Over the recent months, Hudson River Paddlers Guild, working with the United States Coast Guard, New York Water Taxi and other local maritime commercial and safety enforcement organizations, along with a number of local paddling orgs, has been seeking a way to improve safe interaction between paddlers, rowers and commercial traffic on the Hudson and surrounding waters.

The idea of "Captains and Paddlers Day" is to create a forum for quality face time between people from our various boating communities and the local maritime commercial and safety enforcement folk, including the USCG, NYPD Harbor, FDNY, New York Water Taxi, NY Waterway, Circle Line, and many others. We'll introduce them to our safety procedures and protocols, and discuss topics such as visibility, ferry crossings, and  issues that concern us all.  We'll demonstrate recovery and rescue drills in the afternoon, and invite some captains into kayaks.

Please see below for a draft outline of day.

Due to the strong organizational support of Tom Fox at New York Water Taxi and the USCG's Harbor Safety, Navigation and Operations Committee, Passenger Vessel Sub-committee, we anticipate that most of the local commercial and safety enforcement agencies will be represented, including  the USCG, NYPD Harbor, FDNY, HRPT Park Marine Enforcement, NY Waterway Ferry, Spirit Cruises, Statue Cruises, Port Authority NYNJ, Circle Line, Seastreak, and other passenger and working vessels.

If you row or paddle these waters and want to be part of the dialogue, please attend!

For insurance and logistical reasons this event is by invitation only. Please RSVP to "CaptainsAndPaddlers@HRPG.net”

C&P DAY SCHEDULE (Draft)
Pier 66 (26th St. & Hudson River)
Saturday, May 17th (Rain date Sunday, May 18th)

10:00 am – 10:30 am  Breakfast, Registration
10:30 am – 12:30 pm  Moderated Discussion  

DISCUSSION TOPICS TO INCLUDE:
Basic Kayak and Gig Safety Equipment
Who We Are Out There
Rules of the Road
Ferry Terminal Crossings
Visibility Issues, Day and Night
Radios: General Protocol – ship to ship, Local Channels, Emergency Protocol
What Captains Should Know About Paddlers
What Paddlers Should Know About Captains

12:30 pm - 1:30 pm Light Lunch, Prep for Demos
1:30 pm - 2:30pm Recovery & Rescue Demos, Captains in Kayaks