The Marina's.com award goes to top two percent of marinas in the nation.

KINGSTON, N.Y. – The Hudson River Maritime Museum has been awarded the 2017 Boater’s Choice award given to the top two percent of marinas in the nation. Selected out of 8,000 participants, HRMM was one of 152 marinas in the country to win the annual award. The Boater’s Choice award is given to marinas that receive an average of four star reviews given by boating customers.
In 2017, HRMM welcomed approximately 6,000 visitors to Kingston onboard private vessels, tall ships, cruise ships, and tour boats by way of the Hudson River. The museum waterfront was also one of the last major stops for the replica Spanish Galleon, El Galeon Andalucia, which attracted an additional 5,000 visitors to the Rondout.

HRMM’s waterfront boasts over 500 feet of dock space on the protected waters of the Rondout Creek, located in the heart of Kingston’s Historic Rondout District. All of the volunteer-built docks are constructed to commercial vessel standards and can accommodate ships up to 270 feet long. With a depth of 16 feet and no height restrictions at the docks, it is the perfect location for large vessels traveling on the Hudson River.

Overnight visitors have access to many amenities including shore power, water, wifi, showers, restrooms, and free admission to the Hudson River Maritime Museum and Riverport Wooden Boat School. Future plans include a new washer and dryer, new shower facilities, improved wifi, ADA access to docks, continued Rondout Lighthouse Tours, and all online booking. The museum’s location provides prime access to shops, restaurants, outdoor recreation, and cultural centers all within walking distance in the lovely historic Rondout Waterfront.

For 2018 docking reservations, please use the mobile application Dockwa, or call the dockmaster at 845-709-8881.

KINGSTON, N.Y. – On Saturday, December 2, 2017, at 2 p.m., Tim Guinee, actor and a leader at the Climate Reality Project, will visit the Hudson River Maritime Museum for “Climate Change and the Hudson Valley,” a presentation and discussion of the latest science concerning climate change in our area and across North America.

“We’re delighted that Tim is coming to the Museum to discuss this topic, which is of concern to anyone who lives or works along the waterfront,” says HRMM Executive Director Lisa Cline.

Founded by Nobel Laureate and former Vice President Al Gore, the Climate Reality Project (www.climaterealityproject.org/) is a diverse group of individuals who seek to catalyze a global solution to the climate crisis by supporting urgent action across every level of society. Guinee’s presentation will use the same deck of images that Vice President Gore uses when the tours the country. Afterwards, he will lead a panel discussion among local elected officials and experts about the implications of climate change for the Hudson Valley.

The event is free and open to the public, but seating is limited and reservations are required. Reserve online now.

In addition to his work at the Climate Reality Project, Guinee is a board member of Green Product Placement, which seeks to place environmentally friendly products in motion pictures and television shows. A long-time environmental advocate, he has worked on behalf of the Sierra Club as a volunteer lobbyist in Washington D.C., and has collaborated with politicians from both parties.

KINGSTON, NY - The Hudson River Maritime Museum is pleased to offer a US Coast Guard Captain’s License Course at the Riverport Wooden Boat School four weekends in February and March, 2018.
 
This course will be taught by Sea Tech Marine Training instructors in accordance with National Maritime Center requirements. Sea Tech Marine Training provides professionally prepared course curriculum and materials and will guide you through all the exam requirements and are USCG approved to administer the exam right here in Kingston, so students will not have to travel to a Coast Guard Exam Center.
 
This course covers OUPV (Operator Uninspected Passenger Vessel - also known as a Six Pack) license for charter boats, as well as the Master’s Level License for vessels less than 100 tons. The Master’s License allows graduates to operate Coast Guard inspected vessels that are permitted to carry more than six passengers for hire. Students who pass the course and obtain their license will be able to become a charter boat captain, start a charter boat business, and/or fulfill maritime career job requirements.
 
This course is offered over four weekends, Saturday & Sunday February 24, 25, March, 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, and 18 with an optional review session on the evening of Friday, March 16, 2018. Class meets from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. each day. Course fee of $400 includes all course materials. All students registering for this class MUST be members of the Hudson River Maritime Museum at the Household Level ($50) or above. Students who are not yet HRMM members may visit www.hrmm.org/join to register or stop by the museum to join in person.
 
To register for the course, visit www.seatechmarinetraining.com/schedule.html and click on the February 24, 2018 course in Kingston, NY. This course is limited to 16 students, so register early to ensure your spot.
 
