Speedboat Legend Ken Warby Passes Away At 83 After Record-Breaking Career
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The world of sports is a little dimmer today after news broke out that Australian powerboating racer and world record holder Ken Warby passed away.
Mr Warby, who was noted as the ‘fastest man on water’, passed away at the age of 83 after a recent health decline. He has left a legacy of incredible accomplishments in powerboat racing.
Born and educated in Newcastle, NSW, Mr Warby shot to fame when he first broke the world water speedboat record and set a new one with a speed of 464 kilometres per hour (km/hr) on Blowering Dam in southern NSW in 1977.
He returned the next year to break his own record, this time reaching 511 km/hr.
This was the first time anyone had broken the 500+ km/hr barrier on water, and the first time an Australian held an unlimited speed record on land, water or air. The record still stands to this day, 45 years later.
Mr Warby’s interest in the sport began as a teenager when he became fascinated with Englishman Donald Campbell, who set both land and water speed records in 1964. Mr Campbell sadly lost his life while attempting to break the record in 1967.
The powerboat legend was a mechanical engineer by trade. He financed and built his own boat, a Westinghouse jet-engine-powered, 8.2-metre vessel called the Spirit of Australia, in his own backyard.
He remains the only person to ever design, build, and drive a boat to an unlimited speed record.
John Reid, a close friend of Mr Warby, shared that it wasn’t surprising his friend still held the world record. ‘He just had nerves of steel and he was just focused,’ he explained.
Mr Reid added: ‘It didn’t matter what he did, whether it was racing vintage power boats at high speed, he just always went at it.’
He was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1978 for his service to powerboat racing and was one of the first inductees into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.
In 1980, Mr Warby was invited by then-Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser to take Spirit of Australia on a tour of the United States to help promote Australia. He remained in America until his passing.
His other close friend, Bayden Gardem, said Mr Warby had a wonderful and charmed life.
‘Everybody loved Ken in America. Unfortunately, he suffered from tall poppy syndrome in Australia,’ Mr Gardem shared.
Tall poppy syndrome is a cultural phenomenon in which people hold back, criticise or sabotage those who have or are believed to have achieved notable success in life. Basically, ‘cutting the tall poppy down’.
In a previous interview, Mr Warby said breaking the speed record was the ‘pinnacle of his life’. He continued: ‘It was quite amazing. In my wildest dreams, I never thought that I would hold the record this long.’
He described the day he broke the world water speed record as an ‘easy run’. ‘With the power that we had in the engine at that stage, it was pretty much a walk in the park, and the boat behaved perfectly,’ he explained.
‘It was a dream that I'd had since I was a teenager – of breaking the world water speed record.’
Just a couple of years ago, Mr Warby started working with his son David on the Spirit of Australia II in the hope that David would break his father’s speed record.
‘I’ve done my deal. I’ve proved what I set out to prove, done everything I’ve needed to do in the way of the world water speed records…now’s the time to sit back,’ Mr Warby said about his son’s attempt to set a new world record.
‘There’s no doubt I want David to break the record. The record should never live forever. As a matter of fact, I hoped early on that people would’ve broken my record but nobody did,’ Mr Warby continued.
He shared that he will be there for his son and support him in ‘every way possible’.
‘If he gets it, and when he gets it, or however it turns out, I’ll be a proud father. Hell yeah.’
Dave Warby spoke about trying to beat his dad’s world record in an interview a couple of years ago as well. During this interview, it was revealed that Dave works as a disability care worker in Newcastle. But any chance he gets, he works on the Spirit of Australia II.
When asked whether he thinks people would ‘appreciate’ him trying to break the world record, he replied: ‘Probably not.’
This is because the sport is very dangerous, and going above 500 km/hr could be fatal.
However, Dave is not deterred by this and explained that he had two reasons why he’ll make it in the end.
First, he trusts in the power his revolutionary boat will give him, and two, he had his dad right by his side.
‘You watch your father in the backyard building a boat, and he had boat racers and people all over the world saying “this guy will never do it” …if you that happen in your backyard as a kid, and see your father with nothing take on the world, if that doesn’t inspire you to have a crack, nothing will,’ he said.
You can watch the full interview below:
Spirit of Australia II is being tested on the Manning River at Taree, as well as on Blowering Dam.
We hope Mr Warby’s legacy in the world of powerboat racing will continue to inspire others. What are your thoughts on this, members? Were you a fan of Mr Warby? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Mr Warby, who was noted as the ‘fastest man on water’, passed away at the age of 83 after a recent health decline. He has left a legacy of incredible accomplishments in powerboat racing.
