The Miss Freei became the world's fastest propeller-driven boat when driver Russ Wicks set a new mile straightaway record on June 15, 2000. Wicks has received the official documents from both the American Power Boat Association (APBA) and the Union International Motonautique (UIM) certifying the record.
While the Miss Freei will sometimes approach the 200 mile-per-hour mark in competition, Russ Wicks hit a top speed of 221 miles-per-hour en route to establishing the new World Speed Record. At speed, Miss Freei throws over a ton of water into the air, creating a 200-foot "roostertail" shooting up to 40 feet high.
Miss Freei Specifications:
Russ Wicks currently holds the World Straightaway Speed Record for propeller-driven boats. Wicks carved his name in the record books by driving the Miss Freei unlimited hydroplane to an average speed of 205.494 miles per hour on June 15, 2000 on Seattle's Lake Washington. Wicks has received the official documents from both the American Power Boat Association (APBA) and the Union International Motonautique (UIM) certifying the record.
The record had not been broken in nearly four decades, back when Roy Duby driving the Miss U.S. set the benchmark of 200.419 miles per hour in 1962, at Lake Guntersville, Alabama.
The last recent attempt ended in catastrophe in 1979 on Lake Washington, as Dean Chenoweth's Miss Budweiser became airborne and was virtually destroyed upon impact. Chenoweth was injured, but survived.
70.86 mph
The first official recorded record was set by Casey Baldwin driving the Hydrodome IV on September 9, 1919, at Beinn Bhreagh, Bras d'Or Lake in Nova Scotia, Canada.
102.256 mph
Gar Wood, at the wheel of the Miss America IX, was the first to break the 100 mile per hour mark back on March 20, 1931, at Indian Creek near Miami Beach, Florida.
160.323 mph
The famed Slo-Mo-Shun IV was the first to surpass 150 mph. Stanley Sayres, with his riding mechanic, drove to the record on June 26, 1950 on Lake Washington, in Seattle, Washington.
178.497 mph
Sayres again enters the record books with the Slo-Mo-Shun IV, on July 7, 1952. This time, however, Elmer Leninschmidt rides shotgun on Lake Washington's East Channel record run.
187.627 mph
The famed Hawaii Kai III sets a new world record on November 30, 1957 with Jack Regas behind the wheel. The run took place off of Lake Washington's Sand Point.
192.001 mph
Unlimited Hydroplane racing legend Bill Muncey pilots the Miss Thriftway to a new world record on February 16, 1960, on Lake Washington's East Channel.
200.419 mph
Roy Duby was the first to exceed 200 miles per hour in the Miss U.S. on April 17, 1962, on Lake Guttersville, Alabama. Duby would hold the record for 38 years.
205.494 mph
Russ Wicks driving the Miss Freei set a new world record for propeller-driven boats on June 15, 2000. The run was made on Seattle's Lake Washington off of Sand Point in Superior Racing's U-25 unlimited hydroplane.