However, for Wakatipu trio Donald Stewart, Phil Wiel, and Dave Anderson the calm lake conditions enabled them to fire up their onboard barbecue and troll a few fishing lines from the back of their inflatable.
"The Clutha's current makes things a bit more exciting, because you get more speed," Mr Stewart said.
The trio's IRB is one of 12 boats and dinghies taking part in the 325km "Seagull Run" from Lake Wanaka to the Otago coast by way of the Clutha River.
All the boats are powered by British-manufactured, World War 2-era Seagulls. The outboards have an average speed of 16kmh.
The group started the trip on Tuesday from a beach near Makarora.
Yesterday, they left from the Lake Wanaka's Clutha River outlet at 8am and and made it to the Clyde dam. Participants are scheduled to leave from beneath the Clyde dam at 8am today and head through Alexandra to Roxburgh - where they will portage the Roxburgh dam - and finish in Miller's Flat this afternoon.
The race will finish in Kaitangata tomorrow. The flotilla is hoping to set a world record for the longest Seagull outboard-powered race.
