How far can you paddle in a single day?

Ultra marathon training tips

– Last Updated: May-31-11 3:08 PM EST –

complete with duct tapping your nipples advice

http://race.fit2paddle.com/C1240588584/E20070130193655/index.html

50 miles
My longest day of pure paddling is 50 miles in about 12.5 or 13 hrs. From the 50 mile mark I popped up a downwind sail and paddle/sailed another 35 or so. Total time was just under 22 hours.


flat water record
Brandon NElson use to have the record of 141 miles in 24 hours on flatwater but it may be broken.

The first 35 teams in at the finish of the Yukon Quest are paddling back to back 220-mile days for a time of …under 50 hours for 440 miles…the first place team last year completed the 440 miles in 33 hours I believe…a voyaguer canoe.

The top teams in the Ausable Canoe Marathon have been finishing the 120-mile race in well under 15 hours for the last 25 years, with the record time of 13 hour, 58 minutes.

that is on about 65% flat water for that race.

Molokai World Championship
Is 32 miles, or 51km, from one hawaiian island to another.



The record is 3:21.



That’s 10 miles/hr or 15 km/hr.

ok im quiting
or at least feel like it i can barely paddle 5 miles a day. im ashamed to admit this

Why be ashamed?
What’s more important, that you love getting out on the water and paddling, or that there’s someone in the world that’s faster than you?



Bear in mind, all the paddlers doing these amazing feats have probably been paddling for years, have had lots of coaching, train like elite athletes, base their entire lives around paddling and training, and are paddling top-end elite kayaks.



There’s nothing wrong with 5 miles a day, if you’re loving it. Overtime you’re distance will increase. You’ll get better endurance, more efficient technique, and eventually a faster kayak.

guess thats true
one day i almost went 10 and really felt i was going to die.i always forget i still have to paddle back.its amazeing how far some of ya all go

Are going to do the same tomorrow?
There is a big difference between what you can do in a single day of all out effort, and what you do when you are going to do the same thing tomorrow, and the next day, and the next, etc.



20km is a good day’s paddle after day 4 or 5.

20 miles/day is not normal

– Last Updated: Jun-01-11 12:39 AM EST –

The distances some of the paddlers in this thread has paddled in a day is very impressive.

But for a 'normal' casual paddler, 10km is quite long and tiring (about 6 miles)

So True

Verlen Kruger

– Last Updated: Jun-01-11 1:08 PM EST –

who was mentioned earlier did, in 2001, 2,348 miles in 24days 17hrs 51 min. By my reckoning that comes out to roughly 94.87 miles per day average. Can you imagine doing that even once? But to do it for 24.75 days straight?!!! Yikes! The man was a MONSTER paddler - but that was in a tandem canoe with a strong partner, in high water, a support crew...but on the other hand he was in his late 70's. Verlen Kruger was simply a monster paddler. We mere mortals can't really expect to even come close to that.

The last record I know of for the Wisconsin River (my home waters) was 450mi in about 10 days. 45 miles/day for over a week is also way beyond me, and I suspect many of us also.

I think my best solo distance in a day (canoe)on the Wisconsin R. was from Mazo landing to Muscoda in a day. Normal water levels, so about an average 3mph current, dead calm wind, and a very hot day. It comes to just a tad under 40 miles in a day. I think I was on the water from about 9am till just before dark - about 11 hrs, I suppose. Ate lunch while drifting in the boat. I had leg cramps and a dehydration headache that night in the tent. I was a mess. If I ever try that distance again I'll make a point of drinking Gatorade at timed intervals.

I'd suspect that the limiting factor in a kayak, as mentioned earlier, is comfort rather than actual exhaustion from paddling. Kayaks can be marvelously efficient and less affected by wind and waves than canoes, but I think they're constricting enough to limit the time most folks can spend in them without discomfort. On the river I often pass kayakers in camp that have previously passed me on the water and never see them again on the trip. Makes me think its just hard for normal paddlers who aren't well-conditioned to it to stay locked into one position for long enough to cover greater daily distances.

