David Warby will trial his jet boat Spirit 2 on the Manning River on Saturday as he prepares to an assault on the world water speed record, currently held by his father, Ken.
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Ken Warby set two world records in 1977 and 1978 in Spirit of Australia.
Tomorrow David, who is based in Newcastle, will reach speeds up to 300kph in Saturday’s trial in Spirit 2, a second generation jet powered hydroplane. This will be in preparation for David’s attempt the outright unlimited world water speed record of 511kph later this year.
Ken Warby is currently the only man in history to design, build and drive a boat to an outright, unlimited world water speed record. Her is also the only driver alive to ever hold this record. David’s aim is to not only beat his father’s record, but to reach 560kph. He will challenge the world record later this year on Blowering Dam near Tumut - the same stretch of water that Ken broke both records.
“We have been working on The Spirit for five years now in preparation for this attempt,’’ David said.
“I’ve always wanted to do what he’s done - to keep the tradition in our family going - and we’re finally ready for it. This trial will be a real indicator of how we will go with the world record attempt, but I’m confident in the boat - we’ve invented the better wheel.”
He trialed the boat on the Manning last year. Ken Warby has been a regular visitor to Taree over the years and officially opened the Manning River Aquatic Festival in 1979, just months after setting the record.
The trial run is set to start at 11.30 on Saturday, with the boat to go into the water at Endeavour Place, near Manning River Rowing Club.
