I would agree with you in principle. But ownership is what the Courts will have to decide as I guess Ruskin and Gina et al maintain title is with Ruskin. It is unfortunate that Coniston Lake was within the boundaries of the UK otherwise salvor's rights would apply and there would be no question of title. It would be with Bill Smith. Time for negotiation has passed. Ruskin has pushed the red button.

It is sad that my first post should be about the unfortunate attitude of the Ruskin Museum. Especially as I have followed Bluebird's re-build since inception. I last saw both Bluebirds ,car and boat, at the Melbourne Exhibition building in 1963 or was it 1964. A long long time ago. These machines were awe inspiring, futuristic and totally marvellous and as a 12 year old I fell in love with them and remain so to this day. Apologies for the digression. It seems to me that the Courts will have to firstly decide ownership of the wreck and then ownership of the current machine. If insurance was paid out presumably to the estate of Donald then the wreck would have become the property of the insurer. The raised wreck was not the property of Tonia who was presumably the benefactor of the estate nor the Campbell Family Trust ( Gina et al) and therefore title could not have passed to Ruskin. The wreck at the bottom of the lake was worthless. On recovery it became more valuable and now because of the intellectual, physical and inventive work of the BPP it is very valuable. One cannot help thinking the primary motive of Ruskin and associated others is pure and simple avarice.