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32-532: Blue Bird K4 was a powerboat commissioned in 1939 by Sir Malcolm Campbell , to rival the Americans' efforts in the fight for the world water speed record . The name "K4" was derived from its Lloyd's unlimited rating , and was carried in a prominent circular badge on the forward hull. As this was Campbell's second boat, it was also known as Blue Bird II . He used the name for a series of land speed record cars, his record boats and also his motor yacht . K4

64-589: A boat’s hull type reflects its use and the waters it will be used it. These include displacement hulls, vee-bottom hulls, modified vee-bottom hulls, deep-vee hulls and trim tabs for vee-bottom hulls. The three main hull materials are wood, reinforced fiberglass and metal. Wood hulls may be made of planks or plywood. Fiberglass hulls are reinforced with balsa wood. Metal hulls are either aluminum or steel. Some gross configurations of motorboats include skiff, day cruiser, bow rider , pilothouse and cabin cruiser . These vary by such considerations as size, whether they have

96-541: A 40-foot (12 m) steel-hulled, 75-horsepower Napier speedboat fitted with a three-blade propeller. As both the owner and entrant of the boat, "S. F. Edge" was engraved on the trophy as the winner. An article in the Cork Constitution on 13 July reported "A large number of spectators viewed the first mile from the promenade of the Yacht Club, and at Cork several thousand people collected at both sides of

128-424: A deck, cabin, head, is sail , helm position, and additional seating. Boat racing Boat racing is a sport in which boats , or other types of watercraft , race on water . Boat racing powered by oars is recorded as having occurred in ancient Egypt , and it is likely that people have engaged in races involving boats and other water-borne craft for as long as such watercraft have existed. A regatta

160-423: A heated platinum tube. The engine gave about six horse-power. The petrol was fed by air pressure to a large surface carburettor and also an auxiliary tank which supplied the burners for heating the ignition tubes. Reversal of the propeller was effected by means of two bevel friction wheels which engaged with two larger bevel friction wheels, the intermediate shaft being temporarily disconnected for this purpose. It

192-425: A more powerful and heavier engine, an appropriate hull shape is needed. High performance boats include yachts, HSIC (high speed interceptor craft) and racing powerboats. A V-type hull helps a boat cut through the water. A deep V-hull helps keep the boat's bow down at low speeds, improving visibility. V-hulls also improve a boat's speed and maneuvering capabilities. They stabilize a boat in rough conditions. Although

224-718: A particular area or boat type, but are often held just for the joy of competition, camaraderie , and general promotion of the sport. One of the largest and most popular rowing regattas is the Henley Royal Regatta held on the River Thames , England. One of the largest and oldest yachting regattas in the world is Cowes Week , which is held annually by the Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes , England, and usually attracts over 900 sailing boats. Cowes Week

256-459: A single one design class and usually last more than one day. Regattas may be hosted by a yacht club , sailing association, town or school as in the case of the UK's National School Sailing Association and Interscholastic Sailing Association (high school) regattas or Intercollegiate Sailing Association (college) regattas. The Barcolana regatta of the yacht club Società Velica di Barcola e Grignano

288-555: A somersault and crash. This is what happened to both Slo-mo-shun and (possibly) Bluebird K7 . K4 set one world water speed record on 19 August 1939 on Coniston Water , Lancashire (now in Cumbria , at 141.740 mph (228.108 km/h or 123.168 kn). After the Second World War , Sir Malcolm unsuccessfully re-engined K4 with a de Havilland Goblin turbojet engine but did not gain any records. The new superstructure did gain

320-476: Is a series of boat races. The term comes from the Venetian language , with regata meaning "contest, contention for mastery"(from regatare ("compete, haggle, sell at retail"), possibly from recatare ) and typically describes racing events of rowed or sailed water craft, although some powerboat race series are also called regattas. A regatta often includes social and promotional activities which surround

