NEWBURGH – The Solaris, a solar-powered tour boat owned by the Hudson River Maritime Museum in Kingston, will provide trips across the Hudson River on the weekends of Saturday and Sunday, September 28 and 29, and Saturday and Sunday, October 19 and 20.
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.
Orange County Executive Steven Neuhaus and Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro both endorsed the partnership that brought the boat to the Newburgh-Beacon crossing. Each county contributed $10,000 toward operation of the service.
