A Los Angeles artist has taken his fascination with mushrooms beyond the art studio, using the fungus to build an unusual vessel for an open-sea adventure. Sam Shoemaker spent 12 hours paddling across the Catalina Channel in a boat made from mushrooms, covering 42.43 km.
The journey from Catalina Island to the California mainland, undertaken in August 2025, came with its share of challenges. Shoemaker battled strong currents and rough waves before reaching Cabrillo Beach.
How the mushroom kayak was made
Shoemaker has spent more than a decade working with different species of fungi, turning them into sculptures and exploring their potential as functional materials. In a profile published by Paddling Magazine, he spoke about his interest in combining art with the possibilities of fungi-based materials.
For the kayak, he used mycelium, the root-like network of a fungus. He placed it inside a structure made from biodegradable textiles and plant-based materials, using a fibreglass mould shaped like a kayak to help it grow into the required form.
The mushroom took just seven weeks to grow into the shape of a boat. However, preparing it for the journey took several more months. Shoemaker and his cousin Laza worked on drying and strengthening the vessel before sealing it with layers of shellac and beeswax.
{{/usCountry}}The mushroom took just seven weeks to grow into the shape of a boat. However, preparing it for the journey took several more months. Shoemaker and his cousin Laza worked on drying and strengthening the vessel before sealing it with layers of shellac and beeswax.
{{/usCountry}}The finished kayak weighed 48.5 kg and measured 3.6 metres in length.
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A 12-hour journey across the Catalina Channel
Shoemaker had first attempted to build a mushroom boat in 2024, but wanted a sturdier version that could handle open-sea conditions. Before setting out, he spent six months training for the long paddle and practising on an unstable boat.
The journey was far from easy. Strong currents initially pulled him back towards Catalina Island, while rough water made the kayak flex. At one point, he worried that the vessel might break before he reached the mainland.
Conditions improved as the day progressed. A fin whale also followed his kayak for nearly two hours, making for an unexpected encounter during the crossing.
Shoemaker eventually reached Cabrillo Beach after 12 hours on the water, where his wife and friends were waiting to welcome him. The journey earned him the Guinness World Records title for the longest solo journey by a fungal mycelium boat.
Would he build another mushroom boat?
Despite completing the record-breaking journey, Shoemaker does not consider the kayak a practical replacement for conventional boats. He acknowledged that it was heavy, slow and required considerable time and resources to build.
The project was instead an experiment to show what fungi could achieve as a material. As he told Guinness World Records, he wanted to demonstrate the potential of mushrooms beyond their familiar uses.