ST. LOUIS — A Lebanon, Mo., man paddled more than 38 miles in a 1,200-pound pumpkin down the Missouri River this week, breaking the Guinness World Records for longest distance by pumpkin boat.

What You Need To Know

  • A Lebanon, Mo., man paddled more than 38 miles in a 1,200-pound pumpkin down the Missouri River this week

  • Steve Kueny broke the Guinness World Records for longest distance by pumpkin boat

  • He began his journey in Kansas City and paddled for 11 hours ending in Napoleon, Mo., alongside Paddle KC members

  • The application and documentation have been submitted and Kueny is waiting for Guinness World Records officials to review and verify, which can take up to 12-15 weeks

That’s according to a Facebook post by Paddle KC Paddling Club, which helped Steve Kueny make the Guinness record attempt.

Kueny documented the growth of his pumpkin on Facebook. He named it “Huckle Berry,” then carved out enough room for him to sit with his legs folded.

He began his journey in Kansas City and paddled for 11 hours ending in Napoleon, Mo., alongside Paddle KC members.

“During the 11 hours of almost constant paddling, Steve paddled the wakes of eight barge passings, passed three sand dredges, and had one startling crunchy drag and bounce off submerged rocks near shore,” the Facebook post states.

“We had a great time paddling alongside to provide support and assistance if needed.”

The application and documentation have been submitted and Kueny is waiting for Guinness World Records officials to review and verify, which can take up to 12-15 weeks.

“It was a beautiful day for a grand adventure! We even had a bald eagle flyover!” the Facebook post states.

Duane Hansen of Nebraska City, Nebraska, currently holds the Guinness World Records title for the longest journey by pumpkin boat. In August 2022, he paddled 37.5 miles.