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History
Water Speed Records
Many thanks to Parker Jones for letting us re-print his research here!

Prop-Driven Water Speed Records Gar Wood in Miss Detroit
Mile Distance Records:

 Speed   Date   Boat          Driver             Location               Notes
 74.870 15Sep20 MISS AMERICA, Gar Wood           Detroit River,     MI   USA
 80.567  6Sep21 MISS AMERICA II, George Wood     Detroit River,     MI   USA
 87.392 10Nov24 FARMAN HYDROGLIDER, Jules Fisher Sartrouville,           FR 1
                                                     Seine River
 92.838  4Sep28 MISS AMERICA VII, George Wood    Detroit River,     MI   USA
 93.123 23Mar29 MISS AMERICA VII, Gar Wood       Miami Beach,       FL   UK
                                                     Indian Creek
 98.760 13Jun30 MISS ENGLAND II, Henry Segrave(*)Lake Windermere,        UK
                                                     Scotland
102.256 20Mar31 MISS AMERICA IX, Gar Wood        Miami Beach,       FL   USA
                                                     Indian Creek
103.490  2Apr31 MISS ENGLAND II, Kaye Don        Tigre,                  ARG
                                                     Parana River
110.223  9Jul31 MISS ENGLAND II, Kaye Don        Lake Garda,             ITA
111.712  5Feb32 MISS AMERICA IX, Gar Wood        Miami Beach,       FL   USA
                                                     Indian Creek
119.810 18Jul32 MISS ENGLAND III, K1, Kaye Don   Loch Lomond, Scotland   UK
124.860 20Sep32 MISS AMERICA X, Gar Wood         Algonac,           MI  USA
                                                     St. Clair River
126.320  1Sep37 BLUEBIRD K3, Malcolm Campbell*   Lake Maggiore, Locarno, SWZ
129.500  2Sep37 BLUEBIRD K3, Malcolm Campbell*   Lake Maggiore, Lorcano, SWZ
130.910 17Aug38 BLUEBIRD K3, Malcolm Campbell    Hallwiler See,          SWZ
141.740 19Aug39 BLUEBIRD K4, Malcolm Campbell    Coniston Water, England  UK
                                                     Lakes District
160.323 26Jun50 SLO-MO-SHUN IV, Stanley Sayres   Lake Washington,   WA   USA
                            (m) Ted O. Jones         Sand Point
178.497  7Jul52 SLO-MO-SHUN IV, Stanley Sayres   Lake Washington,   WA   USA 2
                            (m) Elmer Leninschmidt   East Channel
184.494  1Nov57 MISS SUPERTEST II, Art Asbury    Bay of Quinte,     ON   CDA 3
                                                     Lake Ontario
187.627 30Nov57 HAWAII KAI III, Jack Regas       Lake Washington,   WA   USA 4
                                                     Sand Point
192.001 16Feb60 MISS THRIFTWAY, (3) Bill Muncey  Lake Washington,   WA   USA 5
                                                     East Channel
200.419 17Apr62 MISS U.S.I, (2) Roy Duby         Lake Guntersville, AL   USA
205.494 15Jun00 MISS FREEI, Russ Wicks           Lake Washington,   WA   USA 5
(2)(3) Denotes Hull Number of a similarily named watercraft
(m)- Denotes name of riding mechanic
 1 - Used airplane propellor as means of propulsion
(*)- Held Worlds Land Speed Record, died from injuries suffered sameday in
     followup run to Water Speed Record when bottom of Miss England II came
     apart after striking debris.  Mechanic, W. Hallwell, also died from
     drowning this Friday.
 * - Also held the World's Land Speed Record from 1931 thru 1937.
 2 - The last immersed propeller craft to hold the absolute WSR.
 3 - Asbury broke his neck from wind buffeting and never drove again.
 4 - Note that this is one day after their kilometer record.
 5 - Did not do a run over a measured kilometer course (mile only)


Kilometer Distance Records: (in MPH)

Speed   Date    Boat            Driver           Site
195.329 29Nov57 HAWAII KAI III, Jack Regas       Lake Washington,   WA, USA +
198.168 17Apr62 MISS U.S. I, (2) Roy Duby        Lake Guntersville, AL, USA
220.493 13Mar04 MISS BUDWEISER  Dave Villwock    Oroville,          CA, USA

+ - 200.442 mph achieved in one direction
Jet-Powered Water Speed Records
Donald Campbell - Lake Mead, Nevada
Speed   Date    Boat         Driver              Site                   Notes
 (mph)
202.32  23Jul55 BLUEBIRD K7, Donald Campbell     Ullswater              UK  1
216.20  16Nov55 BLUEBIRD K7, Donald Campbell     Lake Mead, NV          USA
225.63  19Sep56 BLUEBIRD K7, Donald Campbell     Coniston Water         UK   
239.07   7Nov57 BLUEBIRD K7, Donald Campbell     Coniston Water         UK     
248.62  10Nov58 BLUEBIRD K7, Donald Campbell     Coniston Water         UK
260.33  14May59 BLUEBIRD K7, Donald Campbell     Coniston Water         UK
276.30  31Dec64 BLUEBIRD K7, Donald Campbell     Lake Dumbleyung, WA    AUS 2
285.213 30Jun67 HUSTLER,     Lee A. Taylor, Jr.  Lake Guntersville, AL  USA
288.60  20Nov77 SPIRIT OF AUSTRALIA, Ken Warby   Blowering Dam, NSW     AUS 3 
317.60   8Oct78 SPIRIT OF AUSTRALIA, Ken Warby   Blowering Dam, NSW     AUS 4
---- Ken Warby's web pages
NOTES
1.  Ullswater and Coniston Water are located in the English Lakes District.
2.  Also set the Land Speed Record the same year, with a 4-wheel driven,
    shaft-turbine powered vehicle, at an average speed of 403.10mph, on the
    dry salt lake bed of Lake Eyre, SA, Australia.  This is still a record
    for shaft-driven turbine powered vehicles.
3.  Actual clocking 464.45 km/hr over one kilometer trap.  9 mile course.
    This reservoir is near the town of Tumut.
4.  Actual clocking 511.11 km/hr over one kilometer trap.  9 mile course.
    Best one-way clocking 529.412 km/hr (328.97 mph).  Claimed exit speed
    345 mph.  Warby had been living in the USA since about 1987, in the
    Minneapolis area, building a new boat.  He's now back in Australia
    with it and plans a new record attempt, possibly in 2004 or 2005.
    He has been looking at other Australian sites in addition to
    Blowering Dam.
Copyright DRRA and Brian Reed, All photos Copyright each photographer.