somebody's up to somethin'

[Capt.Insane-o]

[Bullet 20cc]

Those vids showed up on my utube recommendations recently. I thought the same thing...what's going on here!? Might we see a new water speed record soon?

[AZMIDLYF]

[Bullet 20cc]

Isn't there a cream out there to cure that? Mine are nowhere near that size...

[Brad Zastrow]

That is Ken Warby who has owned the title for many years. Most or maybe all who have attempted to break his record have died.

[mach351]

That’s Ken’s son, Dave.

[Bodhi]

I'd love to be able to afford build projects like this in my garage...one day

[Instigator]

Yep, same record since '1978.
Everyone that tried breaking it has died trying.

That's their 2nd new boat.
Imagine building a boat to go after a record and having no one to copy or discuss design with.

Ken is a treasure to our sport and I'm lucky to call him a friend.
He is a unapologetic mans man. Did it his way when all was against him.

When we were putting on the Rumble in the River near Cincinnati, where Ken lives, and he found out, he immediately volunteered to help.
He towed that boat to several of the Rumbles w/coolers of Australian Fosters beer he gave away.
So you drank his beer and listened to stories with your mouth hanging open.

Current record is 318 and he started talking about going after 400 15 yrs ago when he still planned to drive.
It never worked out though for many reasons, one being that he is Australian and he wanted to do it at Blowering Dam, over there but the water was too low.

In the meantime they have spent thousands of dollars and yrs, fighting the APBA and UIM over capsule rules. They built one capsule to their rules and the APBA/UIM changed the rules rendering their version illegal.
They need their blessings for it to be a "sanctioned event" and the record to count.
On paper.

Last I heard, they still hadn't gotten it and most of us suggested they tell them to pound sand and do it on their own.
We will know.

Ken has to be in his 80's these days, and if I had to pick one guy to be by my side in a red neck bar...., it'd be him.

One of the coolest guys I've met.

Heres a couple shots from Ken working our booth at the Cinci boat show. I love the one of him in awe of one of my BS stories

Side bar, hilarious Ken story:

When we were doing the Rumble, the local tourism board would give grant money to worthy causes. They had monthly lunches and discussed, then voted on grant applications.
Until our app, they never allowed the applicants to present their case to the board in person. Until ours.
The day before their meeting I get a call that theyd like me to come down to present our case. I was 4 hrs away in Cols but said, sure.

We sent them a preliminary info package about our event and I included a magazine article about Ken and said he would be attending. That got their attention and they asked if I could bring enough copies for all of the board.
I said sure.
Then I called Ken

Told him what was going on, again, day before their meeting........., and said I'd be driving right by his place on my way and if he had a spare couple hrs Id love him forever if he went with me.
Ken replies in his Aussie accent, "sure gator". (dont think he knows my real name)
So the next morning I head south and stop at his house. I pull in his driveway and theres his new boat hooked to his truck like he was going to tow it down.
I told him my car would be way cheaper on gas and lets take it.
He, again in Aussie accent, walks back to his truck, points to the graphics on the truck cap that in 12" tall lettering says, "KEN WARBY, WORLDS FASTEST MAN ON WATER", then says, "no gator, Ill drive"! (important lesson learned)

We got there a 1/2 hr early and he parked that damn truck so it completely blocked the front of their office! Freagin hilarious.
The board members had to walk around his rig to enter their office!
Then I had to keep a straight face while doing our presentation. It went well

CLASSSSSSSSIC Ken Warby.

[89LASER]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFPAaKq2LLc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaD3k6YYchc

[Da Bull]

We don`t know the speed they were testing at but it looked like he was moving along pretty quick.

Ken is a great guy and LT got him to come to one of our NCR events. He brought along his bud from Australia who T-Rex named "the walking flower garden" because of the floral picture on his back. The dude was really wide and fun to be around.

DB

[mach351]

I dont know about y’all, but I’m pretty excited about this lol

[Mugs914]

I dont know about y’all, but I’m pretty excited about this lol

Me Too! I have been a huge fan of Ken since I heard about his record when I was a kid. I've never met him, but sure would like to!

It is exciting to have some movement on the WSR again...

Mike

[home made tunnel]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFPAaKq2LLc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaD3k6YYchc

that second vid you can clearly see the blurred numbers go over 100 In a jiffy. It looks dang steady too! Kinda cool how each 10mph, the color changes. Wish they didn't blurr it though.

[Da Bull]

Your right and I think I saw 140 in just a few seconds.

[home made tunnel]

Your right and I think I saw 140 in just a few seconds.

Yea, Just by watching the colors change, you can see it get up there quick!
Handled the chop pretty well. Like on rails. It looks like it has the old hydro style hull.