Joseph Kenneally, board member; Kathy Torchia, treasurer; and Dennis Pitts, board member of the Hudson River Historic Boat Restoration & Sailing Society have a moment of joviality as they take a look at the long awaited Torqeedo electric motor which will power sailboat Eleanor when and if the wind dies while sailing on the Hudson River. 

Register Star

Sailboat Eleanor powered by wind and a motor

November 15,2018

The Columbia Paper

Sailboat gets a new motor, just in case

November 15,2018

HUDSON — Breaking from history, the 1903 Sailboat Eleanor will be powered by the wind and for the first time a motor. Research on the best and most environmentally friendly motor began in March 2018. Clean electric energy as designed by the German engineering company Torqeedo was selected to be the auxilliary motor of choice. As guests of all interests and ages will be on board for afternoon sails during the boating season, it is essential to have the Torqeedo motor which will provide enough power to move Eleanor against the tide when needed.

Eleanor, owned by the Hudson River Historic Boat Restoration & Sailing Society, is being restored at 99 South Front St., in the appropriately named Antique Warehouse. In the seventh year of an eight year project, Eleanor will be launched once again next summer as she was for several decades by Mike Aguiar at Riverview Marine in Catskill. The transportation from Hudson to Catskill is being provided by Anderson Boat Transport as their gift to the not for profit organization. The all volunteer crew promises to have Eleanor ready for launch, however restoration of a 1903 sailboat brings unexpected surprises just as does any sail on the Hudson River.

Funding for the $9,732 motor came from a $5,000 Hudson River Bank & Trust Foundation grant, a $1,000 grant from the Alexander & Marjorie Hover Foundation, Germantown, and from members and friends of the organization. The planned launch in June brings a different set of circumstances and challenges from the out of water restoration process and the challenges that have gone with that work. The organization now turns to address the rigging process and the purchase of the hardware, wire ropes, mast hoops, and blocks that will be needed to safely rigg Eleanor. Again, thanks to the generosity of friends and members, money has been put aside for the specially designed sails. All of the fixed expenses and all other related expenses for lumber, fastenings, supplies and tools have been provided for with funding from fund raisers, Hudson River Improvement Fund grants, the Bank of Greene County, and local businesses. The on water safety, captain licensing, registration, dockage, and insurance requirements and on going fund raising are all components of the next phase of the project. A boat is like a house. A boat needs work and care always.

If you would like to contribute to the Hudson River Historic Boat Restoration & Sailing Society, you may contribute on the website, www.hudsonriverhistoricboat through paypal, or by writing a check made out to HRHB and addressed to Hudson River Historic Boat, State Route 23 B, Stop 13, Hudson, New York 12534. To get started with helping in the last of the restoration steps, email eleanorrestorationproject@gmail.com or call 518 828 7884J