Spirit of Australia is a hydroplane designed and built by Ken Warby in Australia between 1972 – 1974. This vessel holds the current world record of 317.596m/h (511.11km/h) averaged over 2 runs on Blowering Dam, near Tumut, New South Wales in 1978.
A mechanical engineer by trade, Warby financed and built the power boat Spirit of Australia in the early 1970s. On November 20, 1977, he set the world water speed record of 288.60 miles per hour (464.5 kilometres an hour) on Blowering Dam, south of Tumut.
SPIRIT OF AUSTRALIA is an Australian designed and built jet-powered, wooden, 3-point hydroplane that has held the world water-speed record since 1977. Breaking both the 300 m/h and 500 km/h barriers, SPIRIT OF AUSTRALIA raised the world record to 511.11km/h in 1978 at Blowering Dam near Tumut NSW.
Ken Warby had a dream as a young child to become the fastest man on water. A feat he achieved in 1977 then repeated in 1978, setting the current outright unlimited world water speed record of 317.6mph in his boat SPIRIT of AUSTRALIA.
The home-made boat that pushed 511 km/h: a world record since 1978. Australia. Forty years, 1 month and 8 days ago. Ken Warby, Australian professional pilot, pushes hard on the 10,000 horsepower of his Spirit of Australia, reaching 511 km/h on the waters of the Blowering Dam, marking that run in history.
The lightning fast, 12m, Class One V8 Superboats are back with a four-boat fleet. These craft are capable of up to 140 mph thanks to a pair of carburettor fed, 510 cubic inch big block derived V8s developing 830hp each that drive the surface piercing propellers.
What is the world's fastest boat? The current title of world's fastest boat belongs to Spirit of Australia, which recorded a two-way average top speed of 317.6mph (551.1 km/h) on Blowering Dam, NSW in 1978.
Adult passenger fares from $99 (Recliner included) per person each way based on night sailings in low demand season. Subject to availability. A $10 booking fee applies per person each way to non-internet bookings.
Formula 1 boats can reach 62 mph on the water in under four seconds, and their maximum speed is around 150 mph. The engine and boat design is a true accomplishment and provides some of the highest levels of boat racing.
The current unlimited record is 511.11 km/h (317.59 mph), achieved by Australian Ken Warby in the Spirit of Australia in 1978.
F-35A Lightning II.
The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird is the fastest jet aircraft in the world, reaching speeds of Mach 3.3--that's more than 3,500 kph (2,100 mph) and almost four times as fast as the average cruising speed of a commercial airliner.
The NASA/USAF X-15 is the fastest fighter jet ever produced. It reached record top speed of Mach 6.72 or 4,520 mph, which is more than five times the speed of sound.
It was powered by a Westinghouse J34 jet engine. The engine was developed by the Westinghouse Electric Company in the late 1940s and was used for jet fighters and other aircraft. Spirit of Australia is displayed permanently at the Australian National Maritime Museum in Darling Harbour, Sydney, New South Wales.
Spirit of Australia's engine was a Westinghouse J34. ANMM Collection ANMS1163[290], reproduced courtesy of Graeme Andrews.
The premiere model for Black Thunder has been the 46' twin step. It has contributed significantly to a total sales volume for the company of over 450 units. This proven model in 2017 topped the charts for V-Hulls at the Lake of the Ozarks Shoot Out, registering a blistering 161 mph without emptying the wine rack.
As breathtaking as the current speeds of the F50 catamarans may be – the top speed in the 2022 season of SailGP was just under 100 kilometres per hour (km/hr), highway driving speed on most European motorways – it seems they are set to go even quicker.
The modern F1 car can reach speeds of roughly 220mph on average when bombing down long straights. The fastest speed ever recorded in a race was from Valtteri Bottas's Mercedes in the 2016 Mexican Grand Prix when he reached a startling 231mph, though certain conditions have to be met for that to happen.
Boats can cost up to $750,000, and to that you must add money for repairs, parts and team expenses among other things. What does it take to win an offshore powerboat race?
In Australia, and many other countries the tax on spirits is calculated differently to tax on beer and wine. Spirits tax is known as excise duty and as of December 2022, this rate was $94.41 per litre of alcohol [2]. The rate is reviewed and adjusted twice per year.
How long does the trip take? The trip on board Spirit of Tasmania takes approximately 9-11 hours. On days of single sailings, the voyage takes 11 hours. On days of double sailings, the voyage takes 9 hours.
Spirit of Tasmania Quay, Geelong Terminal
VIC 3215.
How fast does a cigarette boat go? Due to typically being able to reach a max speed of 92mph, cigarette boats were the boat of choice when it came to smuggling alcohol.
Most jet boats will run at nearly 50mph, but there are several off-the-shelf jet boats that can easily exceed 70mph, while the fastest ever jet boat is also the fastest boat in the world – Dave Warby's Spirit of Australia II clocked 317mph in 1978.
ThrustSSC, driven by Royal Air Force pilot Andy Green, holds the current land speed record at 1,220 km/h (760 mph) set October 15, 1997.