There are those "monster" kayakers too, though. Probably some posting here... I listen to what they have to say. There's something to learn from everyone.

Comfort in kayak
I’ve spent 6 hours straight in my Artisan. It originally came with a back band, which I found uncomfortable. I switched it out to a fibreglass seatback that I got from ONNO. It’s attached to the seat. The seat itself swivels on two pins on either side of the seat support. That allows for some change in position.



As long as I’ve got liquid to drink and some sustenance within reach, I can remain comfortable for a long time. Other than the seatback, I’ve not had to do any other outfitting for seat comfort.



I don’t go paddling to see how long I can last comfortably in my boat, if I see I nice place to take out and stretch, I’ll do it.



Andy

Knee pain
It’s only one knee the other one feels perfectly fine after while the other I can barely stand on it because of the pain. 15 minutes later of “walking it off” it feels fine again.



I’ll be going to the doctor to have it looked at its just sad that it only occurs to one knee only when in the kayak and its keeping me from going out more frequently.

daily milage
The key to lots of mileage is long days. If you paddle at 3.5mph, which is very do-able then ten hours will get you 30 miles. I scanned this thread and I didn’t see anyone mention weather. It’s one thing to do 30 mile in a day if it’s calm and you have a tail wind but it’s a whole different thing if you have to contend with a head wind or cross wind. It’s still do-able but it will take more time and more effort. Wave can also be an issue even if the wind is light. Conversely I’ve averaged over 4mph downwind with a sail and basically no effort.

Kayak Comfort

– Last Updated: Jun-01-11 4:42 PM EST –

I don't generally find comfort in a kayak to be a limiting factor. I think a kayak is quite comfortable for long periods of sitting IF:

-your core muscles are strong enough to keep you sitting upright and take the pressure out of the lower back

-your hamstring and glute muscles are flexible to allow you sit sit slightly forward comfortably

-the kayak is the right size for you

-the seat, thigh braces and foot rest are all positioned to give you 3 solid points of contact

-the seat is right for you: right height, right angle, right amount of cushiness (to get scientific)

BTW Kruger is amazing to do that at any age.... at 70 is simply inspiring.

Krugers are comfy
Thats why you can do the distance you can in them. My personal best was 136 miles in 21 hrs in mine. I am sure I could have gone 150 or a bit more if I hadn’t stopped for a nap.

record shattered
That 24 day record by Kruger was shattered about 12 years ago by 6 days. Bob Bradford and Clark Eid paddled the entire length of the Mississippi in just over 18 days.

Tour du Teche 2011
If anyone’s interested in three long distance days join us at the Tour du Teche in October. Day 1: 40 miles. Day 2: 60 miles. Day 3: 33 miles. Not the longest race but it will be on was that’s not really moving. The great thing about this one is the party they have planned at the end of each day. Those Cajuns know how to do that part of it right!

Heard the record was broken
but not by who or what they were paddling. But I didn’t research it either… Bob Bradford was Kruger’s partner in the 01 race, wasn’t he? Back in the ‘01 race I recall that lots of folks thought the “Double Helix” kayak would give them strong competition. There certainly are kayakers who can stay comfortable and effective over those distances - but they are perhaps a little rarer than those who do that kind of distance in a canoe. The rarest of the rare…

BTW, P.net’s own Mcwood, who used to post here a lot, went to quite a few of the P.net Ozark rendezvous’, and who is probably still lurking around here occasionally, was on his support team.



When I posted I was just thinking that when the subject of how far a person can paddle in a day, Verlen Kruger is not a name to be forgotten and his ideas about what it takes to do long distances consistently are always worth considering. And its not like his and Bradford’s performance on the Mississippi were the only great feats of distance to his credit.

toure de touche?
Hey how about some more info on the three day race and Party!