Brandon David Nelson

Brandon Nelson began paddling in 1993 on the rivers and streams of California’s Sierra Nevada. Throughout the next few years, he spent winters in Costa Rica or New Zealand, scratching out a living by guiding rafts or racing after them with a video camera. In 1995, during a 3-day, mid-winter descent of the Middle Feather River, he injured his shoulder and was lifted from the canyon by a U.S. Navy helicopter. Surgery followed, along with a months-long hiatus from the sport that had become his passion. To occupy his time, he began working with wood, and the seeds of turning raw materials into boats had been planted.

 By the summer of 2000, having met his future wife and partner in adventure, Brandon insisted that they build their own kayaks for their upcoming tour of the Sea of Cortez. A Chesapeake 18 and a Pygmy Artic Tern, built in their friends’ Adam and Adrienne’s shop in Lotus, CA, carried them 800 miles from San Felipe to Cabo San Lucas.

 Next, Brandon worked with Chesapeake Light Craft to develop a prototype tandem for races 300-460 miles in length. In the spring of 2002, Double Joy was born, and the craft set course records in every major event it entered.

 Now, in 2004, Brandon has turned his vision to lighter and stronger materials, and is currently at work with Western Washington University’s Vehicle Research Institute to develop the next generation of hyper performance ultra-marathon racing kayaks. Trials are planned for summer of 2004 and 2005, and will take places on waters from Northern Europe to Northern Canada. News of this project, and others, will be detailed here on the pages of www.ChargeLife.com!