CHAPTER 1 CHAPTER 1 THE WORLD'S FASTEST BOATS The fastest boats in the world use the most powerful engines combined with the most aerodynamic shapes to move across waterways in colorful blurs of speed 4
Xtreme Fact The difference between a ship and a boat is that a ship is bigger Boats are sometimes carried on ships Speed on water is thrilling but dangerous Racers have been killed when a boat hits a wave or object in the water But the excitement of a new speed record keeps racers and fans coming back for more 5
CHAPTER 2 CHAPTER 2 HISTORY Thousands of years ago Chinese dragon boats Egyptian reed boats and early canoes were some of the first vessels to race across rivers lakes and seas Dragon boat races in China 6
Steamboats race on the Mississippi River in 1859 Boats were powered by sails and steam in the early 1800s Coal and diesel took over in the 1900s Boat builders of the twentieth century used strong lightweight materials Jet engines brought the fastest boats into the future 77