For more information on the course curriculum, please visit www.seatechmarinetraining.com/course.html. This course covers the OUVP and Master’s Level License curriculum. Students with questions about the course can contact Sea Tech at info@seatechmarinetraining.com.

KINGSTON, NY - The Hudson River Maritime Museum is pleased to offer two Sailing 101 classes as part of the Riverport Sailing School this fall.
 
Sailing 101 is the first course of a two-course Basic Keelboat Training Series. It will be offered in the fall of 2017 and spring of 2018. On-the-water course Sailing 102 will be offered in the late spring and summer of 2018.
 
Sailing 101 will be taught entirely on land and will cover such topics as: Preparation to Sail, Crew Operations and Skills, Sailing Theory, Leaving the Dock or Mooring, Navigation, Navigation Rules, International-Inland, Heavy Weather Sailing, Overboard Rescue Methods, Safety and Emergency Procedures, Anchoring Techniques, Returning to the Dock or Mooring. The course will use the "Learn Sailing Right" textbook published by the United States Sailing Association and will be taught by Christin Ripley, an experienced sailor and US Sailing Certified Basic Keelboat instructor.
 
This course is offered twice this fall - two Saturdays, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., November 4 and 11, 2017 OR four Tuesday evenings, 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on November 7, 14, and December 5, and 12, 2017.
 
Tuition for HRMM members at the Household level and above is $175. Non-members are $220. Tuition includes all course materials, including the “Learn Sailing Right” textbook published by US Sailing.
 
To register for the course, visit www.hrmm.org/sailing-school.

The Hudson River Maritime Museum and the Rondout Rowing Club will host a Head of the Rondout rowing race on Sunday, October 15, on the historic Rondout Creek in Kingston, New York.
 
“Head” races are time-trial rowing competitions. In Kingston, boats will launch one by one at the Museum, row up the Rondout toward the Eddyville Bridge, circle back, and race from the bridge to the Rondout Lighthouse. The three-mile course requires crews to navigate around some obstacles. Boats will begin launching at HRMM, at 50 Rondout Landing, at 8 a.m.

“This is a warm-up event for crews racing the Head of the Charles regatta in Boston the following weekend,” says HRMM Trustee Scott Johnson, who coaches the Kingston High School Varsity Crew team and organized this competition. Rondout Rowing Club has two teams competing on the Charles, “so this is ideal practice for us,” Johnson says.
The Head of the Rondout is designed for all ages and classes of boats, and it is open to all rowers, free of charge. Competitors will range from middle school students to adults. In addition to the Rondout Rowing Club youth crews, boats from the Rondout Rowing Club, the Hudson Valley Rowing Association, and other rowing teams and clubs will compete.

“Rondout Creek offers ideal conditions for a head race,” says Lisa Cline, executive director of HRMM. “The Hudson River Valley has a long history of rowing and we’re really excited to support this new race here in Kingston. The Head of the Rondout is another sign of the powerful resurgence of the sport of rowing in our area.”

Crews interested in competing should contact Scott Johnson at 845-901-2386. The deadline to register is October 7.

Members of the press are invited to attend. For more information, contact Tim Cross at 845-338-0071, ext 17.
​
For more information about the Hudson River Maritime Museum, visit www.hrmm.org, like HRMM on Facebook, or call 845-338-0071.

​KINGSTON, NY – The Hudson River Maritime Museum is proud to present a film screening and panel discussion of Jon Bowermaster’s new film, “Hope on the Hudson,” on Saturday, September 9 at 4:00 PM in the Kingston Home Port and Education Center.
 
Jon Bowermaster is the filmmaker behind “Hudson: A River at Risk,” which was screened at the museum last year. “Hope on the Hudson” is in actuality Part III of the “River at Risk” series. While the “River at Risk” series covered the threats to the Hudson River, including crude oil transport, the nuclear power plant at Indian Point, and the construction of the new Tappan Zee bridge, “Hope on the Hudson” focuses on the efforts of organizations and individuals to preserve and restore the Hudson River both environmentally and socially.
 
After the film, Bowermaster will lead a panel discussion with some of the films’ participants. For those who missed the screening of “Hudson: A River at Risk” last year, the films will be shown again starting at 2:00 PM.
 
A writer, filmmaker and adventurer, Bowermaster is a six-time grantee of the National Geographic Expeditions Council. One of the Society’s ‘Ocean Heroes,’ his first assignment for National Geographic Magazine in 1989 was to document a dog-sled expedition that crossed Antarctica taking 221 days. His Oceans 8 project took him and his teams around the world by sea kayak over the course of ten years (1999-2008), where they bought back stories from the Aleutian Islands, French Polynesia, Gabon, Tasmania, and beyond about how the planet’s one ocean and its various coastlines are faring today. He is the chairman of the board of Adventurers and Scientists for Conservation and a board member of Celine Cousteau’s CauseCentric Productions. 

