KEN Warby, who held the unlimited world water speed record for more than four decades, has died, aged 84.
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A post on the Team Warby Motorsport Facebook page said:
"Ken was a gifted mechanical engineer from Newcastle, with a passion for boat racing. He started building boats in his parent's backyard, continuing on to racing them at Toronto RMYC, on Lake Macquarie.
Ken won three state championships in his skiff Monte Cristo as well as racing limited hydroplanes and outboards with success.
With an urge to go faster, and inspired by Donald Campbell's world water speed records in Bluebird K7, Ken set out to become the fastest man on water. With a young family supporting him, Ken designed and built Spirit of Australia in the family backyard over four years.
Ken gradually built the speeds up with his boat, adding numerous Australian water speed records along the way culminating in his first unlimited world water speed record in 1977 on Blowering Dam near Tumut, with a speed of 288mph. Ken returned in 1978 to Blowering Dam to claim his second and current unlimited world water speed record of 317.60mph - with a only way kilo of 328mph and an exit peak of 345mph.
Ken in Spirit of Australia became the first person to officially travel at over 300mph, (500mph) on water.
He is the only person to ever design, build and drive a boat to an unlimited water speed record, the first Australian to hold an unlimited speed record. Ken received an Member of the British Empire (MBE) from Queen Elizabeth II for services to powerboating and 2 UIM gold medals for services to powerboating. He was one of the first 200 inductees into the Australian Sporting Hall of Fame - the only powerboat racer honoured.
Ken was also an accomplished racer of jet dragsters, funny cars and trucks, racing both in America and Australia.
More recently Ken has been closely involved in the design, build and running of Spirit of Australia II alongside his middle son David. As a master-class between father and son, the new unlimited world water speed record boat is continuing to build speed with Ken updated on progress.
Ken will be greatly missed by his family and Team Warby Motorsport. His knowledge and Australian sense of humour can never be replaced.''
Ken opened the Manning River Aquatic Festival in January 1979, just months after setting the world record. He also raced boats here at the Aquatic Festival.
"I've known him for quite a few years, he was a mate of mine,'' former Manning River Aquatic Festival president Warren Ruprecht said. He was president when Ken opened the festival.
He said Ken was a regular visitor to the Manning.
"If he was in Australia and there was a boat meeting in Taree, then he was here,'' Warren said. (Ken had lived in the US for a number of years).
He said the Ken would have raced Monte Cristo here on many occasions.
Warren described Ken as 'a likeable bloke'.
He set the world water speed record on a shoestring budget.
"Ken built the boat in his backyard by himself and did it the old fashioned Aussie way,'' Warren said.
His son, David, has regularly tested Spirit of Australia II on the Manning - as recently as last November.
