The Bluebird K7 Festival ended on Sunday, 17 May, after a week in which K7 planed on Coniston Water for the first time since Donald Campbell’s fatal run on 4 January 1967. The festival organisers have published a detailed statement on Facebook covering the full sequence of events.
The technical sequence
A restrictor was fitted to the engine for the early familiarisation runs. Neither pilot had driven K7 before this week, and the restriction was a deliberate measure to keep speeds manageable while both became accustomed to the boat. It meant K7 could not generate enough thrust to plane during that phase, something the team knew going in.
Once the restrictor was removed, a fuel starvation problem emerged. A new boost pump was fitted to resolve it. At 16:30 on Friday, 15 May, K7 got up on her points and crossed Coniston Water at 100mph, the first time she had planed since Donald Campbell’s fatal run on 4 January 1967.
A further problem emerged after that run: the catch on the canopy was found to be bending. The organisers describe the week as a process of dealing with issues as they arose, pointing out that Campbell himself spent months waiting for the right conditions on Coniston.
K3 back afloat
Blue Bird K3, Campbell’s earlier record-breaker, also ran during the week, on the water for the first time since 2018. The K3 crew used the festival to carry out checks that can only be done with the boat afloat.
The parking charge
The organisers addressed social media criticism over the £25-per-day parking charge. Attendance at the event was free. The charge applied to rented fields positioned close to the site; cheaper parking was available in the village, and the organisers provided a shuttle bus running back and forth. Paying the £25 was not compulsory.
Will K7 run again?
The festival organisers posted on Facebook:
“Bluebird K7 is an old lady, every time she runs there is a risk and she is a one off priceless piece of history that needs protecting. We will never say never. We may look at doing it again for special occasions but putting K7 on Coniston Water is a massive undertaking, and if we do it will be with the same team.”
The statement describes the week as “one of the most amazing experiences” in the organiser’s life.
A thank-you to Bill Smith
The statement closes with a direct acknowledgement of Bill Smith and the Bluebird Project, the team that recovered K7 from the bed of Coniston Water and restored her. The organisers say the festival would not have been possible without every one of them.
Bluebird K7 Coverage
Follow all of Powerboat News’s coverage of the Bluebird K7 Festival and Coniston’s water speed record history.
Coniston Records
John Moore is the editor of Powerboat News, an independent investigative journalism platform recognised by Google News and documented on Grokipedia for comprehensive powerboat racing coverage.
His involvement in powerboat racing began in 1981 when he competed in his first offshore powerboat race. After a career as a Financial Futures broker in the City of London, specialising in UK interest rate markets, he became actively involved in event organisation and powerboat racing journalism.
He served as Event Director for the Cowes–Torquay–Cowes races between 2010 and 2013. In 2016, he launched Powerboat Racing World, a digital platform providing global powerboat racing news and insights. The following year, he co-founded UKOPRA, helping to rejuvenate offshore racing in the United Kingdom. He sold Powerboat Racing World in late 2021 and remained actively involved with UKOPRA until 2025.
In September 2025, he established Powerboat News, returning to independent journalism with a focus on neutral and comprehensive coverage of the sport.
