Solaris, docked at the Hudson River Maritime Museum in Kingston’s Rondout Basin

The Solaris, a solar-powered tour boat owned by the Hudson River Maritime Museum in Kingston, NY will provide trips across the Hudson River on Saturday and Sunday, October 19 and 20. (They also previously offered trips at the end of September.)

The Mid-Hudson News reports that the boat will run every hour, leaving the Newburgh Washington Street Boat Launch at 2 Washington Street. It will depart Beacon from the Beacon Institute Dock on the waterfront near the Metro-North Train Station, every half-hour. The crossing takes 20 minutes.

Fares will be $2 each way, exact change only. The rides will be on a first-come, first-serve basis. The boat can accommodate 28 passengers.

Newburgh Mayor Torrance Harvey said the service will be a boon to residents of both cities as well as visitors to the region.

“That is going to make a big difference in the river cities especially particularly Newburgh being that we are on the west bank of the Hudson River without the commuter line coming through Newburgh,” Harvey said. “You have one coming through Salisbury Mills going out that way.”

The Solaris service will help determine whether there is enough interest and traffic for a more regular service.

Solaris was built by the Hudson River Maritime Museum’s restoration crew under the direction of Jim Kricker. The vessel is the only solar-powered boat in operation on the Hudson River. It does not require fossil fuels to operate.

From the Hudson River Maritime Museum website: Designed by marine architect Dave Gerr from a concept developed by David Borton, owner of Sustainable Energy, our tour boat is commercial in design, meeting all U.S. Coast Guard regulations for commercial passenger-carrying vessels. In late 2018, the vessel passed her speed/range endurance test under the watchful eye of Coast Guard inspectors, using only reserve battery power. This vessel can travel up to 50 miles at night without the use of her solar panels. Even on cloudy days, the solar panels are so efficient that they continue to power the batteries.