The River is Calling: TGARR 2026 Is Officially On!
Stop talking. Start wrenching. The Great American River Race (TGARR) returns 8/1/2026. This is not a rally. It is not a leisure cruise. It is an earned endurance challenge that […]
Overview
Adventure Starts Where Common Sense Ends. The Great American River Race (TGARR) is a one-of-a-kind endurance and adventure challenge where teams race from Minnesota to the Gulf in boats built
Rules
As Walter Sobchak would say – this is not ‘Nam, this is TGARR. There are rules. This page outlines the official rules and regulations for participants of The Great American
The Course
Below is the official 1,565 Mile TGARR course.View the full interactive route in Google Maps or Google Earth. Official Course Outline: The Great American River Race (TGARR) follows a continuous
FAQ
What is TGARR? The Great American River Race (TGARR) is an endurance run from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico (or the Gulf of America, depending on your politics). Crews
Safety
TGARR Safety Plan The Great American River Race The Great American River Race (TGARR) is a long-distance endurance challenge conducted on a working river. Safety is a shared responsibility between
Legal
LEGAL TERMS, WAIVERS, & PRIVACY POLICY Effective Date: October 1, 2025 1. OVERVIEW & ACCEPTANCE OF TERMS The Great American River Race (“TGARR”) is a privately organized endurance boating challenge
The Budget That Makes the Adventure
There is one rule in TGARR that raises eyebrows faster than any other: The $5,000 budget cap. Skeptics assume it’s about cost control or accessibility. They’re missing the point. The
What Breaks First: Boats, Crews, or Plans?
Boats Break (The Hardware) On a $5,000 budget, mechanical failure isn’t a possibility; it’s a certainty. Cooling lines clog, electrical gremlins surface, and river debris claims props. The survivors aren’t
TGARR is Not a Regatta, Rally, or Poker Run
Why the distinction matters more than you think. If you want to understand The Great American River Race (TGARR), start with what it isn’t. We intentionally stripped away the safety
100 Miles to Failure: The Hard-Earned Lessons of the trial run
Every great adventure carries the risk of an abrupt ending. For the Budget Buccaneers, that ending arrived just 100 miles into the 1,700-mile inaugural River Trial. Rich and Braden set
How to Prepare for the Challenge
How to Prepare for the Challenge The Great American River Race isn’t something you sign up for on a whim and figure out later. TGARR rewards teams who think ahead,
Top Strategies for Navigating TGARR
The Great American River Race isn’t won by the fastest boat on paper.It’s won by the crew that makes the fewest bad decisions over a very long stretch of water.
The Art of Budget Boat Building for the River Race
Anyone can win with money. That’s not what TGARR is about. The Great American River Race was designed to reward ingenuity, judgment, and mechanical empathy—not checkbooks. With a hard $5,000