Bluebird K7

[Scream And Fly]

I'm sure most of you know about the Bluebird K7, which was the custom-built boat that Donald Campbell used and died in the attempt wto try to capture the 300MPH speed record. The boat wreck was recovered and restored from the bottom of the lake in the early 2000s, and up until last year, there were plans to run the boat again at very high speeds, and it had been run since restoration, however there is a dispute over ownership of the boat now so it probably won't run ever again.

So what are your thoughts on the design of this boat? For a 1955 design, it's ahead of its time in many ways. There is an excellent documentary about this, which I will post below.

The tragic accident

[mach351]

I have a book “Donald Campbell and the Final Record Attempt” that is incredible…..very technical. The whole story of him and his speed pursuit is amazing. The guy who is in possession of the boat, Bill, has done an amazing job rebuilding the boat. It currently sits in his shop in England. The dispute is between him and a museum that helped fund the recovery. They want to put it in the museum….he wants to continue to run the boat on exhibition runs. Not shooting for the record, but run it perhaps yearly as a homage to Sir Campbell. I’m on Bills side….have been since he was the one who dove and brought the boat up, and also recovered Donald Campbells body so he could have a proper burial. K7 is an English national treasure.

[mach351]

[Scream And Fly]

I remember watching a documentary about this a very long time ago. It would really be interesting to compare the Bluebird to Ken Warby's record-setting boat. Also, I'm curious how well the K7's hull design measures up against current technology. Did Campbell simply design a hull according to how he envisioned it should be, or were more scientific methods used? I actually don't know much about this, but it's fascinating. That blowover is frightening, especially due to the fact that you can hear Campbell as it's happening. Very sad.

[WaterZebra]

I remember watching a documentary about this a very long time ago. It would really be interesting to compare the Bluebird to Ken Warby's record-setting boat. Also, I'm curious how well the K7's hull design measures up against current technology. Did Campbell simply design a hull according to how he envisioned it should be, or were more scientific methods used? I actually don't know much about this, but it's fascinating. That blowover is frightening, especially due to the fact that you can hear Campbell as it's happening. Very sad.

Campbell and Warby's hull configurations were pretty different. Warby used an aft stabilizer which kept the 3 point "planted" on the water where Campbell did not. All Warby had to do was "power thru" to get the speed he needed. The K7 never really gave a hint before lifting off. Having blown over myself I can tell you the ride always is smoothest and fastest right before going skyward.

[David]

In the Wikipedia article about the Bluebird it says the design speed was 250 mph. Could be true. The boat blew over above that speed. A design speed implies some calculations went into the hull

[WaterZebra]

In the Wikipedia article about the Bluebird it says the design speed was 250 mph. Could be true. The boat blew over above that speed. A design speed implies some calculations went into the hull

Ken Warby - Conventional 3 point (aka Sanger drag hydro on steroids)
Lee Taylor - Reverse 3 point with triangular sponsons and nose trip plate
Donald Campbell - Conventional 3 point with a "picklefork" concept.

[mach351]

Also interesting, especially for us Florida guys, is Craig Afrons fatal attempt at the record in 1989 on Lake Jackson in Sebring. He was at about 375mph when the boat came apart.

[Jimboat]

Don Campbell is a true legend. The bluebird restoration project is such a great tribute.

[CUDA]

https://youtu.be/89ZVBfdVQwg



https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6as1wu

[WaterZebra]

Also interesting, especially for us Florida guys, is Craig Afrons fatal attempt at the record in 1989 on Lake Jackson in Sebring. He was at about 375mph when the boat came apart.

Was this the boat that transitioned to wheels making contact with the water? Lee Taylor's tragedy was caused by Lake Tahoe water conditions being too rough and promotor pressure to make Lee Taylor make the run anyway. Taylor's propulsion was not a jet engine either. it was a light-it-n-go rocket.

[rgsauger]

To me, there’s absolutely a thrilling setting records and it’s easy to say “he died doing something that he loved“. There’s also a sadness to that. Sadness for those left behind if not for the man in the driver’s seat. There’s also a big respect though for the people that put it on the line. I am not one of those. I will hang it out and push the edge a little bit but I will never be one to break the records. And I know that too.

[Lake X Kid]

I have a book “Donald Campbell and the Final Record Attempt” that is incredible…..very technical. The whole story of him and his speed pursuit is amazing. The guy who is in possession of the boat, Bill, has done an amazing job rebuilding the boat. It currently sits in his shop in England. The dispute is between him and a museum that helped fund the recovery. They want to put it in the museum….he wants to continue to run the boat on exhibition runs. Not shooting for the record, but run it perhaps yearly as a homage to Sir Campbell. I’m on Bills side….have been since he was the one who dove and brought the boat up, and also recovered Donald Campbells body so he could have a proper burial. K7 is an English national treasure.

I can envision where both sides get their wish. Decades ago I went to an air museum in the Palm Springs area, and they had a pilot who would take out a museum historical-display plane, and do a live flight for us museum visitors.

Likewise, the boat museum could let Bill (or designated pilot) do promotional museum and exhibition runs honoring Sir Campbell.

[Lake X Kid]

Was this the boat that transitioned to wheels making contact with the water? Lee Taylor's tragedy was caused by Lake Tahoe water conditions being too rough and promotor pressure to make Lee Taylor make the run anyway. Taylor's propulsion was not a jet engine either. it was a light-it-n-go rocket.

I think Lee's record attempt crash, also, was contributed to the boat's design. The boat had the sponsons in the aft section of the boat. Whereas Al Warby's record boat, and the 200+ mph Unlimited race boats, both have the traditional hydorplane sponsons in the boat's bow for stability. Just like the Bluebird.

When Lee's boat starts rocking side to side (like chine walking) that needle nose spears into the water — game over. Less bow stability then the other aforementioned boats.

[mr fun]

a man died ,let it be