Into the future: Quicksilver

The world water speed record has stood at 317.60 mph since Australia's Ken Warby broke the 300 mph barrier in his Spirit of Australia in October 1978. Ken has plans to raise the record still higher but there is also a British contender in the shape of the Quicksilver project, led by Nigel Macknight. The chief designer is Ken Norris, co-designer of the K7 Bluebird. The powerplant is a single Rolls-Royce Spey 101 turbofan engine - two of which have been obtained by purchasing an ex-RAF Buccaneer strike aircraft. Quicksilver has been designed as a four-pointer, a unique configuration in world water speed record history. Its structure is based on a combination of high-tensile steel tubing and honeycomb sandwich panels. Water tank tests of models have been completed and construction is reported (early 2001) as being under way.

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