Question 1

Which type of event/paddle is right for me?

Accepted Answer

Small Group Paddles are perfect for new paddlers as a way to learn the basic skills of paddling, but are also fun for more advanced paddlers who would like to get out on the water alongside some of our volunteer paddle leaders. We will mostly stay in the basin, but the volunteer paddle leaders are able to take groups outside of the basin to explore a bit more of the shoreline based on the abilities of the group. 
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Guided Group Paddles are geared more towards experienced paddlers who can be out on the water for an hour or more at a time. 
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Saturday Afternoon Jamboree This is a volunteer-enabled array of activities that many/can include: Bird-watching, Kayak skill drills, Aquatic games, Yoga, Dance, Music Birthday and other celebrations important to the Community. The Cove on Saturday - what do you want to do? Let us know.

Kayaking is a strenuous activity for everyone including our volunteers. To keep all safe please be aware of these guidelines:
You must be healthy, of sound mind & body, possessing a fitness level that allows  you to safely operate your kayak without assistance.
You must understand the current weather/water conditions may change while out on the water.
You must wear a fastened personal floatation vest at all times while on the water.  If not, you can be denied participation if any of our Volunteer Paddle Leaders feels there is an issue while on site.
You must follow ALL instructions of our Volunteer Paddle Leaders.

Question 2

What is an "Open Paddle"?

Accepted Answer

Please note that we are changing the format of our programming and we are NOT running any Open Paddles for the 2026 Season.

Open Paddles are perfect for new paddlers as a way to build your paddling skills at your own pace. Our Open Paddles are also open to more experienced paddlers who want to enjoy Jamaica Bay in a non-scheduled setting.

During our "open paddles" there is no set time that you need to arrive or how long you can stay out on the water (provided you are back at the boathouse and have taken your boat out of the water before our closing time).

Most people generally go out on the water for about an hour or so during the open paddles.  This gets people out on the water, but helps ensure that we have boats available for all the people who want to get out on the water on a given day. Please note that there is a one hour limit on how long you may keep a boat out on the water.

Question 3

What is a "Guided Group Paddle"?

Accepted Answer

Guided Group Paddles are geared more towards experienced paddlers who can be out on the water for an hour or more at a time.

Question 4

What is a "Small Group Paddle"?

Accepted Answer

Small Group Paddles are perfect for new paddlers as a way to learn the basic skills of paddling, but are also fun for more advanced paddlers who would like to get out on the water alongside some of our volunteer paddle leaders. We will mostly stay in the basin, but the volunteer paddle leaders are able to take groups outside of the basin to explore a bit more of the shoreline based on the abilities of the group.

Question 5

What is the Jamaica Bay Jamboree?

Accepted Answer

This is a volunteer-enabled array of activities that many/can include: Bird-watching, Kayak skill drills, Aquatic games, Yoga, Dance, Music Birthday and other celebrations important to the Community. The Cove on Saturday - what do you want to do? Let us know.

Question 6

How do I register for an event/paddle?

Accepted Answer

Registration is done via Eventbrite. Please see Paddle Schedule page for a full listing of our current events/paddles
Each Registration is individual and for a single seat. 
​This to maximize the seating and to ensure that each paddle can go out with as little if not zero empty seats.
Kayaking is a group sport and we all are happy when we meet new friends enjoying new experiences out in nature.
Our Volunteer Paddle Leader's will try to accommodate all requests for attendees who want to have a "single" kayak to themself and for attendees who would like to have a "double" kayak together, but due to the limited number of boats that we have on hand and the popularity of some of our events we cannot guarantee your seating requests will be able to be accommodated.  All decisions will be up to the Volunteer Paddle Leaders at any individual event and their decisions are final.
During registration you are asked for your email address. This is done to send you reminders of your upcoming event or to be able to conveniently communicate any changes in the event such as weather related  or water condition info that might cause the trip to be cancelled or modified.  We will never sell  nor use your email address for purposes other than communicating info about Community Boathouse.

Question 7

How do I cancel my registration for an event/paddle?

Accepted Answer

In the Eventbrite app if you click on your "orders" you should be able to find the event that you want to cancel your registration to and under the three dots at the top of the page one of the options should say "cancel order". 
If you are trying to do it from the Eventbrite website it's a pretty similar process, but I believe the option to "cancel order" is on the left side of the page.

Question 8

How old do I have to be to participate?

