UPDATE January 11, 2012: Greg Kolodziejzyk gave the ocean a go, but found the challenge insurmountable. Now his worthy craft is available for purchase at www.pedaltheocean.com for $84,000 Canadian. Our original story about his amazing water-going motion design follows below.
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When Greg Kolodziejzyk says he wants to pedal 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean, he has more than setting a new world record in mind. The journey, scheduled to begin in December 2008, is meant to inspire children around the world and show them what the human body is capable of. Greg's non-profit organization called KidPower provides free school presentations and programs aimed at fighting the current obesity epidemic among children worldwide.
Greg's human-powered boat “WiTHiN” is basically a kayak that can be pedaled, rather than rowed, for more efficient use of muscle power. His goal is to make it across the Atlantic in less than 43 days, the current record for a human-powered Atlantic crossing. He will begin his trip off the coast of Spain and finish up near Antigua in the eastern Caribbean.
Regarding boat design, all modeling was done in SolidWorks 3D CAD design software before any physical models were constructed. The power transmission concept involves pedals that turn a chain, which turns a shaft connected to a gear drive, which then turns the propeller to move the boat forward. The gear drive unit is a right angle design from Mitrpak, Uxbridge, Mass. If you'd like to go “across with Greg,” sponsorships begin at $30, which includes your name on the expedition boat. For more information, visit www.pedaltheocean.com.