Born and educated in Newcastle, NSW, Mr Warby shot to fame when he first broke the world water speedboat record and set a new one with a speed of 464 kilometres per hour (km/hr) on Blowering Dam in southern NSW in 1977.
He returned the next year to break his own record, this time reaching 511 km/hr.
Mr Warby holds the Unlimited World Water Speed Record of 511 km/hr. Credit: Shutterstock
This was the first time anyone had broken the 500+ km/hr barrier on water, and the first time an Australian held an unlimited speed record on land, water or air. The record still stands to this day, 45 years later.
Mr Warby’s interest in the sport began as a teenager when he became fascinated with Englishman Donald Campbell, who set both land and water speed records in 1964. Mr Campbell sadly lost his life while attempting to break the record in 1967.
The powerboat legend was a mechanical engineer by trade. He financed and built his own boat, a Westinghouse jet-engine-powered, 8.2-metre vessel called the Spirit of Australia, in his own backyard.
He remains the only person to ever design, build, and drive a boat to an unlimited speed record.
Ken Warby will be remembered as the fastest man on water. Credit: Spirit of Australia 2/Facebook
John Reid, a close friend of Mr Warby, shared that it wasn’t surprising his friend still held the world record. ‘He just had nerves of steel and he was just focused,’ he explained.
Mr Reid added: ‘It didn’t matter what he did, whether it was racing vintage power boats at high speed, he just always went at it.’
He was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1978 for his service to powerboat racing and was one of the first inductees into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.
In 1980, Mr Warby was invited by then-Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser to take Spirit of Australia on a tour of the United States to help promote Australia. He remained in America until his passing.
His other close friend, Bayden Gardem, said Mr Warby had a wonderful and charmed life.
‘Everybody loved Ken in America. Unfortunately, he suffered from tall poppy syndrome in Australia,’ Mr Gardem shared.
Tall poppy syndrome is a cultural phenomenon in which people hold back, criticise or sabotage those who have or are believed to have achieved notable success in life. Basically, ‘cutting the tall poppy down’.
Mr Warby also raced in dragsters, cars, and trucks on tracks in Australia and the US. Credit: Spirit of Australia 2/Facebook
In a previous interview, Mr Warby said breaking the speed record was the ‘pinnacle of his life’. He continued: ‘It was quite amazing. In my wildest dreams, I never thought that I would hold the record this long.’
He described the day he broke the world water speed record as an ‘easy run’. ‘With the power that we had in the engine at that stage, it was pretty much a walk in the park, and the boat behaved perfectly,’ he explained.
‘It was a dream that I'd had since I was a teenager – of breaking the world water speed record.’
Just a couple of years ago, Mr Warby started working with his son David on the Spirit of Australia II in the hope that David would break his father’s speed record.
‘I’ve done my deal. I’ve proved what I set out to prove, done everything I’ve needed to do in the way of the world water speed records…now’s the time to sit back,’ Mr Warby said about his son’s attempt to set a new world record.
‘There’s no doubt I want David to break the record. The record should never live forever. As a matter of fact, I hoped early on that people would’ve broken my record but nobody did,’ Mr Warby continued.
He shared that he will be there for his son and support him in ‘every way possible’.
‘If he gets it, and when he gets it, or however it turns out, I’ll be a proud father. Hell yeah.’
Mr Warby built his own powerboat in his backyard with no outside financing. Credit: Spirit of Australia 2/Facebook
Dave Warby spoke about trying to beat his dad’s world record in an interview a couple of years ago as well. During this interview, it was revealed that Dave works as a disability care worker in Newcastle. But any chance he gets, he works on the Spirit of Australia II.
When asked whether he thinks people would ‘appreciate’ him trying to break the world record, he replied: ‘Probably not.’
This is because the sport is very dangerous, and going above 500 km/hr could be fatal.
However, Dave is not deterred by this and explained that he had two reasons why he’ll make it in the end.
First, he trusts in the power his revolutionary boat will give him, and two, he had his dad right by his side.
Here are the top five world water speed record holders. Image credit: The Seniors Discount Club
‘You watch your father in the backyard building a boat, and he had boat racers and people all over the world saying “this guy will never do it” …if you that happen in your backyard as a kid, and see your father with nothing take on the world, if that doesn’t inspire you to have a crack, nothing will,’ he said.
You can watch the full interview below:
Spirit of Australia II is being tested on the Manning River at Taree, as well as on Blowering Dam.
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