To the best of my knowledge, no one has kayaked solo across the Tasman Sea from Australia to New Zealand. Surprising, as it’s only a few hundred miles — Hans Lindemann kayaked across the Atlantic Ocean in 1956, a seemingly harder feat, but then he had a small sail.  

Maybe the Tasman is rougher water?  This guy died trying in 2007, apparently drowning within sight of his destination.  This duo made it in 2008, but sadly use their website to overtly pitch their motivational speaking circuit.  Still no solo crossing that I know of.

The 2007 solo crossing was dangerous because it sought to use a sport kayak in a way that was never intended.  That’s a failure to control a controllable risk.  By contrast, the duo made it in a purpose-built craft.

The big oceanic crossings of the 20th century were made in stouter kayaks, most notably the Klepper Faltboote, the sworn favorite of both Lindemann and navy frogmen everywhere.

—