Sticks, Tape, and Sheer Willpower — Zachary Fowler Builds a Kayak from Scratch on a Deserted Island

Most people use duct tape to fix a bumper or patch a tent. Zachary Fowler used two boxes of it to escape an island. The Season 3 winner of History Channel's 'Alone' — who survived 87 days in Patagonia — abandoned himself on a rocky Maine island with nothing but a shovel, a utility knife, and roughly 200 feet of duct tape. He harvested sticks from the island (pre-cut and brought to avoid ecosystem damage), shaped them into a kayak frame, and encased the entire structure in interlocking strips of silver tape. The result was a shiny, vaguely whale-shaped vessel with a total build time of about 15 minutes of actual assembly on camera. Did it leak? A little. Did it float? Absolutely. He paddled away from the island yelling 'She sails like a dream!' — which might be generous for something made of branches and tape, but it got the job done. The video was covered by Fox Business, Boing Boing, and The A.V. Club, and cemented Fowler's reputation as someone who genuinely believes the answer to any problem is duct tape and determination.