# Grand Canyon Speed Record Attempt Unsuccessful



## David L (Feb 13, 2004)

U.S. Whitewater Rafting Team just misses speed record down Grand Canyon in custom-built cataraft

They were on their way, on a record pace, when their frame broke in Lava Falls and punctured a tube.


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## buckmanriver (Apr 2, 2008)

Perhaps a titanium frame would be more appropriate as it is both light-weigh and strong additionally does not splinter when cracked. However, enough for a frame on a boat this size would not be cheap. 

It also goes to show just how effective the light weight carbon kayak is for speed. A 42lbs 18ft by 24in carbon fiber sea kayak takes much less energy to paddle than the boat used in this race. 

Rock on for this crew for building, training and attempting such a feat. To each their own. On that topic, I think it is so easy to judge a person or group because of how they do a grand canyon trip. 

Perhaps the ideal is 21 days in October. Over the course of my own grand canyon trips which I admit I have been fortunate to go on. I have had folks tell me I am crazy for going in the winter. Crazy for going in July. Crazy for doing a one-week kayak self-support. The list goes on. 

Anyway, cheers to new grand canyon trips!


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## theBoatPeople (Jun 19, 2012)

thanks for the post. exciting report! i'd like to see the failed part. it was a full moon on jan 12. sometimes failure is the best success of character building! TBP Admin.


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## billyblak (Oct 11, 2005)

Cool post. Agreed with the previous comment about how different trips are considered crazy by most and crazier by the rest. Hard to believe kayakers, at any flow, could be beat. For long anyway.


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## Down River Equipment (Apr 12, 2006)

River folk are truly some of the most amazing people. So many interesting people, ideas, crafts, and history.


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## duct tape (Aug 25, 2009)

Nice story. Shame about the tube but now another chance which is what it's really about. 

Sounds like they rowed backward as a team for most of the river. I'm wondering if they turned around and faced downstream w forward or back ferrries for some of the bigger moves such as the left at Hance, right at Bedrock and either the left or right run at Crystal? Moving those 48' tubes around much would be a chore!


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## Electric-Mayhem (Jan 19, 2004)

The Denver Post article about it here... U.S. Whitewater Rafting Team just misses speed record down Grand Canyon in custom-built cataraft ... said that after a close call in House Rock, they switched the rear most seats around and had those guys facing down stream presumably so they could see and react to things better. They also had a guy on a "tiller" to steer it. I'm sure it was still a beast to maneuver though. 

My high school had a crew team and I was on it for a few years and I know the oars that they were using are designed to row one direction. I'm sure they could get some power the other direction, but not nearly as much as the correct direction.

They may not be as big and burly as Hance and Crystal, but I think the two rapids I'd be most nervous in with a boat that size is House Rock and Bedrock. Tight squeezes and a 50 foot long boat sounds hard to me. Watched a couple of J-rigs do Bedrock on my last trip and it took some deft maneuvering at the wheel.


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## Fumble (May 23, 2013)

Speed attempts should be banned. They are inherently unsafe and cause people to make poor decisions while attempting. Swimming lava after 20 hours of rowing not fun. Limping out of the canyon after not being able to repair your rig and with little food and water also not fun.


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## Shitouta (Apr 17, 2008)

Fumble said:


> Speed attempts should be banned. They are inherently unsafe and cause people to make poor decisions while attempting. Swimming lava after 20 hours of rowing not fun. Limping out of the canyon after not being able to repair your rig and with little food and water also not fun.


Drinking should be banned. It is inherently unsafe and causes people to make poor decisions while partaking.


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## Electric-Mayhem (Jan 19, 2004)

Yeah... I'm not into the "nanny state" bullshit and the whole "saving people from themselves". I as long as their behavior doesn't have a large negative impact on others, they should be free to push their own boundaries and risk their own lives.

I haven't tried to plan one of these trips, but it seems the timing is a challenge. I still need to read the Emerald Mile and a better account of the 4 guy who did it wildwater boats last year, but both the Sea Kayak guy and this latest attempt did Lava in the dark. I'm not sure what you trade off running in the dark instead, but maybe running Lava with some day light would be a good thing.


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## buckmanriver (Apr 2, 2008)

Fumble, do you have any thoughts on how the park could enforce such a rule? 




Fumble said:


> Speed attempts should be banned. They are inherently unsafe and cause people to make poor decisions while attempting. Swimming lava after 20 hours of rowing not fun. Limping out of the canyon after not being able to repair your rig and with little food and water also not fun.


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## buckmanriver (Apr 2, 2008)

Electric-Mayhem said:


> I'm not sure what you trade off running in the dark instead, but maybe running Lava with some day light would be a good thing.


On a nonstop speed run such as this, a crew must choose to run the multiple drops in the inner gorge at night or lava. You can not run both sections in the daylight the timing does not work out. 

Hope that helps.


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## jmack (Jun 3, 2004)

Fumble said:


> Speed attempts should be banned. They are inherently unsafe and cause people to make poor decisions while attempting. Swimming lava after 20 hours of rowing not fun. Limping out of the canyon after not being able to repair your rig and with little food and water also not fun.


I'll bet you hate big boofs too.


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## JBar (Jul 4, 2009)

"Speed attempts should be banned. They are inherently unsafe and cause people to make poor decisions while attempting. Swimming lava after 20 hours of rowing not fun. Limping out of the canyon after not being able to repair your rig and with little food and water also not fun."



