Reaching for the Highest Sail in History
The Challenge In the last week of September 2026, us friends will attempt a world-first that is an unhealthy blend of expedition and lunacy, by carrying inflatable dinghies up a mountain and sailing on the roof of the world. Our destination is a secret high-altitude lake deep in the Himalayas. To protect the local environment, we are keeping the precise location hidden for now. What we can tell you is that it is over 5,000 m (16,400 ft)above sea-level, making it one of the world's highest lakes. And a massive pain to get to.
Expedition window
Sept 25 – Oct 06, 2026
Record target
1 km sail in 10 minutes
Boat weight
25–50 kg each
3 Records, One Mountain
We aren't just going for a dip. We have officially registered our attempt with Guinness World Records to establish three new benchmarks: Highest Altitude Sailing: The first recorded instance of a sailboat navigating water at this elevation. Highest Altitude Sailing Race: A competitive match on the lake. The World's Highest Yacht Club: We will be inaugurating a yacht club at the site, because… Just because. To satisfy Guinness requirements, we must cover a minimum distance of 1 km (0.62 mi) and remain under sail for at least 10 consecutive minutes.
The Payload
First, us middle-aged, sea-level office-workers have to get there. The Vessels: We are using high-performance inflatable sailing dinghies, such as the Tiwal or MiniCat (TBC). The Weight: These boats pack down into backpacks but weigh up to 50 kg with individual bags up to 26 kg each. The Carry: We will share the load of each boat, while our porter team will help with tents, food, etc.
The Journey: Into the Clouds
Led by friend and experienced expedition lead Bigraj Tamang, our route follows a rugged trail in a secret Himalayan location. As the crow flies, it's only a few kilometres from our starting point to the lake… but we're not crows so it will take a minimum of five days. We aim to make our record attempt on Thu 1 Oct. Then the journey down should be a lot quicker.
Meet the Boys
Joe– A lifelong connoisseur of doing the one thing you absolutely shouldn't do right then, and somehow making a great story out of it. Joe has created adventure businesses and quirky holiday venues, including a heroic WWI boat, a castle and a quarry. He's got himself into, and then miraculously out of, trouble in Mongolia, Djibouti, Lebanon and North Korea. Joe is an accomplished sailor, having raced Mirror dinghies for GB, and nearly crashed an icebreaking trawler – more than once.
Ben– Having visited over 40 countries, Ben can't say no to going somewhere far away and doing something uncomfortable, with a not-insignificant chance of injury, death or serious regret. He's a prolific storyteller (don't get him started) and has survived more than just his adventures with Joe, having made it through Stage 4 bowel cancer, and tumours removed from both lungs. He still won't shut up. Ben is a pro filmmaker, photographer and writer, and has a few thousand sea-miles under his belt.
Ed– Self-titled swashbuckler and adventure enthusiast. Ed has a deep connection to Nepal, beginning in 2000 while working on sustainable development projects in Ilam, where he acquired essential field skills like building smokeless stoves and pit latrines (which might come in handy on our yomp). That seven-month stint seeded a lifelong love for the country's people, culture, and spirit. Ed is a lifelong sailor of all shapes and sizes.
Wait, but Why?
Why not? Life should be about making memories, and that's exactly what our mission has been for as long as we have been friends. Over the decades we have done some very idiotic things. This time, we want to get a Guinness World Record and share our story with a wider audience. But this also our chance to highlight some important issues.
The Lake only appeared recently, possibly due to climate change. Our world has changed a lot in our lifetimes, and the Himalayan region (known as the Third Pole) is a billboard for this – with glacier recession, water stress, poverty, political tension and so much more. Our adventure raises funds and awareness for Frank Water, supporting sustainable water and sanitation projects in India, Nepal, the Himalayan region and the world.
September 2026. Things are about to get silly.
A high-altitude Himalayan lake—the expedition's sailing stage at extreme elevation.
Another view of the expedition's remote high lake.