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Water Speed Records

Prop-Driven Water Speed Records

Mile Distance Records:

Speed Date Boat Driver Location Notes
74.870 15Sep20 MISS AMERICA Gar Wood Detroit River, MI USA  
80.567 6Sep21 MISS AMERICA II George Wood Detroit River, MI USA  
87.392 10Nov24 FARMAN HYDROGLIDER Jules Fisher Seine River Sartrouville, FR 1
92.838 4Sep28 MISS AMERICA VII George Wood Detroit River, MI USA  
93.123 23Mar29 MISS AMERICA VII Gar Wood Indian Creek, Miami Beach, FL UK  
98.760 13Jun30 MISS ENGLAND II Henry Segrave (*) Lake Windermere, Scotland UK  
102.256 20Mar31 MISS AMERICA IX Gar Wood Indian Creek Miami Beach, FL USA  
103.490 2Apr31 MISS ENGLAND II Kaye Don Parana River Tigre, ARG  
110.223 9Jul31 MISS ENGLAND II Kaye Don Lake Garda, ITA  
111.712 5Feb32 MISS AMERICA IX Gar Wood Indian Creek Miami Beach, FL USA  
119.810 18Jul32 MISS ENGLAND III, K1 Kaye Don Loch Lomond, Scotland UK  
124.860 20Sep32 MISS AMERICA X Gar Wood St. Clair River Algonac, MI USA  
126.320 1Sep37 BLUEBIRD K3 Malcolm Campbell* Lake Maggiore, Locarno, SWZ  
129.500 2Sep37 BLUEBIRD K3 Malcolm Campbell* Lake Maggiore, Lorcano, SWZ  
130.910 17Aug38 BLUEBIRD K3 Malcolm Campbell Hallwiler See, SWZ  
141.740 19Aug39 BLUEBIRD K4 Malcolm Campbell Coniston Water,Lakes District England UK  
160.323 26Jun50 SLO-MO-SHUN IV Stanley Sayres
(m) Ted O. Jones
Sand Poin tLake Washington, WA USA
 
178.497 7Jul52 SLO-MO-SHUN IV Stanley Sayres
(m) Elmer Leninschmidt
East Channel Lake Washington, WA USA
2
184.494 1Nov57 MISS SUPERTEST II Art Asbury Lake Ontario Bay of Quinte, ON CDA 3
187.627 30Nov57 HAWAII KAI III Jack Regas Sand Point Lake Washington, WA USA 4
192.001 16Feb60 MISS THRIFTWAY (3) Bill Muncey East Channel Lake Washington, WA USA 5
200.419 17Apr62 MISS U.S.I (2) Roy Duby Lake Guntersville, AL USA  
205.494 15Jun00 MISS FREEI Russ Wicks Lake Washington, WA USA 5

 

(2)(3)   Denotes Hull Number of a similarily named watercraft
(m)   Denotes name of riding mechanic
1   Used airplane propellor as means of propulsion
(*)   Held Worlds Land Speed Record, died from injuries suffered sameday in followup run to Water Speed Record when bottom of Miss England II came apart after striking debris. Mechanic, W. Hallwell, also died from drowning this Friday.
*   Also held the World's Land Speed Record from 1931 thru 1937.
2   The last immersed propeller craft to hold the absolute WSR.
3   Asbury broke his neck from wind buffeting and never drove again.
4   Note that this is one day after their kilometer record.
5   Did not do a run over a measured kilometer course (mile only)

Kilometer Distance Records: (in MPH)

Speed Date Boat Driver Site Notes
195.329 29Nov57 HAWAII KAI III Jack Regas Lake Washington, WA, USA +
198.168 17Apr62 MISS U.S. I, (2) Roy Duby Lake Guntersville, AL, USA  
220.493 13Mar04 MISS BUDWEISER Dave Villwock Oroville, CA, USA  

+ - 200.442 mph achieved in one direction

Jet-Powered Water Speed Records

Speed
(mph)
Date Boat Driver Site Notes
202.32 23Jul55 BLUEBIRD K7 Donald Campbell Ullswater UK 1
216.20 16Nov55 BLUEBIRD K7 Donald Campbell Lake Mead, NV USA  
225.63 19Sep56 BLUEBIRD K7 Donald Campbell Coniston Water UK  
239.07 7Nov57 BLUEBIRD K7 Donald Campbell Coniston Water UK  
248.62 10Nov58 BLUEBIRD K7 Donald Campbell Coniston Water UK  
260.33 14May59 BLUEBIRD K7 Donald Campbell Coniston Water UK  
276.30 31Dec64 BLUEBIRD K7 Donald Campbell Lake Dumbleyung, WA AUS 2
285.213 30Jun67 HUSTLER Lee A. Taylor Jr. Lake Guntersville, AL USA  
288.60 20Nov77 SPIRIT OF AUSTRALIA Ken Warby Blowering Dam, NSW AUS 3
317.60 8Oct78 SPIRIT OF AUSTRALIA Ken Warby Blowering Dam, NSW AUS 4

NOTES

1.   Ullswater and Coniston Water are located in the English Lakes District.
2.   Also set the Land Speed Record the same year, with a 4-wheel driven, shaft-turbine powered vehicle, at an average speed of 403.10mph, on the dry salt lake bed of Lake Eyre, SA, Australia. This is still a record for shaft-driven turbine powered vehicles.
3.   Actual clocking 464.45 km/hr over one kilometer trap. 9 mile course. This reservoir is near the town of Tumut.
4.   Actual clocking 511.11 km/hr over one kilometer trap. 9 mile course. Best one-way clocking 529.412 km/hr (328.97 mph). Claimed exit speed 345 mph. Warby had been living in the USA since about 1987, in the Minneapolis area, building a new boat. He's now back in Australia with it and plans a new record attempt, possibly in 2004 or 2005. He has been looking at other Australian sites in addition to Blowering Dam.

References



 
 
 
 
 

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