Build the fastest boat

[AlexL]

According to Jeb, swimming back to the Space Centre after splashdown is too slow and boring. The KSP chairman has gotten fed up of his complaints, and since the entire security team are en-route to Duna to deal with a possible alien incursion, the task of dealing with Jeb falls to you, the engineers.

Records:

Kerbin waterspeed records:

452.3m/s Eziilc -unidentified craft-

428.7m/s Nao "PonPonPon!"

306.8m/s DocSnuggles -unidentified craft-

301.0m/s Ezriilc "Ezriilc Water Speed 301!"

222.1m/s Theriss "Waterbug 3"

200.1m/s Deddly "The Waterbourne Mk II"

204.1m/s Uberubert -unidentified craft-

190.1m/s Netblitzer "Scorpion Mk2"

175m/s AlexL "Cranefly"

77m/s NetBlitzer "Serpent Mk1"

7.2m/s Eppiox -unidentified, but awesome, craft-

Eve mercuryspeed records:

-not yet attempted-

Laythe waterspeed records:

24.0m/s Deddly "Sea-ing Is Believing"

Everyone is welcome to try out the challenge and share your aquatic creations and records, regardless of the leaderboard

It would also be really froody if you could upload .craft files with your submissions so other people can share in the naval awesomeness!

Rules:

For a speed to be accepted, a screenshot or video must be provided of the boat moving through liquid at that speed.

The craft must be carrying at least one Kerbal during the speedrun.

Your boat must be completely stock.

Use of the debug toolbar is not allowed.

New submissions should be made in the latest version of KSP.

It must be possible to get your boat from its factory to its ocean of use.

Update: Wow, I wasn't expecting anyone to take up the challenge after such a long time. Seems I made the thread at just the right time before the final stable forum backup. I'll try and keep the leaderboard as up to date as I can.

Update (12/12/13): And we have interplanetary naval activities! I'm also adding a new requirement: it must be possible to get it to it's destination fully stock. Proof would be nice, but is not required. Also, while it must be possible for a craft, it is not necessary to do so on the speedrun.

Edited December 14, 2013 by AlexL
A name for Deddly's Laythe-ship

[xethanx]

man.... i need to find a tutorial on how to build a reliable boat. I cant seem to get one going more than 30 m/s. Faster than that, parts start falling off. OR... it goes nose down, even when weighted to the rear or middle.

If i find a reliable design tonight, ill upload some pictures

[NetBlitzer]

Well, I'll have to just enter my current speed boat, the Serpent Mk1. Tops out at 77.0m/s currently. However, I'm working on a new ship that will hopefully be able to go above 100m/s, my ultimate goal!

And Xethanx, the secret is wings... I'm going to leave you with that mystery.

[AlexL]

Nice craft Netblitzer, looks good, a lot more boat-y than my hydroplane "Cranefly".

Just after decoupling the land engines and wheels.

Lost a control surface while building speed, but not too much that "A" can't compensate.

[maple51]

Well, I'll have to just enter my current speed boat, the Serpent Mk1. Tops out at 77.0m/s currently. However, I'm working on a new ship that will hopefully be able to go above 100m/s, my ultimate goal!

And Xethanx, the secret is wings... I'm going to leave you with that mystery.

Could you post the craft file? I've always wanted a working boat.(Can't seem to ever make one that works.)

[NetBlitzer]

Maple, if you look in the Spacecraft Exchange for the FrostedNet thread, I've posted the link to that ship and several others in there.

In other news, I've beaten your speed, Alex, and even did it without sacrificing looks! Unfortunately right now there's a problem with fuel flow. :/

I expect to be able to hit 200m/s with this ship though...

Edit: Yup, still building...

Edit: By the way, the ships name is 'Scorpion Mk2.'

Edited October 18, 2012 by NetBlitzer

[eppiox]

Well that was much harder to get into the water than I thought! All those rockets are the tiny ones used to slow my self down the earth slope after the run way.

Are people doing it that way? Driving them into the water? If someone could give a quick tip on entering the water would be much appreciated as anything faster then 10m/s means my hover boat parts become one with the ocean.

Ignore my trophy debris

You guys have great ships !

[AlexL]

Are people doing it that way? Driving them into the water? If someone could give a quick tip on entering the water would be much appreciated as anything faster then 10m/s means my hover boat parts become one with the ocean.

Ignore my trophy debris

To drive into the water, hold "B" to activate brakes.

Liking the debris collection, it can build up quite quickly during naval development

BTW, your ship looks completely awesome!

Edited October 18, 2012 by AlexL

[Uberubert]

So hey I managed a respectable 204 m/s with my 100% stock and luckily stable boat. I might've added more engines and gained more speed, but hey, let's keep it properly looking.

