Suttons Bay Floatilla in the Guinness Book of World Records!
Suttons Bay Floatilla 2 by Flying Still Photography
Interlochen Public Radio reports:
The Guinness Book of World Records confirmed Wednesday that Suttons Bay broke a record with Floatilla2. The August 31st event corralled 2,099 canoes and kayaks together on the bay creating a massive, multi-colored flotilla.
Organizer Kate Thornhill estimates the effort raised about $45,000 dollars for student programs in the cash-strapped local school district. She says she now hopes to boost the bottom line with sales of world record memorabilia.
The 2013 effort gains the record, despite a close call with disqualification. At the moment of the official count, a power boat got caught too close to the raft and winds pushed it into the Flotilla.
The raft needed to float freely in the water, tied together for at least 30 seconds to set the record. It could not be touching the power boat.
Thornhill says the world record was salvaged with proof from a high-definition video shot from an unmanned aircraft, proof they wouldn’t have had a year earlier.
Click here to listen to IPR’s interview with Kate Thornhill and congratulations to Suttons Bay! You can get lots more info and commemorative gear from the Suttons Bay Floatilla Facebook.
We don’t have the aerial video to share, but here’s Elijah Allen’s video from Floatilla 2:
