World water record

ONE of the oldest World records in the books, for the fastest boat on salt water, has fallen after nearly 50 years. In December, Dr. Carlo Bonomi added over 20 m.p.h. to the speed established by Hubert Scott-Paine’s famous “Miss Britain III” in 1934.

Twice world offshore powerboat champion Bonomi — a 43-year-old Italian businessman with offices in Milan and London — took his three point hydroplane “Rothmans World Leader” over the measured kilometre in the Venice Lagoon at 132.4 m.p.h. (213.08 k.p.h.) to set two records — fastest on salt water and fastest over diesel vessel.

The unlimited diesel record had been short lived — Chris Kaye lifted it to 124.24 m.p.h. with his Ford-powered “Miss Britain IV” on Coniston Water only a few weeks ago.

For Bonomi’s British-sponsored effort it was fourth time lucky, poor weather off the Italian coast spoiling three attempts in the previous week.

The 24 “Rothmans World Leader” was constructed in Italy by Fabio Buzzi Marine — Buzzi himself holding the diesel record before Kaye — and used a turbocharged 10-litre Isotta Fraschini engine developing 700 horsepower, approximately half the output of Scott-Paine’s 1934 boat which recorded 110.1 m.p.h. over the same salt water course.