"The original record was set in Singapore," Hinkle says. "I have no idea what prompted it, but since it was on the records, and we're a recreational, kayak kind of place, we thought we'd try it here."
In 1995, the old record of 200-some boats -- all kayaks or canoes, joined together only by hands -- was shattered when the Metroparks' Hinckley Lake attracted 582 boaters. The next year, the United States Canoe Association in Illinois fired back with a record of 649. Now Hinkle, who blames himself for originally bringing the idea to Cleveland after he witnessed a failed attempt in Maine in 1993, wants the record back.
"There are more important issues in the world," he admits. "But this is probably the only Guinness record a person can get into by only showing up. In that aspect, it's pretty unique."
The attempt -- at 11 a.m. this Saturday at Hinckley Lake -- doubles as the kickoff for this year's Outdoor Rec Expo, which shows off the latest innovations in outdoor recreation. Anyone with a canoe or kayak -- no inflatables or rowboats -- is welcome to join. The Ohio Division of Watercraft has even waived boat licenses for the day, so expired tags won't matter.
"You get a pretty good diversity of everything that's out there -- we see some beautiful handcrafted wooden canoes," Hinkle says, noting that the attempt is also a chance to hot rod for those who like to show off their vessels. "It looks pretty impressive with all those boats."
