Solaris Sets Sails for Catskill

On August 18th, 2022, the Hudson River Maritime Museum is taking its 100% solar-powered tour boat to Catskill for a one-night-only maritime history tour focused on Greene County.

Solaris is the only 100% solar-powered commercial passenger vessel approved by the U.S. Coast Guard for educational and private tours in the United States. The boat runs entirely without fossil fuel, and can travel up to 50 miles at night without the use of her solar panels. Built in 2018 by the Hudson River Maritime Museum, Solaris is a fully-operational example of the future of renewable energy transportation.

Usually docked at the Kingston Waterfront in Kingston, NY, Solaris is sailing north on August 18th as part of the Hudson River Maritime Museum’s “Riverwise” program.

This program was originally designed in response to the limitations of COVID, one of the many innovative reinventions by museums and educational institutions in the Hudson Valley. Throughout the summer of 2020, Solaris sailed from Albany to New York City, stopping at ports and points of interest along the way. The public was able to follow the tour boat by the interactive map and captain’s log on the museum’s website, as well as engage with livestreams, videos, photos, activities, and blog posts shared along the way.

The “Riverwise” program continues today as a way of sharing the maritime history of the Hudson Valley with more distant ports of call - locations such as Catskill, where Solaris will be offering tours in August. The tours will include an informal chat with Greene County historian Jon Palmer, who will talk about the specific history of the Hudson River, its tributaries, and the related industries in the Catskills region.

Those interested in reserving a seat on Solaris for the evening of August 18th should do so in advance, as both tours and seating is limited. The tours will set sail from Dutchman’s Landing Park in Catskill, NY at 6pm and then again at 7:30pm. Each tour is an hour long. Tickets are a flat fee of $20 per person, and can be purchased in advance through the Hudson River Maritime Museum’s website, www.hrmm.org. 

To learn more about the Hudson River Maritime Museum or Solaris, visit www.hrmm.org. To learn about the “Riverwise” program, visit www.hudsonriverwise.org.