If you can't have some adventure and risk taking in the Canyon, what's left? These guys were probably safer than most paddle boarders and the folks running rapids on trains of Paco pads as I recently saw on Youtube. 
If you want to keep people safe in the GC, prohibit hiking.


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## mattman (Jan 30, 2015)

Fumble said:


> Speed attempts should be banned. They are inherently unsafe and cause people to make poor decisions while attempting. Swimming lava after 20 hours of rowing not fun. Limping out of the canyon after not being able to repair your rig and with little food and water also not fun.


It's peoples own business if they want to do stuff like that. What about ski racers, skydivers, big wave surfers, race car drivers, rock climbers, regular car drivers, and the kids playing in there yard next door? 

If someone is not harming other people, then the other people should piss off.


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## cracksmeup (Sep 3, 2008)

*next speed attempt*

People die everyday it's as natural as rain on a God Damn Sunday morning! but let me tell you one thing, I'm going to attempt to speed read the Emerald Mile! Yes I've been preparing for some time now, I'm having titanium frames made for my reading glasses. Wish me luck.


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## akorte (Apr 12, 2011)

I saw that boat in late July on the Daily. It's pretty wild.


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## Andy H. (Oct 13, 2003)

cracksmeup said:


> People die everyday it's as natural as rain on a God Damn Sunday morning! but let me tell you one thing, I'm going to attempt to speed read the Emerald Mile! Yes I've been preparing for some time now, I'm having titanium frames made for my reading glasses. Wish me luck.


Now there's the spirit! Pushing the boundaries of what can be done in one's own recliner!

You better get busy training for this attempt:

Evelyn Woodhead Speed Reading


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## mattman (Jan 30, 2015)

Good luck, cracksmeup!!!!

Think I needs to get me one of them speed readin courses, maybes one fer rightin n spelin too!!

Ya, that is one cool ass boat!


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## landslide (Dec 20, 2014)

Just looked at the Feb 2017 Launch Calendar for Lee's Ferry and there are three trips coming up that would appear to be speed record attempts: on 2/1, 2/12, and 2/13. (Each trip is listed "PRIV 1- 2P 2D" which I gotta think is how a speed record attempt would show up in the record.)

There are also full-size trips launching on Feb. 1 and Feb. 13, for those who were wondering.


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## mikesee (Aug 4, 2012)

Fumble said:


> Speed attempts should be banned. They are inherently unsafe and cause people to make poor decisions while attempting. Swimming lava after 20 hours of rowing not fun. Limping out of the canyon after not being able to repair your rig and with little food and water also not fun.


Interesting perspective.

They did repair their rig -- well enough to float the rest of the way out.

Tell me what's different about the average raft trip that takes 2+ weeks to get to Lava, spends 2 hours wringing their hands at the scout, then swims it anyway?!

Oh wait -- I know what's different: The average raft trip then gets shitfaced at Tequila beach, then makes a mess of the next campsite downstream.

I think 50% of the permits issued for the Grand should be reserved for speed record attempts. Zero on-shore impact, zero firewood used.


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## elkhaven (Sep 11, 2013)

cracksmeup said:


> People die everyday it's as natural as rain on a God Damn Sunday morning! but let me tell you one thing, I'm going to attempt to speed read the Emerald Mile! Yes I've been preparing for some time now, I'm having titanium frames made for my reading glasses. Wish me luck.


I'm listening to it on Overdrive as an audio book... at 1.2 speed. Does that count? My speakers have faux titanium and carbon fiber covers, if that helps.


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## David L (Feb 13, 2004)

Further info:

What happened during the attempted Grand Canyon Speed Run | GrindTV.com


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## mattman (Jan 30, 2015)

mikesee said:


> Interesting perspective.
> 
> They did repair their rig -- well enough to float the rest of the way out.
> 
> ...


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## Wayward Boatman (Jun 12, 2016)

The dory is a fast boat. It won't be easy to beat Kenton Grua (and crew) whom rowed it at 50K plus. But, its always worth a try.


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## walterwhite (Jan 25, 2017)

I wish I could find some pictures of An Aire 130D with a fishing frame on it.


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## WWRE Joe (Aug 1, 2015)

Man I feel bad for Ben Orkin, guy only set the record last year and people are already trying to beat it. I mean c'mon, ya gotta give the guy at least a few years to brag to his friends about it. 

Also forgive me but I'm gonna get on my "Ed Abbey high horse" here and say I personally think this whole speed record thing is pretty ridiculous. 

I mean isn't bragging about being "THE fastest to ever do a Grand trip" kind of like bragging about being "THE fastest to climax during intercourse"...?
In my mind there's also a big difference between the guys in Emerald Mile doing it and these rich turkeys doing it in their matching green dry-suits, looking like they're a gd 1980's ski racing team.

Take it easy, slow it down and let the river carry you through the cathedral it's carved I say. Life's too short to worry about holding records, especially when someone with an even bigger ego comes along and beats it the following year.


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## Gremlin (Jun 24, 2010)

Donald Trump holds the speed record.


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## Electric-Mayhem (Jan 19, 2004)

Hahaa....dont' feel too bad for Ben Orkin...he only let the previous record holders have it for three days.


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## Fuzzy (May 25, 2005)

Thats what you get for not kissing Vulcan's Anvil


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## David L (Feb 13, 2004)

Excellent observation!



Fuzzy said:


> Thats what you get for not kissing Vulcan's Anvil


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