Hitching up the Hudson

[MiddleAgesMan]

Great video and article about a trip up the Hudson River in today's NYTs:

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/08/29/nyregion/20090830-hudson-river-journey.html

[willmarsh3]

Pretty neat article. They mention the Assiduity Raft

http://hudsonraftproject.com/

[Hwyl]

Pretty neat article. They mention the Assiduity Raft

http://hudsonraftproject.com/

I'm not sure this project impresses me too much

[willmarsh3]

I'm not sure this project impresses me too much'

The thing I liked about it was the use of solar power and such. I also liked the sense of adventure. But I would agree that the appearance of the vessel is - well - not exactly what I'd call a beautiful boat.

[MiddleAgesMan]

The kid seems to think that because the inspector was willing to give him an HIN the craft is certified as safe. The blog is chock full of crazy and dangerous assumptions... :(

I think if this guy had deep pockets he'd probably build a 70 foot steel 3-story floating charter condo not unlike the one up in Montreal. ;)

[goodbasil]

That floating hotdog stand is interesting. I just watched the noon news here and someone on Lake Michigan has opened a KFC "float through."

[Soundbounder]

That floating hotdog stand is interesting. I just watched the noon news here and someone on Lake Michigan has opened a KFC "float through."I don't see it too often anymore, but 25 years ago it was quite common in popular weekend anchorages to see someone in a Boston Whaler selling coffee, rolls, danish, bagels, and newspapers etc.

Very rarely do I see it now.

[Hwyl]

'

The thing I liked about it was the use of solar power and such. I also liked the sense of adventure. But I would agree that the appearance of the vessel is - well - not exactly what I'd call a beautiful boat.

He wants to sail what I guess is a hundred miles in an overequpped boat using other peoples money.

He could easily achieve his stated aim in a 10 foot plywood row boat, just row during the day, possibly only on ebbs and pull in to the bank at night.

People have probably been doing it for thousands of years (except in dugouts or birch bark canoes).

[MiddleAgesMan]

What bothers me most about the guy is that, in spite of 4 failed attempts he hasn't seemed to have learned much of anything. In a radio interview available on his website he says, "on the right side of the river, or the PORT side as mariners like to say." At another point he talks about being stopped for days at a time (while trying to go south) by the "north wind."

That's just the tip of the iceberg--I won't comment on his many bad choices in methods and materials.

[willmarsh3]

If I were going to do something like this I would have built from plans for Sam Devlin's Millie Hill and put an outboard on back. I'll have to do a lot more figuring out before indulging the renewable energy aspect.

[goodbasil]

http://www.nfb.ca/film/last_voyage_of_henry_hudson/

This 1964, 28min, (b&W) film from the NFB realistically portrays conflict that Henry Hudson experienced in search of open water route....

Includes model ship, false beards and big honk'n chunks of bad cheese>