that the land speed equivalent. I'll look forward to hearing about its progress.

 

[gethinceri]

I’m excited about this also. Although 312mph boat makes it sound far less sexy, doesn’t it?

 

[Dartman]

When you consider that Donald Campbell was going faster than that with basically 1950s technology when he crashed, not much advance in 50 years. Perhaps it's the cash needed, with todays technology especially in computer controlled stabilising servos it should be possible to control a vehicle with a surface piercing foil at a set height above the surface to the same speed as a land vehicle,though stopping would be the main problem as unlike a land vehicle it would likely to loose control as a chute would cause more problems

 

[220]

Kens peak speed was close to 350mph in what was effectively a wooden boat built in the back yard and came only 10 years after Campbells death with pretty much the same technology.
Given the advances in everything over the last 50 years it is almost impossible to believe no one has been able to get near it..

 

[gethinceri]

except the physics hasn’t changed.