I put in a 7 hour training day on the reservoir on Sunday with really encouraging results. I was able to average 10.5 kph over 6 hours on exactly 120 watts in variable conditions from 8″ waves and 15 kph winds to reflective ripples and calm. I’m thinking that if I can guarantee perfectly calm conditions (ie: Huntington Harbor in LA), then I may be able to decrease that average power to 115 or less. The only concern is my average cadence was a knee grinding 65 rpm. I’m using a 90 : 16 gear ratio, and I will make a new 19 tooth gear that should increase my cadence to 77 which I think will be better.

The configuration for Libby was using the small gear box, 90 tooth big ring, 16 tooth small gear, the small butter knife rudder, the small shaft, an aluminum strut from CP2, the bearings tube, and the 24 hour record Aluminum prop. Total weight was around 190 lbs. I didn’t test it, but I think my calm water our and back power for 10.4 kph was about 114 watts – maybe less.

We are driving to LA on July 15th and plan to spend the following 3 weeks in Huntington Beach testing a couple of options: Huntington Harbor and Alamitos Bay in Long beach. I’ll need to arrange a surveyor to measure the course around the canals, and I’ll need volunteers to help, a chase boat, and a few official observers who will be stationed at various points around the course to confirm that I didn’t cheat.

I got my Guinness record attempt rules today – same as previous with no surprises.

Guinness guidelines