Sorry if external links are not allowed (I'll update and fix some screenshots if not...) but here is the full story:

http://uberubert.com/gaming/kerbal-space-program/speedboating-in-ksp/

[Theriss]

Before the forum rollback, I had entered into a challenge called the Kerbal Regatta, so here is the stuff from that attempt. I raced around the island near KSC and back, but since this is purely for the fastest boat, I will only show my top speed.

This is my boat, the Waterbug 3, at the waters edge before the race.

And here it is at its top speed:

If you can't see, that says 222.1 m/s

Not the fastest boat there was before the rollback, but it's pretty fast now

Here's a video of the Regatta challenge, now moot unless the thread is remade:

Edited April 24, 2013 by Theriss

[GusTurbo]

So hey I managed a respectable 204 m/s with my 100% stock and luckily stable boat. I might've added more engines and gained more speed, but hey, let's keep it properly looking.

Sorry if external links are not allowed (I'll update and fix some screenshots if not...) but here is the full story:

http://uberubert.com/gaming/kerbal-space-program/speedboating-in-ksp/

Nice design. I like that it doesn't rely on the strange-looking, vertically oriented wing surfaces in the water for buoyancy.

[DjVip3rStrike]

Here is my boat. It maxes out at a top speed of 236 m/s, I call it the "H.s Dragon"

http://puu.sh/2G7IV/7ac24ca806.jpg

http://puu.sh/2G7Gc/64e564b4da.jpg

[Theriss]

Here is my boat. It maxes out at a top speed of 236 m/s, I call it the "H.s Dragon"

236? Dang. at least I had the top spot for a little bit

nice design. looks more jet than boat, but at least it isn't up on stilts.

[Theriss]

Come! join the festive ksp 0.19 stock boat challenge! at http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/showthread.php/26000-boat-challenge%21

What do you think this thread is?

[Camacha]

Interesting topic! I am currently trying to build a usable water plane, so maybe all this is usable

[Ezriilc]

What fun! So, it turns out that racing boats is another awesome aspect of KSP. Here's my attempts at a pure speed record. This ship is called "Water Speed 4". She's not as pretty as her sisters, but she cruises comfortably at 250m/s, and can survive - and maybe even maneuver - at 266m/s. I've had her to 273, where she promptly explodes. The speed in the image below reads "266.3m/s".

• EDIT: The .craft file for this ship's line, and my other KSP stuff is here: http://www.Kerbaltek.com/craftkitchen
  

Consider the gauntlet thrown, brethren. I claim the record! Yea, I said it.

Edited April 6, 2015 by Ezriilc
Updated very old link.

[Ezriilc]

The 12 jets get her up to ~225, then the rockets kick her faster until they run out of fuel - currently at 275m/s. There's no maneuvering at this speed, but she survived this run and Jeb had a blast.

[glacierre]

I believe we got to over 300 m/s in the kerbal regatta. The best performing crafts where as light as possible (running on jets), and they could have been lighter but it was a 30 km run.

I wonder where J Patterson and Nao are...

[(An Original Name)]

I wonder what would happen if you went past the speed of sound (around 330ish m/s) in a boat with Ferram's realistic aerodynamics mod? The ship would probably just spontaneously disassemble

[glacierre]

I wonder what would happen if you went past the speed of sound (around 330ish m/s) in a boat with Ferram's realistic aerodynamics mod? The ship would probably just spontaneously disassemble

You don't need Ferram's mod for that, trust me

[DocSnuggles]

I got 306 m/s > http://youtu.be/VdGWcOvTc1s

[AlexL]

Wow guys, wasn't expecting to get any new entries in this thread after the forum crash. Thanks for your amazing boat building efforts.

I've updated the scoreboard with the new, valid high scores, but there's a couple I am unable to accept.

Ezriilc, I'm going to have to ask you to redo your speed run, but having taken the MechJeb unit off of your craft, as this is a stock challenge.

DjVip3rStrike, I am unable to see your images, getting "That puush could not be found" when clicked on. Please could you resubmit the images.

Also, thanks to SmallChange for letting me know this thread got necro'd

[Ezriilc]

Doc,

I'm speech...

... dangit! NOW what do I do?

[Ezriilc]

Yep. It's all stock. 8 turbo jets and 4 radial mount liquid rockets. I figure I only need about 3 more seconds of burn time to get over 306, but this thing nearly sinks on take-off as it is!

[Ezriilc]

Oh, regarding the name of my ship (didn't think anyone cared), this one was called just "Ezriilc Water Speed X", but now it's "Ezriilc Water Speed 301!". Whenever a ship is deemed successful, I give her a permanent name (!) and archive the .craft file to my site for posterity.

http://www.Kerbaltek.com/craftkitchen

Edited April 6, 2015 by Ezriilc
Updated very old link.