​KINGSTON, NY – The Hudson River Maritime Museum is pleased to host the Canadian brigantine St. Lawrence from Thursday, September 7 through Sunday, September 10, 2017.
 
Built in 1953 in Kingston, Ontario specifically to teach traditional sailing to youths from around the Canadian Maritimes and New England, the Sail Training Vessel (STV) St. Lawrence is 60 feet in length (72’ with the bowsprit), has a steel hull, and can accommodate 25 crew. She offers week-long summer sailing programs for youths aged 13-18 out of her home port of Kingston, Ontario. Students on these immersive sailing weeks hone their teamwork and sailing skills away from technology and distractions. Programs emphasize personal development, teamwork, and the discipline needed to run a tall ship on the open ocean.
 
St. Lawrence is visiting the Hudson River Maritime Museum in Kingston, New York to down-rig her mast in preparation for traveling through the Erie and Oswego Canals. Her New York journey will end in Oswego, NY on Lake Ontario where she will re-rig to continue sailing. She will also be doing programs with the H. Lee White Maritime Museum in Oswego at that time.
 
St. Lawrence will be available for deck tours on Thursday, September 7 from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Deck tours are free and open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis. Crew will also be available throughout their stay to talk about the St. Lawrence, its educational programs, and the process of de-rigging. For safety reasons, visitors will not be allowed on deck after Thursday morning.
 
St. Lawrence will be arriving late Wednesday evening and departing early Monday morning.

On the rugged shores of the British Isles and the fjords of Norway, small, double-ended wooden boats have long plied the cold waters of the North Atlantic, rowed or sailed by their fishermen owners. Built of lapstrake hardwoods, they are reminiscent of old Viking boats. In the North Atlantic, the small rocky islands and reefs that line the coastlines are called “skerries,” after the Old Norse word “sker.”  Often rowed and sailed in and around skerries, these plucky little work boats are rugged enough for the rocky shores.

This fall, the Hudson River Maritime Museum will offer a class to build the modern descendant of those historic British and Scandinavian working boats. Called a “Skerry” after those rocky islands, this version is tough and lightweight, easy to sail or row. Riverport Wooden Boat School Senior Instructor Michael Puryear notes, “This class is an opportunity to learn how to build boats using modern stitch-and-glue technology, which produces a lighter and stronger wooden boat.”

 Stitch-and-glue uses lightweight marine grade okume plywood to stich the flexible planks together in an overlapping style called lapstrake. The stitching and glue give the boat shape and strength without the use of heavy wooden ribs, as in traditional boatbuilding. The bottom of the boat is also sheathed in fiberglass for tough resistance to rocky shorelines or hard landings. 

The resulting boat is lightweight and easy to pull up on a beach at the end of the day and make camp. At 15 feet long with either a four-sided spritsail or a triangular gunter rig sail, the Skerry can be rowed while under sail, an uncommon feature for small boats. The mast can also be stepped down if you prefer to just row. At around 100 pounds, the Skerry can be car-topped with two adults, or is incredibly easy to pull in and out of the water on a small trailer.

Unlike previous boatbuilding classes at RWBS, this Skerry build is a group build – with a group of students working together to build a single boat. This boat will also be built from scratch using only plans, not kits, giving students the full range of woodworking skills as they build the boat from start to finish. Students can enter a lottery to “win” the final product.

“Students will gain confidence, manual skills, and build friendships through teamwork,” Puryear says of the group style of class. The “Group Boatbuild: Nordic Skerry” class takes place every Thursday and Friday, 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM, from Thursday, September 21 until Friday, November 3, with Saturday, November 4 as a final class for any finishing necessary, as well as to celebrate the completion of the boat and draw lots.

This class is also more affordable than the individual kit classes, at just $495 for HRMM members at the Household level and above, and $540 for non-members. “Many of our members and visitors were unable to commit to the week-long kit builds, both because of price and time commitment, so we wanted to offer an alternative and the Skerry is the perfect boat to start with,” says HRMM Director of Education Sarah Wassberg.

