KENSINGTON, Prince Edward Island, Aug. 20 (UPI) -- A swan boat that previously clocked in at ultra-slow speeds at a Canadian theme park has found new life and new popularity as a swan-shaped speed boat.

The swan, which formerly was one of several slow-speed motorized swans at Rainbow Valley theme park in Prince Edward Island, is now drawing attention in New London Bay and on social media for its high speed after being refitted with a Sea-Doo hull and motor.


"They actually had an electric trolling motor in them and they just had an on-off button and they moved maybe half a kilometre [per hour] along the water," the refurbished swan's builder, Kensington resident Clark Waite, told CBC News. "And this one here now will do 37 miles an hour with two people and it actually seats four."

Waite purchased the swan from a man who bought it from Rainbow Valley's former owner. He said the project was for his friends, Ellen Clarke and Steve Smith.

Waite said the swan construction took about 10 months and cost about $10,000. He said onlookers are fascinated by the speedy swan, which he dubbed Birdy.

"They're all laughing and yelling. Especially all the people we see out on the boats. And even people when we go under the bridge are stopping on the bridge and looking over the bridge and everybody's got their phones," he said.