Q. Why are you doing this?
A. We are dedicated volunteers who want to share our love of the Hudson River with the rest of you. It's that simple.
Q. This is the greatest thing I have ever seen. How can I help?
A. The best way to help, and have even more fun is to volunteer at the boathouse. See our volunteer page. You can also make a monetary contribution.
Q. Do I have to be a member?
A. NO, our free kayaking is open to everyone! Membership doesn't provide any privileges other than voting in our elections. You can become a member here online or by downloading the membership form and mailing it to us with a check for $20. Memberships expire at the end of the year.
Q. When and where is the walk-up kayaking available?
A. Walk-up is our basic service, which is available at our two locations when they are open to the public: Pier 26 in Manhattan and Governors Island. Please arrive at least 1/2 hour before closing, which is when the last boats go out. Check our calendar for opening times.
Q. Are you open on weekdays?
A. In the Summer of 2022 we are open at Pier 26 Tuesday & Thursday evenings, 5:30pm - 7pm from late June until September 15, 2021.
Q. Do you give lessons?
A. Not at the moment, but kayaking is easy and when you come to kayak we will show you how to paddle.
Q. Can my pet or service animal paddle with me?
A. No, we're sorry, but we don't accommodate animals in our boats for safety reasons.
Q. Do you have lockers at each location?
A. Yes, we do, and we also have locks, but we prefer you bring your own.
Q. Do you have changing rooms and showers?
A. At Pier 26 we have a two-room changing booth and an outside open shower. On Governors Island there is no shower, but there is a place nearby where you can change.
Q. What should I bring?
A. Bring a bathing suit, or shorts and a T-Shirt. Both locations have lockers. Bring your own lock, or we can lend you one.
Q. What kind of kayaks do you have?
A. All our public kayaks are sit-on-top kayaks. The boats are unsinkable, and self-bailing. Any water that splashes into the boat drains out the holes in the bottom. In the unlikely event that you capsize, you can just climb back on top and continue to paddle. Because the boats are self-bailing the seat of your pants will get wet while you paddle.
We have both single and double kayaks. All adults go out in single kayaks. We reserve our double kayaks for use by a parent and child.
The Boathouse also owns a number of traditional cockpit type kayaks. These boats are only for advanced users, and are only used during special programs and by active volunteers. The use of cockpit kayaks requires some training and close supervision by our volunteers. One of the benefits of becoming a volunteer at the boathouse is the opportunity to try out one of these kayaks.
Q. Can I rent a kayak, what does it cost?
A. NO! you can't rent anything because everything is 100% free. We know this is New York, and people think that there must be a catch, but there isn't. All the equipment is paid for by donations, all the labor is provided for free by the volunteers. If you want to contribute you are welcome to, but it's entirely optional.
Q. Can I reserve a time?
A. For the 2022 season, we’ve returned to walk up only, no reservations. We are less busy in the mornings, and when it is cloudy. Our peak times are from 12:00PM to 4:00PM on sunny weekends.
Q. I have my own boat. Can I store it at the boathouse?
A. NO. All our boats are used for either the public programs or for use by our volunteers.
Q. I am an expert kayaker, and I want to go out of the embayment and into the river on my own, is that ok?
A. NO, you cannot take one of our kayaks and leave the embayment, regardless of your skill level. If you wish to explore the Hudson River we suggest that you contact one of the several commercial kayak operators in the city. If you want to volunteer, we would love to have you help out.
Q. I have my own boat, can I launch it at the boathouse?
A. In general, yes. When we are open for free kayaking we allow our facilities to be used by the general public to launch boats. We do not allow any motorized boats of any sort. We require that you first sign our liability waiver. We require that all people launching from our facilities wear a Personal Flotation Device (Life Jacket). We require that the boat be seaworthy, and suitable for the strong currents and winds of the Hudson; we generally don't allow canoes, or cheap inflatable rafts since the wind and currents are too strong for them. We encourage you to obtain a permit from the NYC Parks Department to show your support for hand powered boating, but the permit is not required by the Boathouse.
Q. What is the weight limit?
A. Our single kayaks are rated for 400 pounds and our double kayaks can hold two people with a total weight of 430 pounds.
Q. Do you offer longer trips in the river outside of your embayment?
A. Not at this time.
Q. I would like to bring a group to go kayaking. Is that possible?
A. Yes, but we ask that you limit your group to ten or fewer in order not to overwhelm the public program. You line up with everyone else for the walk-up kayaking and wait your turn. If it is not crowded, you and your friends may all get out on the water at the same time, but there are no guarantees. Our kayaking is free, so no paid groups.