For many people, building a sailboat is a dream come true. “It was always my dream growing up,” says Puryear. To build a boat and then sail off into the sunset is now an affordable reality for Hudson Valley residents, provided you’ve got luck on your side.
​
The class is limited to 10 people, and spots are sure to fill up fast. Interested students can register online at www.hrmm.org/classes--workshops.html or by calling 845-338-0071 ext. 16.

El Galeón Seeks Volunteer Sailors
Museum Expands Hours and Lighthouse Tours During El Galeón Visit

KINGSTON, NY – The replica Spanish galleon El Galeón is seeking five intrepid volunteer sailors to accompany them on their voyage from Kingston, NY to Ocean City, MD. Volunteer crew members will eat, sleep, and work on the ship for several days as she travels south along the Atlantic seaboard. Volunteers will learn to sail the ship as they go. All prospective volunteers must be in good physical condition and over the age of 18. Interest parties may contact El Galeón Project Manager Fernando Viota at Fernando@fundacionnaovictoria.org. 

In addition, the crew is seeking volunteers to sail across the Atlantic with El Galeón on her voyage home from Ocean City, MD to Spain. The voyage will last approximately one month, with tentative dates of August 28 to September 28, 2017. Interested parties can contact Ulises Custido at Ulises@fundacionnaovictoria.org or call 904-826-7327 or fill out a request for information form at: www.fundacionnaovictoria.org/cross-atlantic-ocean-board-el-galeon/.

Finally, during El Galeón’s stay at the Hudson River Maritime Museum, the museum will be open extended hours on Saturday, August 5 and Sunday, August 6 from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Also that weekend, HRMM will offer more frequent lighthouse tours, with tours every half hour beginning at noon with the last tour leaving at 5:00 PM. Tickets are $20 for adults and $12 for children (5-12). Children under 5 are free but each child must be accompanied by an adult.
​
Lighthouse tours are on weekends only. Monday, August 7 and Tuesday, August 8 the museum will return to its regular schedule, 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM daily.

The Hudson River Maritime Museum page of the Hudson River Valley Heritage website now includes a section on tugboats. Tugboats- The Workhorses of the Hudson - The Hudson River was the great natural highway into the interior of New York State for centuries.  Transportation for people and goods was by boat for over two hundred years after the arrival of European, mostly Dutch, settlers in the early 17th century.
 
Because of the growth of New York City into a major port and population center as immigrants poured into the city in the 19th century, the need there for food and building materials soared.  The Hudson Valley produced many of the products needed, and shipped them by sailing vessels called sloops and schooners for at least two hundred years from the beginning of settlement in the 1600s.  Steamboats came on the scene gradually after 1807 carrying mostly passengers for many decades. Eventually steam towboats pulling multiple barges and canal boats took over the freight traffic on the Hudson. Though not speedy, these long tows were the cheapest way to ship bulk cargoes. Older passenger steamboats such as the Norwich were used at first as towboats.  Sidewheel steamboats such as the Oswego were built as towboats starting around 1850.  Propeller driven tugboats in the familiar shape that we know today began to be seen in the 1860s.
 
Rondout, the port of Kingston, was a major shipping point, and the busiest port on the Hudson for most of the 19th century (1800s).  The major product shipped from Rondout was coal brought here from eastern Pennsylvania over the Delaware & Hudson Canal from 1828 to 1898. Coal was the main fuel of the steam age of the 19th century, so Rondout boomed from coal transport.  Local products also shipped from Rondout during the same time were Ulster County bluestone shipped widely for use as sidewalks; Rosendale cement, a sturdy natural cement used in building New York City; and bricks from local brickyards also used to build New York City.   Ice cut from the Hudson River was shipped to New York City on barges to be used for food preservation.  Food products were also shipped, including grain from the Midwest brought to the Hudson over the Erie Canal, and hay for the many horses in the City.
 
The Cornell Steamboat Company of Rondout became the largest towing company on the Hudson by the 1880s because of the enormous amount of freight to be transported to New York City from the Hudson Valley, especially from Rondout. Towboats and tugs pulling long strings of barges could be seen day and night on the Hudson from the 1850s through the 1930s.  The Cornell Steamboat Company had a virtual monopoly on towing on the river from the 1880s through the 1930s.  The company had a fleet of up to sixty tugboats of all sizes at one time. There is much less tug and barge activity on the Hudson today than there was even in the 1950s as freight was being shipped by rail and later truck, and the old cargoes like bluestone, ice, and cement had mostly disappeared from the scene.  Today the main cargoes shipped by tug and barge are oil, crushed rock, and some cement.
 
Visit the website regularly to see new additions from the HRMM collection:  www.hrvh.org/hrmmkingston