Robert Youens Completes ‘Great Loop’ Solo World Record

Audio By Carbonatix

Over the past 19 days, 71-year-old cancer survivor Robert Youens has become a folk hero to many. Countless folks are calling him the ‘Forrest Gump of the Great Loop.’ And he’s just completed his journey.

Seeking to break the world record for the fastest solo loop of the 6,000-mile ‘Great Loop,’ Robert Youens set out by himself in an aluminum jon boat with a hand cranked motor, and solo-navigated the iconic waterways of our great nation.

Robert Youens Makes History On 6,000-Mile Great Loop Record Attempt

Garmin

For those unfamiliar, the ‘Great Loop’ tracks from the Mississippi River Delta, around the Florida peninsula, up the Atlantic coast through the Chesapeake Bay, up to New York, through the Erie Canal, across the Great Lakes, and back down the Mississippi River through the heart of the country from Lake Itasca to the Gulf of Mexico.

Robert Youens completed his journey yesterday in a time of 19 days, 14 hours, and 0 minutes. In doing so, he set a new world record for the fastest solo completing of the Great Loop.

Improbable, Unstoppable

Robert’s record is a *solo* record. While he was setting his world record, and other boat with multiple people on board, the Lady Lor, set a new Great Loop world record in 12 days and 9 hours.

That is only possible with a powerful speed boat, tons of gas, and support crew along the way. What Robert Youens did is infinitely more impressive, in my humble opinion.

First off, he is a 71-year-old cancer survivor. Dudes at 35-years-old wake up talking about how their back hurts. He got up for 19 straight days and went full throttle around the Great Loop.

Secondly, he did it all by himself. There were countless people along the way who came out to see him, to cheer for him, and offer support. But Robert Youens was alone in this record setting achievement, much more impressive than a boat with multiple pilots rotating on the throttle.

Last but not least, he did this all in an aluminum jon boat. I go back country fishing in The Everglades in these boats. They are shallow water vessels that can take a beating. He managed to beat his up pretty good and it required welding at one point, but he completed the journey.

Victory!

Here is Robert Youens himself, the man, the myth, the legend, upon finishing the Great Loop world record:

Social media has exploded with support for Robert.

A Facebook Group dedicated to the Great Loop has been obsessing over his record-setting achievement. Robert’s personal Facebook page where he provided daily updates has reached over 150K followers in short time.

And members of the media caught up with Robert Youens along the way for interviews like this one:

If you cannot find inspiration from a 19+ day world record-setting achievement like this, I’m concerned. What he did was inspiring every step of the way.