2001 FlagshipThe Double Helix
Flagship Boat for the Great Mississippi River Race for
Rett Syndrome 2001
New Orleans Morial Convention Center 2006-17 The museum quality display case uses the following materials: You can see the kokatat dry suit (blue and yellow) needed at the beginning vs. the much lighter weight material/outfit used when the paddlers were further south... The Double Helix has the "bubble top" on it that was placed over a paddler when one paddler would sleep and one would paddle. Lexan sheets, kindly donated by DuPont. Bosch Aluminum Structural Framing System, kindly donated by Bosch Rexroth USA.
The Double Helix kayak is a one of a kind museum quality kayak that was hand built by Clark Eid in honor of his daughter, Amanda Eid, and all of those who have Rett Syndrome, to serve as a the flagship for the 5 team Great Mississippi River Race for Rett Syndrome, May 2001.
The Double Helix was paddled by Clark Eid ( Amanda Eid's father, and chairman of this charity event) and Kurt Zimmermann during the race.
The Double Helix was paddled by Clark Eid ( Amanda Eid's father, and chairman of this charity event) and Kurt Zimmermann during the race.
Where is the Double Helix today?
The Double Helix exhibit is displayed at the very contemporary Tunica River Park & Museum on the Mississippi River. This exhibit is the gift of Clark Eid and Mary Potter and friends, in honor of their daughter Amanda, who has Rett Syndrome. Located at 1 River Park Drive in Tunica, MS, the museum offers visitors multiple interactive attractions to explore and understand the rich history of teh Mississippi Delta and America's greatest river.
Race Event:
The Great Mississippi River Race for Rett Syndrome, May 2001
Course: 2,348 miles of the Mississippi River
Teams: Team Kruger (1st), Team Double Helix (2nd), Team Alaska (3rd), Team Amazons of the Mississippi and Team Rebels
Format of Race: Nonstop from beginning to end (World record for Longest Canoe/Kayak Race in History)
The race was officially sanctioned by the United States Canoe Association and American Canoe Association.
All team member agreed to follow the Rules and the Safety Program.
Teams paid or donated $2500 per team to participate in this event, and that full amount was donated to the Rett Syndrome Research Association.
The race was coordinated with the help of the Coast Guard (Safety Officer Elizabeth Tynan) and Army Corp of Engineers (Kent Spading).
Team Name: Double Helix
Paddlers: Clark Eid and Kurt Zimmermann
Road Crew: Kent Spading (Co-Captain) and Tony Swenson (Co-Captain); Johann Fembek, Andrew Gribble, Eric Marshall, Edith Paule, Jeff Romine and William (Bill) Schmitz
Land Support: Phil Melhorn, Jan White, George Karageorge, Omar Lopez, Christine Hendricks, Mary Potter
The Double Helix exhibit is displayed at the very contemporary Tunica River Park & Museum on the Mississippi River. This exhibit is the gift of Clark Eid and Mary Potter and friends, in honor of their daughter Amanda, who has Rett Syndrome. Located at 1 River Park Drive in Tunica, MS, the museum offers visitors multiple interactive attractions to explore and understand the rich history of teh Mississippi Delta and America's greatest river.
Race Event:
The Great Mississippi River Race for Rett Syndrome, May 2001
Course: 2,348 miles of the Mississippi River
Teams: Team Kruger (1st), Team Double Helix (2nd), Team Alaska (3rd), Team Amazons of the Mississippi and Team Rebels
Format of Race: Nonstop from beginning to end (World record for Longest Canoe/Kayak Race in History)
The race was officially sanctioned by the United States Canoe Association and American Canoe Association.
All team member agreed to follow the Rules and the Safety Program.
Teams paid or donated $2500 per team to participate in this event, and that full amount was donated to the Rett Syndrome Research Association.
The race was coordinated with the help of the Coast Guard (Safety Officer Elizabeth Tynan) and Army Corp of Engineers (Kent Spading).
