Last night was party pre-launch for OutdoorFest 2015 (starts next week) and part Mappy Hour at NY Distilling Co in Williamsburg Brooklyn. The presenter for the night was Tom Potter, the co-founder of NY Distilling Co as well as the President of Brooklyn Kayak Guides. Tom gave us a run down of the ways to get outside in NYC via kayak. He was very clear with one main message: if you love the outdoors and don’t go kayaking in NYC, you’re missing out.
1. Walk up and join in
There are quite a few boathouses in New York City that offer free paddling throughout the summer. You just walk up, sign a waiver and hop right in. Here’s our Guide to Free Kayaking.
2: Get involved
The free kayaking is great as a taste but often limited to 20-30 minute time slots in limited areas near the boathouses. If you want to get out and kayak to the Verrazano or up the Hudson a great option is actually becoming a member of a boathouse. You pay dues and put in time volunteering then get to meet a great community and explore further by kayak. The New York Water Trails Association has a list of NYC Boathouses.
3. Learn from the pros
The third option is to dive right in and get lessons from professional kayak guides. There are three outfitters in New York City that offer this (from beginner to advanced):
Brooklyn Kayak Guides | Manhattan Kayak Company | NY Kayak Company
Yes, it costs a bit more than option 1 or 2 but you will definitely see the returns in your improvement.
Tom also introduced us to Kayak Polo – a growing sport in NYC that involves playing a water polo type game in kayaks.
Thanks to everyone who came last night!
