I built a speedboat with help from UCLan students and I'm trying to break the world hydroplane record

A Lancashire man is on a mission to break a world speedboating record, with a hydroplane he is building in his garage.

Pilot killed in crash

David Aldred, 63, was involved in the rebuild of the record-breaking Bluebird K7, which was used to set seven world water speed records between 1955 and 1964 before the pilot was killed in a crash.

But now the engineer is attempting his own record with a new hydroplane, named Longbow. He has even had students from the Blackpool and Fylde College, and UCLan assisting with the build.

Record speed is 317mph

David explains: “The record is 317mph. So that’s what we are focusing on at the moment. You can come and see it skimming across the water with a guy putting his life on the line to get the record for Britain’.

The current record was achieved by Australian Ken Warby in the Spirit of Australia in 1978.

Watch Motor Mania on Freeview

Take a look at David’s incredible speedboat and find out more about the project in episode 4 of Motor Mania - a mini-series on Shots! TV that explores motor culture and the people who are passionate about their engines.

Motor Mania airs on Shots! TV - Freeview 262 and Freely 565 on Friday evenings at 7pm. Watch new episodes each week at the same time.

The full episode can also be viewed online here https://www.shotstv.com/watch/vod/52918978