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Introducing "Quicksilver"
The quest to go faster on water has challenged both man and machine for centuries. Whether for trading, waging war, or simply winning a coveted trophy, the desire for higher speeds has been relentless down the ages.
Modern-day challengers have a clear benchmark against which to measure their skill and ingenuity. The World Water Speed Record is the pinnacle of sporting achievement on water - a compelling contest by man and machine, played out on a backcloth of wind and wave, distance and time.
The World Water Speed Record has a long and colourful history. Previous holders and challengers have included inventor Alexander Graham Bell, the soldier and adventurer "Lawrence of Arabia", and the fabled "speed kings" Sir Malcolm and Donald Campbell with their legendary Bluebirds.
You can participate in our quest to return the record to these shores! By joining one of the two Quicksilver supporters' clubs and encouraging others to join, you can play a part in extending human endeavour, advancing technology ... and "flying the flag"!
Australia has held the World Water Speed Record for 31 years, in spite of competition from America, and it is now 42 years since Britain last held this prestigious international prize. The Quicksilver team - which is a dedicated group of highly-skilled volunteer specialists led by the project's founder, Nigel Macknight - aims to break Australia's long hold on the Record and return it to Britain, the nation that has made so much water-speed history.
The World Water Speed Record currently stands at 317.60 mph (511.11 kph). To achieve such high speeds, water conditions must first be near-calm. As the boat accelerates, it must overcome water resistance by rising clear of the water's surface and skimming across it. Then, as the boat's speed increases, its design attributes must be such that safety and stability are assured at all times.
With Quicksilver the philosophy is to use modern technology in design, construction and operation in order to increase safety margins substantially beyond what has been feasible in the past.
Furthermore, uniquely, Quicksilver has a modular construction. No other machine in speed-record history, on either water or land, has been designed to be modified rapidly, "in the field", as Quicksilver has. This modular design philosophy will permit an on-going development programme; a step-by-step approach which emphasises safety, without detracting from the essential excitement of the challenge of going faster on water than anyone has ever gone before.