Accepted Answer

Participants over 18 years old: Must know how to swim to take out a single kayak.  Participants aged 16-17: Must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian on the water.  Participants aged 10-16: Must share a kayak with an adult. Children aged under 10: For safety and liability reasons, no children under the age of 10 are permitted on kayaks or stand-up paddles unless  participating in a supervised training event specifically programmed to include them. Everyone who participates is required to wear an appropriately sized, coast guard type III life jacket/PFD at all times while out on the water. note - type III life jackets are not rated for children. There is a separate YOUTH type of coast guard type life jacket for children.

Question 9

Do I have to know how to swim to participate?

Accepted Answer

Participants over 18 years old: Must know how to swim to take out a single kayak.  
Participants aged 16-17: Must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian on the water.  
Participants aged 10-16: Must share a kayak with an adult. 
Children aged under 10: For safety and liability reasons, no children under the age of 10 are permitted on kayaks or stand-up paddles unless  participating in a supervised training event specifically programmed to include them.

Community Boathouse does not offer any learn to swim programming, but we have included some info below from local groups that do offer such programs:

https://ymcanyc.org/locations/rockaway-ymca/programs-classes/swimming/swim-lessons

https://www.risingtideeffect.org/

https://www.nycgovparks.org/reg/learn-to-swim

Question 10

What happens in bad weather?

Accepted Answer

We typically will be closed during times of current or threatening inclement weather or seas that are unsafe and can cut short or cancel any events even if already launched.
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No on water activities shall be undertaken under adverse weather conditions that pose an additional threat  to safety. These conditions include, but are not limited to, thunderstorms, heavy rain, lightning storm  activity, high winds (above 12 MPH), low water temperatures (below 50 degrees F.) and strong wave  activity (white caps visible).

The decision to cut short or cancel an event is up to the The Volunteer Paddle Leaders running an event.  They are focused on safety first for ALL and have complete discretion as to if/when to cut short or cancel an event. Volunteers on-site make all the decisions and they are final.

Question 11

What Equipment do you have available?

Accepted Answer

Life Jackets (also called Personal Floatation Devices or PFD's): We have a number of life jackets of varying sizes (including some youth PFD's).  Everyone who participates is required to wear an appropriately sized, US coast guard type III life jacket/PFD at all times while out on the water. note - Type III life jackets are not rated for children. There is a separate YOUTH type of coast guard type life jacket for children. note - The USCG has updated their system to move from the "types" that were previously used to a numbered rating system.  You can find more information about the new system and how to convert from the old system to the new system here. Most of the life jackets that we have are either:Adult 'Universal' to fit a chest that is 30"-52"Youth to fit a chest that is 25"-29" and suitable for a child who weighs 50-90 pounds. Kayaks: We have a number of kayaks with either a single seat and double seats. All of our kayaks are sit-on-top style. Paddles: We have a number of paddles of varying lengths.  The general rule of thumb to find out what size/length of paddle you should use is to stand up straight, extend one arm above your head, and hook your fingers over an imaginary paddle. Your paddle should be about that length.stand-up paddle boards (SUPs):  We have a limited number of stand-up paddle boards.  Some are inflatables, and others are rigid boards.

Question 12

Is Bay Breeze Park under construction?

Accepted Answer

Kinda......As of August 2026 NYC Parks has now opened the park and playground at Bay Breeze Park, but the construction of the new boathouse building has not yet been completed.  We are in discussion with NYC Parks and hope to provide an update as soon as we know anything further.  ____________________________________________________________________________________NYC Parks is in the process of updating Bay Breeze Park (the park that our shipping containers are stored at and where we run most of our events from at the corner of Beach 88th St. and Beach Channel Drive).  Construction began in September of 2023 and was planned to last for approximately one year.  Our kayak storage containers were moved to an alternate site (Vernam Barbadoes Preserve (at the corner of Amstel Blvd. and Beach 75th St.).  As of August 2026, We will likely operate from that location for the remainder of the Summer 2026 paddling season.  If you would like further information on the work that is planned for Bay Breeze Park you can find it on the NYC Parks website here: https://www.nycgovparks.org/planning-and-building/capital-project-tracker/project/8970

Question 13

Why is Community Boathouse not operating at Riis Landing any longer?

Accepted Answer

The National Park Service had graciously been allowing us to store some equipment at Riis Landing for the last few years.  Prior to the beginning of the 2025 paddling season, they let us know that they will be using that space to run some of their own programming, so we will not be operating from that space any longer.

Frequently asked questions