Meet Our Boat Solaris

Solaris is the Hudson River Maritime Museum’s fully solar-powered tour boat. She was built on-site at the Hudson River Maritime Museum's Wooden Boat School in 2018 by the Museum’s restoration crew, under the direction of Jim Kricker. She holds the prestige of being the first solar-powered boat licensed by the U.S. Coast Guard as a passenger vessel.

“One of my favorite ways to spend an evening is aboard the Solaris - a solar-powered vessel that travels the Rondout Creek and Hudson River nearly silently - no exhaust, no engine noise, just the low purr of an electric motor.

The captain and crew are always knowledgeable and wonderful. Catch a special tour during the Hudson River Valley Ramble and learn all about the indigenous populations who inhabited the area. Visit the Rondout Lighthouse. The possibilities are nearly endless”
-Kristie W.

Amenities

The passenger deck of Solaris provides bench seating for all guests. The passenger deck is covered by Solaris’s canopy, which provides shelter from sun and rain, but the sides of the vessel are completely open, offering guests 360-degree views and a feeling of closeness with the river. The solar-electric motor is incredibly quiet, allowing the sound of water lapping against the boat’s hull to take center stage throughout the voyage.

Passengers are welcome to move about the vessel while it is underway but are asked to remain seated while the crew handles docking.

A simple composting toilet, or a “marine head,” is available for passengers’ use in the forward cabin. Please ask a crew member to explain how it operates. We encourage passengers to use restroom facilities on shore before boarding the vessel.

Power

Solaris uses absolutely no fossil fuels to operate. Sixteen solar panels power thirty-two batteries, and the panels’ efficiency means that the batteries continue to charge even on cloudy days. In late 2018, Solaris passed the required speed/range endurance test using only reserve battery power under the watchful eye of Coast Guard inspectors. Through this test, Solaris proved she can travel up to 50 miles at night without the use of solar panels.

Accessibility

Boarding Solaris requires passengers to move down a metal gangway, across a floating dock, and down three steps to the passenger deck of the tour boat. Please note that these spaces are not ADA accessible for people who use wheelchairs or other mobility aids, and that it is up to each passenger’s discretion on their ability to board and disembark the vessel.

Support

Support for our beloved solar boat comes from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Scenic Hudson, Sustainable Energy Corp, Kingston Block & Masonry, and individual donors.
“Our trip was very leisurely and the guide was extremely informative. We only went a short distance....just to the mouth of the Rondout Creek where it branches off from the Hudson River. We were able to climb up in to the Rondout Lighthouse and the guide gave us a running commentary about all aspects of the lighthouse. Very interesting.”
- Nancy M.