Team Name: Double Helix
Paddlers: Clark Eid and Kurt Zimmermann
Road Crew: Kent Spading (Co-Captain) and Tony Swenson (Co-Captain); Johann Fembek, Andrew Gribble, Eric Marshall, Edith Paule, Jeff Romine and William (Bill) Schmitz
Land Support: Phil Melhorn, Jan White, George Karageorge, Omar Lopez, Christine Hendricks, Mary Potter
Special Addition to the Double Helix kayak
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Technical Facts
Very Technical Facts
"The vague images of the Double Helix became clearer when a set of blue prints arrived on Thanksgiving Day from Nick Schade of Guillemot Kayaks. Nick used advanced computer programs to compose this masterpiece, a duet between form and function. The technical aspects for this ultra-marathon kayak were demanding. The necessity for one paddler to sleep while on the water, speed, displacement, wetted surface area, wave patterns, and the physical dimensions of each paddler were some of the factors considered in her design."
Length water line - 24.14 feet
Max cross section - 0.526 square feet
Hull draught - 0.378 feet
Beam waterline - 22.536 inches
Displacement - 509.374 pounds
LCB aft st0 lwl - 12.142 feet
LCB as percent of lwl 50.297 feet
VCB below dwl - -0.144 feet (negative number)
Waterplane area - 32.094 square feet
LCF aft st0 - 12.193 feet
LCF as percent of lwl 50.508
Lateral plane areasq ft7.521
Centre Lateral area aft st0ft12.429
CLA ast percentage of lwl51.487
Wetted surface area - 36.994
Total surface area - 51.371 square feet
Sinkage - I0.076 TP
Prismatic coefficient - 0.627
Block coefficient - 0.464
Water plane coefficient - 0.708
Midship area coefficient - 0.74
Lateral plane coefficient - 0.823
- Length: 25 1/2 feet, Beam: 24 feet, Maximum Height: 18 inches,
- Weight: 110 pounds
- Composition: More than 100 different types of wood, fiber glass, carbon fiber, epoxy, and titanium
- Hull Design: Nick Schade, Guillemot Kayaks
- Rose Vine/DNA Design: Clark Eid, can be decoded to spell "Amanda's Dreamkeeper". Clark's daughter, Amanda, has Rett syndrome."
Very Technical Facts
"The vague images of the Double Helix became clearer when a set of blue prints arrived on Thanksgiving Day from Nick Schade of Guillemot Kayaks. Nick used advanced computer programs to compose this masterpiece, a duet between form and function. The technical aspects for this ultra-marathon kayak were demanding. The necessity for one paddler to sleep while on the water, speed, displacement, wetted surface area, wave patterns, and the physical dimensions of each paddler were some of the factors considered in her design."
Length water line - 24.14 feet
Max cross section - 0.526 square feet
Hull draught - 0.378 feet
Beam waterline - 22.536 inches
Displacement - 509.374 pounds
LCB aft st0 lwl - 12.142 feet
LCB as percent of lwl 50.297 feet
VCB below dwl - -0.144 feet (negative number)
Waterplane area - 32.094 square feet
LCF aft st0 - 12.193 feet
LCF as percent of lwl 50.508
Lateral plane areasq ft7.521
Centre Lateral area aft st0ft12.429
CLA ast percentage of lwl51.487
Wetted surface area - 36.994
Total surface area - 51.371 square feet
Sinkage - I0.076 TP
Prismatic coefficient - 0.627
Block coefficient - 0.464
Water plane coefficient - 0.708
Midship area coefficient - 0.74
Lateral plane coefficient - 0.823
Race Results:
In true "Survivor" form, two teams of undaunted paddlers finished the longest non-stop canoe/kayak race in history when they arrived at where the Mississippi River enters the Gulf of Mexico, ending an epic journey of 2,348 miles that encountered everything from exhaustion to some of the worst flooding on record.
- FIRST PLACE - Team Kruger, led by the renowned Verlen Kruger and Bob Bradford, placed first in their specialized Kruger canoe at 24 days, 17 hours, 51 minutes.
- SECOND PLACE - Team Double Helix, featuring the event's unique hand built cedar stripped flagship kayak called the Double Helix, placed second at 26 days, 6 hours, 40 minutes, a world record for fastest time in a kayak to run the Mississippi River.
