2019-08-01_Maxim_Australia

KenWarbywiththe

Spirit of Australia II

NSW.It’sstilloneof thebestplacesin
theworldtoattempta worldwaterspeed
record– a nice,long,straightstretchof
waterallowingyoutobuildspeedand
a rowof mountainseithersidetofunnel
thewindsalongthatpath.Withthewind
at thenoseof theboat,oronitstail,the
boathitsthewavesat a rightangle,which
is importanttokeepit stableandsticking
tothewater.WhenI broketherecordthe
firsttimetherewashardlyanybodythere.
Thenextyear,onOctober8, 1978,there
wasa lotof media.Davewasn'tthere,
however.I wasa bitreluctanttolethim
watchbecauseit wassodamndangerous.
WhenI achievedtherecord,forme,it
wasa bitlikeSirEdmundHillarywho
saidafterclimbingMountEverest,“I’ve
beatenthebastard”.Ofcourse,it wasa
feelingofincomparableachievementand
satisfaction,tofulfillmylife'sdream.

Thissportcarries85%mortality
rate— whydoit?
D:Becauseit canbebrokenandweknow
howtobreakit. Thereis somuchtobe
learntfromDadandSpiritof Australiaand
we’reshowingtherestof theworldthatit
canbedoneagain.Weoftenseewannabe
glorygrabbersthrowa milliondollarsat
designinga boat,withnoregardforthe
sport,truedangerordesign.Thisis where
theycomeunstuck.Theyseea boatbuilt
in a backyardandoverlookthetechnique,
engineering,skillandexperience.
Approachingsomethingwiththislevel
of inexperienceandarroganceis where
fatalitieshappenandsadly our sport is
totallyunforgiving.

Doyouworryaboutdeathorworry
moreabouthowyou’llcheatit?
D:Haha...I’mmoreworriedabouthow
I financeit! Wedon’tgetasmuchtime
onthewaterasdaddidin the’70sdue
togovernmentapprovalsandsoon,so
I thinkabouthowoftenI cantestortrial
theboatbeforeI attempttherecord.I’m
notfatalisticaboutdeath,whenit’syour
timeit’syourtime.I dothinkif youfear
death,andthisis a constantforyou,
perhaps this isn’t the right sport to pursue.

Whoareyourcompetitorsandhowdo

theymatchupwithyouinthissport?

D:SinceDadhasheldtherecordfor 41

years,there’sbeenabout 165 peoplewho

havesaidtheycanbeatit. Sadly,twohave

beenkilled.Weseemanyannouncements

• enginesbought,largesumsof money
  invested...theythinkbecauseyoudraw
  a designandbuya jetengineyoucan
  win.Thesportdeservesmorerespectthan
  that.If onlyit wasthateasy!Theyoverlook
  theabsolutededicationandskillit truly
  takes.There’sa teamin Britaincalled
  Longbow,theyareseriouschallengersand
  couldberealcompetitionin thefuture.
  Weareluckybecausewe’vehadsome
  dedicatedfriendsandnowcrewmembers,
  GordonEckelandIanWoodswhohave
  steamrolledsponsorshipandinvestments.
  Aussiebusinesseshavereallygotbehind
  SpiritofAustraliaII andit’smeantwe
  finallyhavethefundingnecessaryto
  achievetheworldrecord.A verybigthank
  youtothosebusinessesandpeople
  whohavededicatedtime,moneyand
  comradeshiptothecause.Theseinclude:
  GaryJohnsonfromRoadTechMarine
  andJcar,CertusAPAC,Beastwearand
  Westpac Little Ripper. We just wouldn’t

havereachedthespeedswehavewithout

them.Wearealwayslookingforadditional

supportsopleasecontactusviathe

websitewww.warbymotorsports.com.

Ken,howdoyoufeelaboutyour

sontryingtobeatyour41-year-old

OutrightUnlimitedWorldWater

SpeedRecord?

K:Asa fatherI’monlyconcernedhe

doesit safely.I don’twantmysonkilled,

butheknowstheboatinsideandout,

understandsthedesign,aswebuiltit

together.Plusheknowshowtodrive

it well...thisis what’snecessaryto

achievea worldwaterspeedrecord.

So,what’snextupforyouguys?

K:I justwanttosupportmysonin his

endeavoursandprovideanyfurther

knowledgeandsupportI cantoseehim

livehisdream.WhilstI ambasedin the

U.S.weregularlySkypeandtalkshopand

I willobviouslybein Australiatowitness

themomentheachievestheworldrecord.

It willbea proudmomentformeasa

Father– toseemylegacyliveonin myboy.

D:I willcontinuetestingandtriallingthe

boat,preparingfortheglobalworldrecord

laterin theyear.Thelasttrialthatwedid

wasourfastestyet,sothereis noreason

tothinkwecan’tmaintainthistrajectory

andsuccess.I feelformymum,she’shad

tolivethroughthisangstandstresswith

myDadandnowwithherson.She’san

incrediblysupportiveandresilientwoman,

asis mypartnerLesa.She’sa psychologist

andherinsightreallyhelpsmefocus

andstaymotivated.Although,it mustbe

difficultforherassheputsupwithan

awfullotof shit!So,I looktomakenotonly

mydadproudbutthetwowomenin my

lifewhohavesupportedmydream.Also,

a shoutouttoTheAustralianNavy 808

squadron– theywillbejoiningusat the

nexttrialrunwiththeirMH 90 choppers

on safety patrols. Thanks, boys.■

EachtrialrunDaveWarbydoesis broadcastliveviaFacebook.

To watchfromDave’sperspectiveinthecockpityoucancheck

it out here—www.facebook.com/warbymotorsport/

“IFYOUFEAR

DEATH,ANDTHIS

ISACONSTANTFOR

YOU,PERHAPSTHIS

ISN’ TTHERIGHT

SPORTTOPURSUE.”

• DAVE WARBY –