- New York Water Taxi
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New York Water Taxi 
Locale New York City Waterway East River, Flushing Bay, Harlem River, Hell Gate, Hudson River, New York Harbor, Buttermilk Channel, Erie Basin, Upper New York Bay, The Narrows, Lower New York Bay, Raritan Bay, Rockaway Inlet, Sandy Hook Bay, West Channel Transit type Water taxi Operator New York Water Taxi Began operation September 25, 2002[1] No. of lines 13 No. of vessels 12 No. of terminals 11 Daily ridership Approximately 1,370 Owner Douglas Durst
Helena DurstWebsite http://www.nywatertaxi.com/ New York Water Taxi New York Water Taxi is a water taxi service based in Red Hook, Brooklyn offering commuter and sightseeing service mainly to points along the East River and Hudson River. It is one of several private operators of ferries, sightseeing boats, and water taxis in the Port of New York and New Jersey.
On November 3, 2008, New York Water Taxi purchased Circle Line Downtown, a cruise and sightseeing company that operates on the New York Harbor, and together with Water Taxi Beach formed the Harbor Experience Companies.[2] On June 21, 2010, the Durst Organization purchased New York Water Taxi and Circle Line Downtown, with Water Taxi Beach operations handed over to former New York Water Taxi co-president Tom Fox, and the Harbor Experience Companies name discontinued.[3]
Contents
Vessels
New York Water Taxi operates a fleet of 12 vessels of four distinct types with most of them being named for what the company refers to as "New York's civic heroes".[3] The 67.1-foot (20.5 m) Ed Rogowsky, Gene Flatow, Marian S Heiskell, Sam Holmes, and Seymour B. Durst vessels built from 2005 to 2008 by the Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding Corporation are capable of carrying up to 149 passengers at a speed of 26 knots. The 53.3-foot (16.2 m) Curt Berger, John Keith, Michael Mann, Mickey Murphy, and Schuyler Meyer Jr. vessels built from 2002 to 2003 by Robert E. Derecktor Connecticut Shipyards, LLC are capable of carrying up to 74 passengers at 24 knots.[4] The 95-foot (29 m) American Princess built in 1988 by Breaux Brothers Enterprises can carry up to 250 passengers, while the 120-foot (37 m) American Princess II is capable of carrying up to 288 passengers.[5] All vessels can sustain massive amounts of abuse from the elements, and every vessel (except for the American Princess and American Princess II, which are monohulled) is a catamaran.
Commuter service
New York Water Taxi currently operates one commuter service:
- The IKEA Express Service serving:
- Wall Street at the Financial District in Manhattan
- IKEA in Red Hook, Brooklyn
Seasonal services
During the summer, New York Water Taxi operates seasonal services. New York Beach Ferry service connects slips along the East River in Manhattan with beaches at Jacob Riis Park at Roxbury, Queens. Hop-on/Hop-off services serve various slips along the East River, Hudson River, and New York Harbor within the city.
All services run on weekends and holidays, with NYHarborWay Brooklyn/Manhattan Express Service also provided on Fridays:
New York Beach Ferry
Hop-on/Hop-off services
- The NYHarborWay Brooklyn/Manhattan Express Service serving:
- Fulton Ferry Landing in Brooklyn
- South Street Seaport (Water Taxi Beach) at the Financial District in Manhattan
- Governors Island (Water Taxi Beach) (Fridays and Holidays only)
- Atlantic Avenue (Brooklyn Bridge Park) in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn
- The Statue of Liberty Downtown Express Service serving:
- South Street Seaport (Water Taxi Beach) at the Financial District in Manhattan
- Fulton Ferry Landing in Brooklyn
- West 44th Street (Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum) in Clinton, Manhattan
- Battery Park in Battery Park City, Manhattan
Water Taxi Beach
Water Taxi Beach at Governor's Island and South Street Seaport is open in conjunction with events at the locations, access provided by ferry.[6]
Other services
New York Water Taxi also provides sightseeing tours of the East River, Hudson River and New York Harbor. Special events services connect slips along the East River in Manhattan with Citi Field, Icahn Stadium, the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Yankee Stadium, and Water Taxi Beach locations at Governors Island and Hunters Point.
Gallery
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A boat drydocked at a maintenance marina in Tottenville, Staten Island
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A Hop-on/Hop-off boat leaves the Fulton Ferry Landing during the taping of reality TV show Fat March
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Boats moored at New York Water Taxi's storage facility in Red Hook, Brooklyn near New York Water Taxi's former ferry slip behind the Fairway Market
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Marians Heiskell departs the storage facility in Red Hook
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The Schuyler Meyer Jr. arriving at the Wall Street Ferry Pier
References
- ^ "New York City Water Taxi Company Takes Off". Associated Press. October 21, 2002. http://wirednewyork.com/forum/showpost.php?p=269&postcount=3. Retrieved 2010-03-27.
- ^ Grace, Melissa (November 3, 2008). "New York Water Taxi buys Circle Line Downtown, two boats". Daily News (New York). http://www.nydailynews.com/money/2008/11/03/2008-11-03_new_york_water_taxi_buys_circle_line_dow.html. Retrieved 2009-08-09.
- ^ a b "NY Water Taxi in talks with German firm; beaches spin-off". NewYorkology. June 21, 2010. http://www.newyorkology.com/archives/2010/06/ny_water_taxi_i.php. Retrieved 2010-07-05.
- ^ "Our Boats". New York Water Taxi. http://www.nywatertaxi.com/boats/. Retrieved 2010-07-05.
- ^ "Cruises and Charters in New York City". American Princess Cruises. http://www.americanprincesscruises.com/index.htm. Retrieved 2010-07-05.
- ^ http://watertaxibeach.com/
External links
Categories:- Companies established in 2002
- Ferries of New York City
- Ferry companies of New York City
- Tourism in New York City
- Tourist activities
- Water transportation in New York City
- Port of New York and New Jersey
- The IKEA Express Service serving:
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