A custom Legacy tow boat powered by triple Mercury Racing 300XS outboards was used to establish a Guinness World Record for the largest human pyramid on water skis. The Rock Aqua Jays water ski team of Janesville, Wis., organized the August 18 attempt after a year of preparation. A total of 80 skiers in multiple four-tier pyramids traveled 300 meters on the Rock River, about twice the distance necessary to officially surpass the previous 64-skier record. Joining the Rock Aqua Jays were skiers from the Aquanuts team from Twin Lakes, Wis., and the Webfooters from Fremont, Wis. A pair of boats pulled the skiers from the dock area, but the lead boat released when they reached open water and the record run was accomplished behind a single boat. The skiers initially broke the existing record with a 70-skier pyramid, then added 10 more individuals on a subsequent run to establish the 80-skier record. Guinness officially confirmed the record.
The teams thanked Mercury Marine by giving the company a plaque during a ceremony at Mercury’s global headquarters in Fond du Lac, Wis.
“This record shows how passion, talent, and teamwork can come together in a common goal to execute a remarkable feat,” said Kevin Ostermeier of the Rock Aqua Jays, who was responsible for putting together the record run. “The power of those Mercury engines made a huge difference for us.”
The 20-foot 10.5-inch Legacy tow boat was built by D&S Marine of Roscoe, Ill. The boat has a beam of 7 feet 3 inches. Before the record attempt the Rock Aqua Jays had to design and build heavy-duty stainless steel hardware stout enough to tow the giant pyramid. The triple Mercury Racing 300XS motors were equipped with Mercury 15-pitch Revolution 4 propellers.
The Rock Aqua Jays, founded in 1961, have won 20 national water-skiing titles since 1975. They perform ski shows on the Rock River twice weekly from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend at RAJ Stadium on the Rock River at Traxler Park in Janesville. Their shows provide a platform for teaching members and the public about safe boating and water-skiing techniques. They were the first amateur team to build three-tier, four-tier and five-tier pyramids.