Artist illustration of the jet-powered Quicksilver
For some of us, our occupation involves a higher than normal risk to our safety and perhaps even our lives. For others, such as those brave individuals who have tried to break the World Water Speed record, “higher than normal risk” does not do justice to an undertaking in which nearly 85% of the drivers that have made a serious attempt at breaking the record since 1940 have died trying. Eleven in all have perished in the attempt.
Having just written the above paragraph I am struck by how appropriate the word undertaking is in this context, as it has two possible meanings: “task” and “the funeral business”. Exactly.
In all these world water speed record tragedies the main cause of disaster has been the boat becoming unstable, generally for one of two reasons: 1) because too much air gets under the boat and the resulting aerodynamic lift has the boat impersonating an airplane (and a very bad airplane at that). Or 2) because the boat has hit a disturbance or debris in the water. Getting calm water is difficult and most of the accidents on record attempts perhaps predictably come during the second run; the quick turnaround required by the record rules may not leave enough time for the water to settle down. Since 1930 these rules, which along with the record certification, have been set by the Union Internationale Motonautique (UIM), stipulating that a craft must make two runs over a timed kilometer course in opposite directions, with the record being the average speed of the two runs.
The current world record of 317.60 mph is held by self-taught Australian engineer and boat builder Ken Wilby, who set the mark on Oct. 8, 1978 (and lived to tell the tale) at Blowering Dam Reservoir, Australia. Wilby used a wooden boat he’d built in his backyard, called the Spirit of Australia, which was powered by a second-hand jet engine.
To put 317 mph on water into perspective consider that the fastest commercial passenger ship of any kind is the ferry Francisco, which shuttles passengers across the River Plate between Buenos Aires in Argentina and Montevideo in Uruguay. With a capacity of over 1,000 passengers and 150 cars, the 325 foot catamaran can travel at speeds of up to 58 knots, or 67 mph. The vessel, which was made by Australia’s Incat shipyards, uses a pair of General Electric LM2500 turbines, which generate 59,000 horsepower.
The ferry Francisco
World Water Speed Record attempts are generally long build projects—a decade or more is not uncommon. Most teams of challengers exist on a threadbare diet of whatever private funding they can scrape up (a speed-record team is not a profitable venture and the risk scares off many big corporate donors), along with the loyal support of their teams and an unyielding enthusiasm for the effort. Let’s now take a look at two teams preparing to take a shot at the record.
Spirit of Australia II under construction
Spirit of Australia II. Ken Warby has teamed up with his 46-year-old son Dave to build a new boat. This time Dave will be in the cockpit, which is a purpose-built carbon/Kevlar construction that is equipped with a radio, fire extinguisher and water-activated Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) locator. Although the wooden boat resembles its predecessor, it is slightly longer and lighter and carries a Bristol Siddeley Orpheus jet engine taken from an Italian Fiat Gina G-91 fighter plane. Construction of Spirit of Australia II’s hull was completed in October, and the boat has been described as “pretty much finished with the motor and the steering in place” with the electrics, gauges, switches and plumbing all being fitted.Warby’s team is targeting a midyear launch for testing on the water.
Don’t look for propellers on these boats; jet engines provide the propulsive force.
Project Quicksilver. The design of this British challenger relies on a modular construction with the main body consisting of a front section with a steel space frame incorporating the engine, a 35,000 hp Rolls-Royce Spey Mk.101 turbine (photo above), and the rear section a monocoque extending to the tail. The front sponsons are also modules, one of which contains the driver. The effort is managed by Nigel Macknight a professional writer who has authored articles and books with subjects ranging from the Space Shuttle to Formula 1 racing cars and the Tomahawk cruise missile. Macknight will also take the controls of the craft for its trials, development runs and record attempts. In the past he has involved himself in many of his subjects, competing in kart racing and Formula Ford motor-racing for seven years and participating in high-performance flights with some of the world’s top pilots, including NASA test pilot Ed Schneider and British Aerobatic Champion Iain Weston.
Good luck, gentlemen.