352-608: Is predated by the Cumberland Cup (1775), Port of Dartmouth Royal Regatta (1822) and Port of Plymouth Regatta (1823). North America 's oldest regatta is the Royal St. John's Regatta held on Quidi Vidi Lake in St. John's, Newfoundland every year since 1818. There exist other traditional and centuries old boat races like Vallam kali of Kerala, India and Dragon Boat Race from China. Sailing race events are typically held for

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384-621: The screw propeller had been added to an engine ( steam engine ) as early as the 18th century in Birmingham , England , by James Watt , boats powered by a petrol engine only came about in the later part of the 19th century with the invention of the internal combustion engine . The earliest boat to be powered by a petrol engine was tested on the Neckar River by Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach in 1886, when they tested their new "longcase clock" engine. It had been constructed in

416-578: The Automobile Club of Great Britain and Ireland and the Royal Victoria Yacht Club , was a very primitive affair, with many boats failing even to start. The competition was won by Dorothy Levitt in a Napier launch designed to the specifications of Selwyn Edge . This motorboat was the first proper motorboat designed for high speed. She set the world's first water speed record when she achieved 19.3 mph (31.1 km/h) in

448-417: The engine, gearbox , and propeller in one portable unit mounted in the rear), and inboard-outboard (or “sterndrive”, which mounts the engine inboard and the rest outboard). Fuel types include gasoline, diesel, gas turbine, rotary combustion or steam. High performance speedboats can reach speeds of over 50 knots. Their high speed and performance can be attributed to their hull technology and engine. With

480-608: The former greenhouse (converted into a workshop) in Daimler's back yard. The first public display took place on the Waldsee in Cannstatt, today a suburb of Stuttgart , at the end of that year. The engine of this boat had a single cylinder of 1 horse power . Daimler's second launch in 1887 had a second cylinder positioned at an angle of 15 degrees to the first one, and was known as the "V-type". The first successful motor boat

512-460: The fuel and air correctly. His invention was known as a "wick carburetor", because fuel was drawn into a series of wicks, from where it was vaporized. He patented this invention in 1905. The Daimler Company began production of motor boats in 1897 from its manufacturing base in Coventry . The engines had two cylinders and the explosive charge of petroleum and air was ignited by compression into

544-481: The garden of their home in Olton , Warwickshire , they designed and built a river flat-bottomed launch with an advanced high-revving engine that drove via a stern paddle wheel in 1893. In 1897, he produced a second engine similar in design to his previous one but running on benzene at 800 r.p.m. The engine drove a reversible propeller . An important part of his new engine was the revolutionary carburettor , for mixing

576-443: The hull. At speed, the force on this step is enough to lift the bow upward, reducing the wetted surface area of the hull and thus also the frictional drag. A "three pointer" has two distinctly separate floats fitted to the front, and a third point at the rear of the hull. When the boat increases in speed, most of the hull lifts out of the water and planes on these three contact points alone. These points, being even smaller in area than

608-480: The middle of the boat with the propeller shaft straight out the back, where a V-drive has the powerplant mounted in the back of the boat facing backwards having the shaft go towards the front of the boat then making a V towards the rear. A motorboat is a small craft with one or more engines for propulsion. Motorboats are commonly used for work, recreation, sport, or racing . Boat engines vary in shape, size, and type. These include inboard , outboard (integrating,

640-409: The nickname 'The Coniston Slipper' . Donald Campbell (Malcolm's son) had not previously attempted record-breaking, but after Sir Malcolm's death at the end of 1948, the threat of an American challenge to his water speed record spurred him to defend it. Under the terms of his will, Sir Malcolm's possessions, including the record breakers, were auctioned off and Donald was forced to buy them back. K4

672-424: The planing hull of a monohull hydroplane, have even less drag. Having a broad spacing between the front planing points, the three-pointer is less susceptible to instability caused by small disturbances than is a monohull. However, if the bow lifts beyond its safety margin, the aerodynamic forces (not the hydrodynamic forces of the water) on the broad forward area of the hull will cause it to "kite" upwards, leading to

