A trip that will definitely get you ‘bouncing of joy’ is the story of three English friends fulfilling their childhood dream by sailing a bouncy castle across lake Garda (Italy).

The first Bouncy Castle Sail

Trainee solicitor Jack Watkins, 25, and engineers Chris Hayes, 24, and Dave Sibley, 25, all from Clapham, south London, are now the first ‘sailors’ to cross the lake on such a vessel.

It took the friends a leisurely two hours crossing the lake while paddling and sometimes just letting the wind carry them on the 8km trip. They even managed to gatecrash an international sailing regatta and ended up being escorted by the police.

Chris boldly claims: ‘Great Britain has such a great tradition as a seafaring nation and we really feel we have played no role at all in adding to this.’ ‘That said, it was possibly the most fun we have ever had and we really never believed this most frivolous of dreams would ever be realised,’ he added.

The entire bouncy-castle-sailing-venture turned into a hilarious little video:

Or Watch the longer version complete with start and finish line crossings (and a shark) here:

Now you know what to bring on your next holiday at the Lago di Garda!!!

Inspired by the Simpsons?

In episode 331 of the popular cartoon ‘the Simpsons’ Homer and Marge sail a bouncy castle as well. And in an even more kickass way even as they sail a bouncy castle (named an inflatable castle in the US) across the Niagara Falls while having sexual intercourse!! Well concocted you Simpsons creators. Kickass creative!

The episode is called “Catch ‘Em if You Can” and it is the eighteenth episode of Season 15 where the epic bouncy castle sailing action happens:

In an amusement park next to the Niagara falls Homer and Marge want some ‘private time’ and they hide from Bart & Lisa in an inflatable castle (which is being repaired). Homer and Marge start to have sexual intercourse, and all the bouncing around causes the castle to go over the Niagara Falls. After Canadian and American rescue teams fight over who gets to rescue them, Homer and Marge’s inflatable castle goes over the falls, but they are saved, as the castle doubles as a flotation device. When the rescue teams ask them if they need help, a naked Homer and Marge yell that they do not need any help, and they continue having sex underneath the Falls.

The Simpsons bouncy castle sailing episode was broadcast in 2004 while our three British friends sailed Lago di Garda in 2010. This raises the question: did they get inspired by Homer and Marge bouncing in their bouncy castle?!

Other sailing kickassness

Similarly kickass sailing action comes from Mervyn Kinkhead who sailed a Bathtub across the Irish Sea and the two Kiwi radio hosts who went across New Zealand’s Cook Strait in bumperboats.