The KayakDave.com Duct Tape Kayak team unveiled their new duct tape kayak at the 31st annual Run of the Charles canoe and kayak race this past weekend. It was an absolutely gorgeous day and the perfect opportunity to showcase our new and improved duct tape kayak and spread the word about the important work of Heroes on the Water to so many Boston-area paddlers!
Without further ado, here are the first pictures of the 2013 Duct Tape Kayak:
The 2013 Duct Tape Kayak features an American Flag desk design fashioned from colored duct tape to honor the bravery and sacrifices of our veterans. It measures 23ft long and about 22inches wide amidships. The exact length of duct tape used and the weight of the kayak are being held “top secret” for the time being. We hope to divulge this information at our fundraising days later in the season when we raffle off some paddling gear. What I can say is that we used a lot of tape; more than last year and every foot of the gray tape that Duck Brand donated plus some more!
Granted, it’s a lot of fun to build and paddle a kayak made of duct tape but the reason that we’re doing this project is to raise money for charity. This year we pledged 100% of our fundraising total to the new Massachusetts Chapter of Heroes on the Water to help them get a jump start with their programming. Heroes on the Water is a grass-roots organization that takes wounded vets on guided kayak-fishing excursions. The kayak fishing excursions are designed to provide these heroes with an outlet to help them along in their recovery. The work that Heroes on the Water does is truly transformative and allows participants to re-discover a sense of freedom. We hope that you consider making a donation to our Duct Tape Kayak Project in support of this worthy cause!
KayakDave.com would like to thank the Charles River Watershed Association for having us at their event, especially Meg Schermerhorn for all of her help in coordinating our involvement! There was quite a buzz going through the crowd about the rumor of a duct tape kayak at the race and most were surprised to discover that there was truth to this rumor. It was great to interact with so many folks who were genuinely interested in both our kayak and our fundraising efforts. We’re already looking forward to participating again next year!
Happy Paddling!
-Kayak Dave
Be sure to visit (and like) the KayakDave.com Facebook Page to view more pictures from the Run of the Charles!