Offshore powerboat racing events are exciting, with powerboat obstacles, live entertainment, and specialty foods appealing to audiences of all ages. But nothing makes these water races as enticing as the boats themselves. A lot goes into choosing the top performers, from the fastest race times to the most unique features to the size of the vessel. Here are a few that have gone above and beyond performance, leaving a lasting impression among racers and spectators.
1. The Bluebird K7
Making its debut in 1955 and reaching a record speed of 276 miles per hour in 1964 is the Bluebird K7. This boat is a hydroplane with a jet engine that aided in setting a total of seven speed records. After a 2018 restoration, its top speed is 150 miles per hour.
2. The Spirit of Australia
The world’s fastest boat, Spirit of Australia, set the unbeatable record of 317.6 miles per hour in 1978. That’s faster than any powerboat or race car. This historic race boat is housed in Sydney at the Australian National Maritime Museum. It’s also the inspiration for the Spirit of Australia II, which was completed in 2004.
3. The Warpath
At the 1984 American Power Boat Association World Championships, the Apache Powerboats Hull #001 Warpath made its winning debut. The boat’s features include custom-built twin 1,000 HP 572ci V8s, allowing it to reach speeds well over 100 miles per hour.
During the early 21st century, the boat got a facelift and was restored in great detail by its original artist and a member of the 1984 winning team. It’s been certified as the first 41 Apache Warpath ever built. Today, the iconic 41-foot-deep Warpath is at the top of many boat collectors’ dreams.
4. The Apache Star
Breaking several records and winning world championships in 1992 and 1993 is the Apache Star, the world’s first sit-down deep-V offshore boat. On August 1, 2015, the boat made a record-setting win, crossing 100 nautical miles from Key West, Florida, to Havana, Cuba, in just 90 minutes. Built in 1992, the 45-foot-deep Apache Star is a super boat with three 1,000 HP engines. It has only raced five times and underwent a restoration in 2012.
5. The Recovery
On August 9, 2012, the 43-foot MTI power catamaran Recovery set the speed record for circling Long Island when it posted a time of two hours and 11 minutes. Averaging a speed of 121.37 miles per hour on a 265-mile course, the Recovery raised funds for cancer research during the event.
6. The Problem Child
The Problem Child drag boat is known as one of the top three fastest boats in the globe. With 8,000 horsepower, it can reach 262 mph in 3.5 seconds. Holding the 15 quickest 1,000-foot elapsed times, the Problem Child won the Drag Boat World Championship in 2006, 2011, 2012, and 2013.
7. The Gentry Eagle
The Gentry Eagle crossed the Atlantic Ocean in 62 hours and seven minutes at 73 mph, winning the maritime Blue Riband honor. Two turbo-diesel engines and a 4,500 HP turbine engine were instrumental in the boat’s win in 1989. Unlike other famous racing boats, the 112-foot Gentry Eagle never received a makeover but was dismantled in May 2022 after having sat at the Ventura Harbor for several years.
8. The Hellkat V32
The electric widebody V32 beat the 100-mph speed barrier in Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri, on August 8, 2022. The V32 set a new global speed record for an electric boat, reaching 109 mph. The Hellkat V32 was built from the ground up in a collaboration between Hellkat Powerboats and Vision Marine.
The Future of Race Boats
On May 11, 2021, the Candela C-7, a flying electric powerboat, raced a flying sailing yacht for the first time in Lago di Garda, Italy. These energy-efficient high-speed boats are equipped with hydrofoils, wing-like structures built under the boat’s hull. As boats increase speed, their wings reduce wetted surface and drag, creating a lift and the illusion that the boats are flying above the water.
Hydrofoil boats are built to outperform fossil fuel powerboats and minimize fuel effects on lakes and oceans. The Swedish-built Candela C-7 is the first electric hydrofoil boat in the world.
Amazing Powerboats
Whether you’re looking to relax with friends out on a lake or set sail on ocean waters in an invigorating race, powerboats are becoming more and more popular. They’re fast, and almost all of them can withstand any weather condition.