Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, America’s environmental flagship has returned to her home port for winter maintenance at the Hudson River Maritime Museum (50 Rondout Landing, Kingston, NY) after completing her forty-seventh sailing season. The sloop will remain docked at the Kingston Home Port, floating in the Rondout Creek, where bubblers have been placed around the boat to prevent ice from forming around the hull. Clearwater is currently wrapped in a sheet of shrink-wrap plastic, which creates a winter shed and protective cover for the Clearwater crew as they work through the winter to prepare the sloop for her spring sailing season, which will begin on April 17, 2017.
Individuals looking for hands-on experience are welcome to spend a Saturday working on one of Clearwater’s winter maintenance projects. Volunteers will join the captains and crew in performing general sloop maintenance such as sanding and painting. No experience is required and volunteers are encouraged to dress warm and wear work gloves. Volunteers are accepted any time from 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM every Saturday at the sloop through March 2017.
“This winter we are focusing on routine maintenance, sanding, painting, fixing all those little projects that we do not get to work on during the busy sailing season. There is a task for anyone. Come on over and give the sloop some love,” said Captain Aleythea Dolstad.
OPEN BOAT EVENTS: A series of open-boat events will take place at the sloop throughout this winter. Open-boats give the community an opportunity to tour the sloop and meet the Clearwater’s captains and crew. This free, family-friendly community event features a musical round robin and potluck dinner. Attendees are encouraged to bring an instrument, song, story or poem, and a food item to share. The next open boat is scheduled for Saturday, January 14th from 3:00 PM – 7:00 PM at the Kingston Home Port at the Hudson River Maritime Museum. Visit www.clearwater.org for more information.
