Greg Kolodziejzyk hopes to become the first person to travel from Canada to Hawaii under his own power using a custom-designed, state-of-the-art pedal-powered boat. The 3000 mile journey, from Victoria, B.C. to Honolulu, Hawaii, is expected to take between 50 to 80 days. Greg’s epic human powered boat world-first adventure will begin June 1st, 2010.
You can follow Greg’s progress at www.PedalTheOcean.com where he will be transmitting daily progress reports including video, photos, and live position feeds on the LIVE “Follow Greg” map.
Cutaway of boat design, more info and video of test run below…
Click on image to enlarge
Greg’s state-of-the-art human powered boat was based on his own design. After building a test boat and conducting two successful rounds of sea trials, Greg hired award winning naval architect Stuart Bloomfield and human-powered boat engineer Rick Willoughby to design an expedition boat based on the test boat for the actual ocean crossing. What resulted is a one of a kind, human powered technical marvel. WiTHiN is arguably one of the most energy efficient human powered boats on the planet measuring 30 feet long by 3 feet wide, weighing 455 lbs, and featuring a wave piercing hull, a water-tight sleeping cabin, cockpit, and two storage compartments. WiTHiN will carry enough dehydrated food for 100 days at sea. Fresh water will be supplied via electric desalination plant powered by solar panels and a wind generator. Greg’s safety equipment includes a GPS, Satellite phone, survival suit, emergency life raft, and emergency beacons.
Kolodziejzyk has teamed up with Kimberlee’s Bikes for Kids for the Pedal The Ocean record attempt. Each mile of the journey can be sponsored ($50) and for every mile Greg pedals WiTHiN across the Pacific ocean, the charity will donate one bicycle to a kid who can’t afford one. If he makes it all the way to Hawaii it could mean 3000 bikes for 3000 kids!
“Greg Kolodziejzk is trying to accomplish an amazing feat and we’re so happy that he is taking Kimberlee’s Bikes for Kids along with him,” says Dan Gindling, president of Kimberlee’s Bikes for Kids, a non-profit foundation that helps underprivileged children realize their dream of owning a new bicycle. “His fundraising efforts for KBK will put 3,000 smiles on 3,000 kids faces as they receive their new bikes. The world needs more people like Greg.”
No person in history has traveled further under his own power in one day, on land or water than Greg. In July of 2006, Greg earned his first world record by pedaling his human powered vehicle called Critical Power 647 miles (1041 km) in one day around a race track in Eureka, California. In September of 2008, he did it again, but this time on water when he pedaled his human powered boat Critical Power Two 152.3 miles (245.16 km) in 24 hours around a circular lake course in Whitefish, Montana earning him his second world record. Greg has been featured in the Guinness Book of World Records, Men’s Journal magazine, Popular Science magazine, and on the Discovery Channel.
