The Erie Expedition Challenge
Series
Small Craft Adventure Racing on Lake Erie
About the EXC
The Erie Expedition Challenge (EXC) is a series of adventure races on Lake Erie, for human-and-wind-powered small craft only - no motors. The EXC shares the adventurous spirit of events like Northwest Maritime's Seventy48 race, or the Everglades Challenge. Unlike those events, EXC teams can attempt routes on their own schedules, and submit results to a virtual leaderboard.
The self-reported virtual races will run through September 2027, when the EXC will expand to include an annual in-person race, using the same courses and rules as the virtual races. At least one EXC virtual route completion - or equivalent from another adventure race - is required to enter the annual in-person race.
After 2027, the virtual race leaderboard will continue to operate in parallel with the in-person race, with results and standings being maintained separately.
Looking for something a little more relaxed? Check out RAID ERIE!
What Makes the EXC Different?
VIRTUAL RACES
The EXC is not a single scheduled event - at least not until September 2027. Teams or individuals can attempt routes on their own schedules, and submit completion times to an online leaderboard. Teams can attempt courses as often as they like, and in whatever order they like.
TWO COURSES
For each attempt, teams can choose between two courses:
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The Trans-Erie (TE) course is a ~70 nautical mile round trip course between Ohio and Canadian mainlands - or vice versa. The routes traverse through the west Erie islands for both outbound and return.
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The Nav Course (NC) is an innovative Rogaine-inspired course of checkpoints scattered throughout the islands. This unique course introduces route planning, logistics, weather decisions, and orienteering as competitive elements - there's no other small craft adventure race like it in the world. How long is it? Well...that depends on your team's solution to the Traveling Salesman Problem, and weather conditions - shorter isn't always faster on the water.
Both EXC courses finish where they start, eliminating logistics of returning your boat - and you - back to your vehicle and trailer.
PORTAGE DIVISIONS
Transporting your boat and gear overland between checkpoints is allowed. For each attempt, teams choose to compete in either the "Portage" or "Non-Portage" division. This allows teams with boats too large to portage, or who simply don't want to portage, to compare their results fairly with other non-portage teams. Course designs include portage-favorable checkpoints, for teams who want an extra hard-core competitive challenge. Same rules apply - human powered only, no motors. Bicycles, break-apart trailers, dollies, etc. are allowed and encouraged. Choosing to portage during an attempt , as shown in your. gpx or .kml file, automatically places your team in the Portage Division for that submission.
FLEXIBLE FORMAT OPTIONS
The Trans-Erie (TE) course has two formats: Ohio > Canada > Ohio (OCO) and Canada > Ohio > Canada (COC). The same course checkpoints are used in both directions.
The Nav Course (NC) has three different format options - all on the same Rogaine-style course of scattered checkpoints. Teams can choose depending on the amount of time they want want to commit to an attempt:
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NC24, clear as many checkpoints as you can in 24 hours.
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NC100, clear all (100%) of the checkpoints once
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NC200, clear all of the checkpoints twice (so, 200%). All checkpoints must be cleared once before any checkpoint can be cleared a second time. This is 'The Big Kahuna' of the EXC series, especially when attempted in the Portage Division.
Individuals and teams who complete All Four (TE, NC24, NC100, NC200), will earn the coveted "AF" distinction. Then you can tell people you are "Erie AF" and let them decide for themselves what that means. We'll get you a t-shirt or something to help hide whatever insecurities compelled you to complete four made-up boat races for imaginary glory.
Individuals and teams who complete All Eight - each of the 4 above in both Portage and Non-Portage - will receive a referral and 10% discount for a professional therapist.
NO WATER RACING AT NIGHT
Oh, boo hoo. Teams must be off the water - or safely at anchor - at night. Just be fast during the day, get some sleep, and have a great time outdoors. Mixing small boats, low visibility, unpredictable conditions, and Lake Erie is an idiotic cocktail for breaking Rule #42a (Don't Die). For those seeking the additional challenge of racing at night, making your attempt in the Portage Division will allow you to make progress overland at night. So, you can get all the sleep deprivation you can handle, and compare your results fairly against other hard core whackjobs just like you. Just don't be under way on the water after dark, period. Compliance is proven by timestamps in the .gpx or .kml file from your submission. See THE RULES for how daylight hours are determined for your selected attempt dates. Portaging is allowed 24/7.
Like some other races, the EXC series requires:
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Human and/or wind powered small craft only. SUPs, surfskis, kayaks, canoes, rowboats, dinghies, and trailer sailers with shoal draft. Craft must be fully beachable by its crew at both the start and finish.
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No motors - paddle, row, pedal and/or sail only.
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Craft design must be positively buoyant when swamped, and rightable by crew. Sails must be reefable.
But, that's where the similarities end...
Who should do this?
Nothing to see here.
Just a few hundred shipwrecks.
Answer: Nobody. In fact, let's go ahead and make that Rule #42: Don't Do This. Operating a watercraft can result in property damage, injury and/or death. Lake Erie adds risks like ferries, pleasure boaters, and weather conditions that can be more like the middle of the Atlantic Ocean than a "lake". The risks are real, and too numerous to list here. So, nobody should do this - it's inherently dangerous and objectively not a good idea.
But, people choose to do it anyway, just like any other adventure sport. So, if you are one of those people, here are some things to think about:
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The EXC is a website, that maintains a leaderboard of user-submitted completion times, nothing else. No website can assist you when you get in trouble out in the middle of Lake Erie. No website can prepare you with the skills, experience, and equipment you need to be safe, or reduce the risks involved. This site has clearly communicated that you should not do this. Participants assume all risks and responsibilities associated with watercraft operation - you are on your own and completely unsupported.
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Operating small craft on Lake Erie, and adventure racing in general, is not for beginners. Anyone who decides to adventure race in boats, unsupported, should be an expert operator and navigator of their vessel, trained in marine emergency procedures, and familiar with the waters around the course. And, even after all that, this is still a bad idea and nobody should do it.
OK, It's a bad idea - but I'm doing it anyway. How do I race?
Ok, hero. Just follow the steps below...
1_Plan and Prepare
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Form a team, or decide to compete as an individual
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Read THE RULES,
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Decide on a course: TE or NC
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If attempting the TE course, decide on OCO, or COC.
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If attempting the NC, decide on NC24, NC100, or NC200.
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Get Passports for all participants - if needed. THE RULES will help you with this.
4_Submit Your Results
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Head on over to the Submit An Attempt page, and upload the required .gpx/.kml files, as well as the pictures specified in THE RULES.
2_ Register
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Pick a date that fits your schedule.
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Arrange logistics for your attempt, if needed (campsites, docks, etc).
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Register - teams must register before an attempt, to acknowledge the rules, guidelines, and the assumption of responsibility
5_Check The Leaderboard
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Once your submission is reviewed, you'll receive an email notification that it has been posted to The Leaderboard.
3_Complete Your Attempt
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Follow THE RULES, especially...
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...Rule #42a: Don't Die. Any team caught being dead will be required to complete remediary training on Rule #42-"Don't Do This". Repeat noncompliance with the Don't Die rule will result in being DQ'ed for life.
6_Share Your Achievement
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All EXC teams are given their own dedicated Team Page on the website, where they can share images, videos, and tell the stories of all their completions - and failures!
THE TRANS-ERIE COURSE
THE NAV COURSE
