The Yonkers Paddling and Rowing Club (YPRC) will offer free kayaking at JFK Marina in Yonkers from 4 to 7 p.m. every Thursday from June 18 to August 27, 2015, as well as two Sundays, July 26 and August 30, from 1 to 5 p.m. The free program has steadily gained momentum since it began in 2006, says John Maggioto, YPRC commodore. “In the summer of 2014, our free public kayaking put over 1,050 youth and adults on the water—a threefold increase from the summer of 2013,” he says. “We expanded our program to meet this need.”   

Individuals can sign up online or in person as long as space is available. YPRC encourages groups of eight or more to register in advance at YPRC.org. The free sessions last approximately 30 minutes. YPRC provides all equipment, including boats (single and double sit-on-top kayaks), life jackets and paddles. It also provides safety-trained volunteers on and off the water in a protected cove at JFK Marina to ensure that every participant has a safe, rewarding experience.

“It’s harder than you’d think to kayak in the Hudson if you don’t have your own boat, if you’re just beginning, without spending a lot of money,” says YPRC member Cathy Bobenhausen. “Community groups like Nepperhan Community Center, the scouts, and Yonkers Bike Club bring people to YPRC’s free public kayaking. I love to see how much fun families and young people have kayaking for their first time, and how they progress as they keep coming back.”

For more info, visit yprc.org or email [email protected].