Water speed record

The World Unlimited water speed record is the officially recognised fastest speed achieved by a water-borne vehicle.

1950s

Early in the morning of June 26 1950, a small red boat skipped across Lake Washington, near Seattle, and improved on Campbell?s record by 18 mph (29 km/h). The boat was called Sho-Mo-Shun-IV, and it was built by Seattle Chrysler dealer called Stanley Sayres. The piston-engined boat was able to run at 160 mph because it?s hull was designed to lift the top of the propellers out of water when running at high speed. This phenomenon, called ?prop riding?, further reduced drag.

Related Topics:
June 26 - 1950 - Lake Washington - Seattle - Chrysler - Stanley Sayres

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In 1952, Sayres drove Sho-Mo-Shun to 178.49 mph (287.25 km/h) - a further 18 mph (29 km/h) increase. The renewed American success persuaded Malcolm Campbell?s son Donald, who had already driven Bluebird K4 to within sight of his father?s record, to make a push for the record. However, the K4 was completely out-classed and Campbell could not run at the speeds of the Seattle-built boat. In 1951 K4 was written-off when it hit a submerged object on Coniston.

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At this time, yet another land speed driver entered the fray. Englishman John Cobb, was hoping to beat 200 mph (320 km/h) in his jet-powered, all-aluminium built Crusader. A radical design, the Crusader reversed the ?three-pointer? design, placing the floats at the rear of the hull. On September 29, 1952, Cobb tried for a 200 mph (320 km/h) record on Loch Ness. Travelling at an estimated speed of 240 mph (386 km/h), Crusaders front plane collapsed and the craft instantly disintegrated. Cobb was rescued from the water but died of shock soon afterward.

Related Topics:
John Cobb - Aluminium - Crusader - September 29 - 1952 - Loch Ness - Shock

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Two years later, on October 8 1954, another man would die trying for the record. Italian textile magnate Mario Verga, responding to a prize offer of 5 million lire from the Italian Motorboat Federation to any Italian who break the world record, built a sleek piston-engined hydroplane to claim the record. Named Laura, after Verga?s daughter, the boat was fast but unstable. Travelling across Lake Iseo at close to 190 mph (306 km/h), Verga lost control of Laura, and was thrown out into the water when the boat somersaulted. Like Cobb, he died of shock.

Related Topics:
October 8 - 1954 - Mario Verga - Lire - Lake Iseo

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Meanwhile, Donald Campbell had been working on a new Bluebird - K7, a jet powered hydroplane. Learning the lessons from Cobb?s ill-starred Crusader, K7?s floats were forward of the cockpit. The craft was almost too stable: when Campbell first tried out K7, the boat?s bow wouldn?t lift out of the water. After modifications, Campbell set a new record of 202.32 mph (325.60 km/h) on Ullswater in 1955. Campbell and K7 would hold the record until June 1967, increasing it 276.33 mph (444.71 km/h) in the process.

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