US Man grows 555 kg pumpkin, sets new record by sailing 73.5 km on it

A man from the United States fulfilled his lifelong dream by growing a pumpkin large enough to use as a boat and, sailed 73.5 kilometers on it down the Columbia River in Washington, setting a new record for the longest journey in a pumpkin boat.

The 46-year-old, Gary Kristensen spent 26 hours sailing down the river in his self-grown, hand-carved pumpkin vessel, which he named "Punky Loafster." Although he has been cultivating giant pumpkins since 2011, he carved his first boat-sized pumpkin in 2013, and soon his dream of sailing in one began to take shape.

He told the Guinness World Records, "This record attempt was a challenge I had long considered, finally deciding to pursue it this year when I grew a pumpkin suitable for the journey."

The pumpkin, nicknamed "Punky Loafster," grew to an impressive 14 feet and weighed over 555 kg before being transformed into a boat for Gary’s unique adventure. At the time of harvest, it weighed as much as a grand piano.

Gary Kristensen started his journey on the pumpkin on October 11, when he carved the giant vegetable to turn it into a boat.

He also mounted a camera on it to record his journey.

He added the words, "It's real" on the side of his boat, to ensure people who saw him, knew that he was on a real pumpkin.

Gary was followed by several kayaks and boats throughout the three legs of his journey, to make sure of his safety.

He also told the Guinness World Records, 'After a couple of hours of paddling, the wind had strengthened to 56 km/h, and waves were starting to come over the sides of the pumpkin."

He even paddled through the night, out of worry that beaching the pumpkin could lead to a sharp rock puncturing it. "For this reason, I just kept paddling through the night and waited until sunrise for a safe landing spot," he explained.

Gary said that after getting off the boat he was a little nervous but excited as well. "If I don’t get the record, I had an incredible adventure," he added.