Hoboken Nonprofit Plagued By Vandals, Canoes Trashed

HOBOKEN, NJ — “Posts like this are the reason Instagram needs an angry button.” That was the response of one community member after learning about ongoing vandalism taking place at the Hoboken Cove Community Boathouse (HCCB).

Oscar Hernandez, a volunteer and board member of the nonprofit HCCB, told Patch that the group woke up Friday and found a nasty surprise: somebody had chucked the amas of their outrigger canoes into the Hudson River.

According to the HCCB:

“A friend of the boathouse sent us this horrifying photo of the outrigger of Onipa'a, our OC6 canoe, thrown into the water (see below). Thanks to boathouse members and friends who rushed over to pull it out of the water. This ama, an essential piece of our outrigger canoe, was recently refurbished over the winter. Two years of donations went into the latest refurbishment. The damage is currently unknown. Now that this is proving to be a recurring situation, we are renewing our 'Protect Pukini' campaign to raise donations to help us provide the needed security to safeguard our equipment from vandals. Please help us keep the spirit of Pukini, Imua and Onipa'a alive and strong at Hoboken Cove.”

It’s the third recent act of vandalism at the boathouse in the past few months, Hernandez said, adding that police reports have been filed after each incident.

According to the HCCB, another act of vandalism took place on March 18, when one of the canoes was removed from its perch, dragged 200 feet along concrete, rocks and sand and cast into the Hudson River.

“She drifted one mile across the river where she was found the next morning by MarineMax dockhands at Chelsea Piers,” the group wrote. “They quickly mobilized a group of five to pull Pukini out of the water just as she was about to be swept under a pier.”

“We do not why it is happening but we are a target,” Hernandez said, adding that the group would like to spread the word about the vandalism in case anyone heard or saw anything suspicious.

The HCCB has also stated a fundraising campaign to install cameras in the area, which can be seen here.

According to Hernandez, each of the six-person canoes costs about $20,000. The four-person canoe that was thrown into the river runs about $15,000.

“These canoes are about 400 pounds each,” he told Patch. “It would take a group of very strong people to be able to get them off the rack, drag them across the grass, sidewalk, sand, and into the river.”

When the canoe was thrown in the river in March, the group thought it was a targeted attack because of the planning and time it would take, Hernandez said.

“This incident today pretty much confirms a group or organization may be targeting us for some reason,” Hernandez charged.

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