THIRD PLACE Team Alaska, showing true perseverance and dedication, replaced a kayak after it was lost in a harrowing rapids in Minnesota and stayed in the race! Team Alaska remained on the river until May 31 and pulled out at mile marker 707.
- Team Rebels with a Cause made a gallant effort but had to withdraw from the race after the first week May 13, 2001.
- Teams Amazons of the Mississippi made a heroic effort but had to withdraw May 12, 2001 due to a paddler's medical emergency.
Most importantly, participating teams and families from across the world raised awareness of Rett syndrome in the general and scientific communities while raising funds to find a cure. A marathon of research, echoing the demands of this epic journey, is our best hope for our children's future.
Records Set During this Ultra Marathon Race
In true "Survivor" form, two teams of undaunted paddlers finished the longest non-stop canoe/kayak race in history when they arrived at where the Mississippi River enters the Gulf of Mexico, ending an epic journey of 2,348 miles that encountered everything from exhaustion to some of the worst flooding on record.
- FIRST PLACE - Team Kruger, led by the renowned Verlen Kruger and Bob Bradford, placed first in their specialized Kruger canoe at 24 days, 17 hours, 51 minutes.
- SECOND PLACE - Team Double Helix, featuring the event's unique hand built cedar stripped flagship kayak called the Double Helix, placed second at 26 days, 6 hours, 40 minutes, a world record for fastest time in a kayak to run the Mississippi River.
THIRD PLACE Team Alaska, showing true perseverance and dedication, replaced a kayak after it was lost in a harrowing rapids in Minnesota and stayed in the race! Team Alaska remained on the river until May 31 and pulled out at mile marker 707.
- Team Rebels with a Cause made a gallant effort but had to withdraw from the race after the first week May 13, 2001.
- Teams Amazons of the Mississippi made a heroic effort but had to withdraw May 12, 2001 due to a paddler's medical emergency.
Most importantly, participating teams and families from across the world raised awareness of Rett syndrome in the general and scientific communities while raising funds to find a cure. A marathon of research, echoing the demands of this epic journey, is our best hope for our children's future.
Records Set During this Ultra Marathon Race
- “The Great Mississippi River Race for Rett Syndrome, 2001" set a World record for the longest non-stop Canoe/ Kayak Race.
- Verlen Kruger and Bob Bradford of Team Kruger won 1st place at 24 Days, 17 hours and 51 minutes in their Kruger Canoe.
- Clark Eid and Kurt Zimmermann of Team Double Helix won 2nd place and set a world record for fastest time paddling the entire Mississsippi river in a kayak - 26 Days, 6 Hours and 40 Minutes. All prior record holders used a canoe.
- Verlen Kruger set a new record for person to completely paddle the entire Mississippi River 3 times - twice down, once up.
- At the time of the race, Verlen Kruger was the oldest person known to paddle the entire Mississippi river, this record has since been broken by Dale Sanders in 2015.
This Charity Event
Clark Eid and Mary Potter, organized this charity event to raise public awareness of Rett Syndrome, a devastating neurodevelopmental disorder affecting their daughter Amanda. This event and flagship embody determination, echoing the marathon of scientific research needed to reach a better tomorrow. The clock is ticking for those who suffer from Rett Syndrome! Recent scientific breakthroughs have given new hope to those who suffer from Rett syndrome.
Clark Eid and Mary Potter, organized this charity event to raise public awareness of Rett Syndrome, a devastating neurodevelopmental disorder affecting their daughter Amanda. This event and flagship embody determination, echoing the marathon of scientific research needed to reach a better tomorrow. The clock is ticking for those who suffer from Rett Syndrome! Recent scientific breakthroughs have given new hope to those who suffer from Rett syndrome.
The Double Helix and Rett families at Pat Fay's annual Rett get together in CT, 2001, prior to the race. Amanda is sitting in the middle with the "OS" on her shirt, short for BOSS, in front of her mom, Mary Potter. Kurt Zimmermann (paddler) is in the upper right corner. Noah Eid is the child sitting on the Double Helix to the far left in the green shorts and blue shirt.