Tango

Tango. Pedaling Across the Atlantic. , On July 24, 1992, at 3:30 PM, Dwight Collins, then 34, of Darien, CT, stepped ashore at Plymouth, England, after 40 days at sea in this 24-foot human-powered pedal boat Tango. Collins had departed St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada, on June 14 and covered 2,250 miles, breaking several previous records: the fastest human-powered transatlantic crossing, the first boat to pedal across the Atlantic, and the longest pedal-powered voyage ever undertaken. The previous transatlantic record of 64 days was set in 1988 by a French woman, Remy Bricka, in a unique "ski"- and oar-powered vessel., The British newspaper Independent reported that after kissing his wife Corrine, and sipping champagne, Collins said, "It was hard." Despite the hardships he endured, including losing 30 pounds, Collins went on to say, "I have never felt safer in a boat in my life.", The idea of human-powered craft and the transatlantic record had been on Collins's mind since he was young; however, he was unable to put his idea into action until after college, a stint as a Navy SEAL, and his entry into the corporate world. His wife, Corinne, encouraged his childhood dream from the very start., The canopied vessel was designed to withstand the North Atlantic seas to be easily driven and self-righting, and to house Collins and his food, watermaker, and the communications and navigational equipment needed for a record-breaking voyage., During the course of the voyage, Collins faced many storms, adverse currents, and equipment breakdowns. At one point, he was nearly run down by a ship in the middle of the night. Collins said, "By the end of the trip, I had gone through so many gales, I could hardly keep track." Inside is a custom-built seat that allowed Collins to pedal for 12 plus hours a day, averaging about four knots (4.6 miles/hour, 7.4 kilometers/hour)., Tango was designed by Bruce Kirby of Norwalk, CT, for Dwight Collins. America's Cup boatbuilder Goetz Marine Technologies of Bristol, RI, built Tango in 1990 of cedar strip planking covered by carbon fiber and epoxy. The pedal system drives a custom-designed, high-efficiency propeller that can move the vessel at up to 4 knots. Kirby was known for fast, unique vessel designs, including the Laser. Tango is 24' (7.3 m) long, with a 4.5' (1.5 m) beam, and weighs 850 pounds (385.5 kg). Collins and his wife chose the name Tango to celebrate their wedding dance.