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704-630: The race in 1905. The acknowledged genius of motor boat design in America was the naval architect John L. Hacker . His pioneering work, including the invention of the V-hull and the use of dedicated petrol engines revolutionized boat design from as early as 1908, when he founded the Hacker Boat Co . In 1911, Hacker designed the Kitty Hawk , the first successful step hydroplane which exceeded

736-406: The racing event, and except in the case of boat type (or "class") championships, is usually named for the town or venue where the event takes place; for example “valley field”. Although regattas are typically amateur competitions, they are usually formally structured events, with comprehensive rules describing the schedule and procedures of the event. Regattas may be organized as championships for

768-413: The rear, containing the internal combustion engine , the gearbox and the propeller in one portable unit. An inboard-outboard contains a hybrid of an inboard and an outboard, where the internal combustion engine is installed inside the boat, and the gearbox and propeller are outside. There are two configurations of an inboard, V-drive and direct drive. A direct drive has the powerplant mounted near

800-465: The river to see the finishes." Levitt was then commanded to the Royal yacht of King Edward VII where he congratulated her on her pluck and skill, and they discussed the performance of the motorboat and its potential for British government despatch work. France won the race in 1904, and the boat Napier II set a new world water speed record for a mile at almost 30 knots (56 km/h), winning

832-411: The then-unthinkable speed of 50 mph (80 km/h) and was at that time the fastest boat in the world. The Harmsworth Cup was first won by Americans in 1907. The US and England traded it back and forth until 1920. From 1920 to 1933, Americans had an unbroken winning streak. Gar Wood won this race eight times as a driver and nine times as an owner between 1920 and 1933. From a design point of view,

864-442: Was Mr. J. D. Roots, who in 1891 fitted a launch with an internal combustion engine and operated a ferry service between Richmond and Wandsworth along the River Thames during the seasons of 1891 and 1892. The eminent inventor Frederick William Lanchester recognized the potential of the motorboat and over the following 15 years, in collaboration with his brother George , perfected the modern motorboat, or powerboat. Working in

896-459: Was built by Vosper & Company as a replacement for Blue Bird K3 , which had set three other water speed records for Malcolm Campbell before the K4 was built. It also used the same Rolls-Royce R engine. K4 was a three-point hydroplane . Conventional planing powerboats , such as Miss England or Blue Bird K3 , have a single keel , with an indent or " step " projecting from the bottom of

928-587: Was designed by the Priestman Brothers in Hull , England, under the direction of William Dent Priestman . The company began trials of their first motorboat in 1888. The engine was powered with kerosene and used an innovative high-tension (high voltage) ignition system. The company was the first to begin large scale production of the motor boat, and by 1890, Priestman's boats were successfully being used for towing goods along canals. Another early pioneer

960-531: Was established by Alfred Charles William Harmsworth in 1903. The Harmsworth Cup was envisioned as a contest between nations, rather than between boats or individuals. The boats were originally to be designed and built entirely by residents of the country represented, using materials and units built wholly within that country. The first competition, held in July 1903, at Cork Harbour in Ireland, and officiated by

992-661: Was not until 1901 that a safer apparatus for igniting the fuel with an electric spark was used in motor boats. Interest in fast motorboats grew rapidly in the early years of the 20th century. The Marine Motor Association was formed in 1903 as an offshoot of the Royal Automobile Club . Motor Boat & Yachting was the first magazine to address technical developments in the field and was brought out by Temple Press, London from 1904. Large manufacturing companies, including Napier & Son and Thornycroft began producing motorboats. The first motorboating competition

Blue Bird K4 - Misplaced Pages Continue

1024-624: Was then re-engined with a propeller and one of the previous Rolls-Royce R engines. Donald tried the boat but deemed it too slow; after another superstructure rebuild, and a final structural failure in 1951, it was replaced by the jet-powered Bluebird K7 , in which Donald set several records, then died during a final record attempt in 1967. A replica of K4 currently is on show at the Lakeland Motor Museum , Backbarrow . Powerboat Some motorboats are fitted with inboard engines , others have an outboard motor installed on

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