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What kayak would be appropriate to tour from Japan to California

I've been inspired by Outside Magazine and Ed Gillette to attempt my own crossing of the Pacific Ocean.  Ed Gillette was able to cross the Pacific from California to Hawaii.  I want to do the entire Pacific.

Ed had a slew of problems when he crossed.  He ran out of food and departed during an El Nino year which meant terrible wind conditions.  I don't know where Ed is today, but some articles I've read said he only packed 60 days worth of food.  Could he have fit more?  I don't know.

Anyways, my questions to you guys right now would be what type of Kayak would you use?  Rigid fiberglass?  Foldable?  What brand names do you suggest?  I want to be similar to Ed in using a traditional kayak and not some custom made beast that resembles a boat more than kayak.  Obviously a double would be necessary to carry all the provisions I would need.  

Ed did eventually use a kite sail to aid him when the winds were favorable.  Do some in the kayak community view this as cheating?  I think with enough time and resources I would be able to do it under my own power.  It's meant to be a kayak trip, not a sailing trip.  Would the feat be tarnished by the kite sail?  

Does anyone know of a freeze dried food supplier that offers diets for extreme athletes that require 7000-10,000 calories a day?  All the freeze dried suppliers I can find only offer traditional 2000 calorie diet supplies.  I'd like to find a high calorie diet to keep my strength up  and also maximize weight efficiency.  

That should be enough to get the discussion started.

Thanks in advance,
Matt

P.S. - Has anyone crossed the entire Pacific in a kayak or is Ed Gillette's expedition the longest at this point?

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Permalink Reply by Johnny Monsoon on May 1, 2010 at 5:44am
I think there's a point to where you simply shouldn't do something. This may be it.

I was USAF for a lot of years, and am well versed in water survival. The reverse osmosis kits you're talking about have a finite lifespan; you would have to pack several (or have to rebuild one several times) through the time you'd be out in the water.

I don't know how much time you've spent in big water, and in particular the waters of the Pacific, but that's not a place you want to be in a small craft.

The truth of the matter is this: kayaks aren't built for what you're thinking about doing. They just aren't. I'm sure you could turn a VW bus into an airplane (I seem to recall a Bond movie where they did that) but that doesn't mean you'd want to make a trans-Atlantic crossing in one.

From a physiology perspective, I sincerely doubt any human could paddle that long. Being in that position, and the constant strain on your rotator cuffs, spine, and hips, coupled with the inactivity of your legs would almost certainly be disastrous. You may be able to physically drive some type of craft across the Pacific, but I sincerely doubt it would look much like a kayak.
Permalink Reply by Rosamond on December 22, 2010 at 5:49pm

Ed's trip involved a Necky Tofino,  with 2 cockpits, as shown in the pic of him departing monterey, not modified to put him in the center, as was stated by someone herein.    I've used the Katadyn R/O filter extensively and successfully in desert environments over the last 10 years, and have no complaints,  but I strongly recommend that you carry 2 of them, plus 2 full rebuild kits, and carry 2 spare filter membranes.   Failure of this system would mean you die, so be very savvy about it, unlike a certain famous female rower who didn't know how to fix hers on her solo row to hawaii a couple summers ago.    Lucky for her, she bummed some water off another boat, thus ending her "self supported" status.

I also have considered repeating Ed's trip.  It's not one to be taken lightly, and you stand a decent chance of not returning if you choose to play this game.  Plenty of people have disappeared doing blue water crossings in kayaks.  As for entire oceanic crossings, I'm sure you're aware of Romer's trip back in the 30s.  and probably aware of the greenland kayaker who did an unintended big crossing to northern UK in the 1500s.  My take on it is that I'll have to do a few longish (100 to 300 mile) blue water crossings before I would even seriously consider the hawaii crossing.   And a point to consider seriously;  Modern parafoils are about a thousand times more capable of towing you than the old jarlbert kite that Ed used.  Take a cue from the kiteboarders.  a 5 meter kite should be able to get you a couple hundred miles in a day, if conditions are right.  Ed made over 120 miles one day using his 2 meter kite.....but had many days of flatwater paddling in the doldrums too.   I wouldn't even consider doing it without multiple sizes of kites, if I expected to arrive in hawaii alive anyways.   As for food, I'd be careful of the freeze dried stuff..that stuff is usually too high in sodium.   although you CAN make your own freeze drier and prepare whatever you want.  

PS: The trip from Japan to Hawaii would be utter goddamned madness.   The current would take you through a much rowdier, colder part of the pacific than what Ed did.   I suggest you do your homework on this topic alot more in depth, so you don' get yourself killed.. the north pacific is no joke, son.  

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