Will We Be Sailing or Not This Season?

[MHBsailor]

Someone recently posted that they didn't think that we would be able to sail this upcoming season (I'm presuming they were speaking of North American sailing). I'm not convinced that we won't, and certain types of sailing lends itself to social distancing.

First, the owner of my boatyard said that as long as boat owners maintain their social distance they can work on their boats. Some states consider the marine industry as "essential" in their social distancing proclamations. I can't see the recommended travel restrictions being in effect throughout the entire summer, as most if not all of the regional peaks will hopefully have wound down by Memorial Day or early June. Even if some form of social distancing is in effect after then:

For those who have trailerable smaller boats, they can launch and haul themselves while social distancing.

For those with boats on a mooring and their boat is on a trailer that requires a marina to step the mast and launch, they can do their boat prep at home, haul their boat to the marina, the marina steps the mast and launches the boat without them, they come back and retrieve the trailer and take the boat out to its mooring for the season. As long as they've got a way to get out to the boat they should be all set.

The only class of boaters that I could see possibly losing out on part or all of the season are those who are at slips or clubs.

If all else fails, I've still got a kayak too which I can launch from anywhere and is a great way to get exercise while socially distancing

[Jim Walsh]

I was launched on March 30th. Essentially because I thought I’d be sailing to Bermuda in a couple weeks. Since the outbreak of the pandemic and the closure of all the borders has ended those plans, I still wanted to get launched before such activities might cease. Now I can make use of Orion in some fashion, even if I were not allowed to leave my slip.

[tjr818]

What a beautiful boat. I don't see any tie between the two lifting straps The bow section of our Cape Dorys can be mighty slippery, apparently Orion survived. Enjoy what you can this season. Slainte.

[Jim Walsh]

What a beautiful boat. I don't see any tie between the two lifting straps The bow section of our Cape Dorys can be mighty slippery, apparently Orion survived. Enjoy what you can this season. Slainte.

The tie between the two lifting straps is on the starboard side. That is mandatory with all the full keel boats. I’ve seen them slip myself...even when tied.

[Carl Thunberg]

I guess I'm one of the lucky ones who keeps their boat on my own mooring that I access from my own dock. My launch date is June 5th only because my standing rigging is sitting in my shop while I learn how to work with Sta-Lok fittings. I will definitely be sailing this season with new standing rigging and new sails.

[Jim Walsh]

Those Sta Lok fittings are great. I used them when I replaced my standing rigging several years ago. After the first one is done the remainder are easy and fast to secure. There is some controversy over being dry fit or adding a dollop of caulk to the socket to fill the void to keep water out. Since I live in an area which has severe winter weather it was a no brainer. I enjoyed the process. My two forestay’s have standard swaged fittings since I have roller furling on my staysail and headsail. The rare chance of torquing the furling foil could ostensibly cause the Sta Lok fitting to unscrew....or so I’ve read....so the evidence is purely anecdotal.

[Brimag]

Our marina launching boats now. Don't see any reason not to use in my situation with my wife. The dilemma is with friends and family. I'm going in at the end of May, hopefully this will just be a bad memory by then!!!

[s2sailorlis]

Here in Connecticut, my club is closed so I’d need to tow my 22 from club to my house. Currently town marina where she berths is closed. I’m thinking July to get her in. I’ll keep it on the hard of this extends to August.

[Steve Laume]

This would be the year to skip a season and do some major work on your boat. I missed a season the year before last and this would have been a better year for it. Raven wintered wet this year, so she is in the water. I need to get down and load sails and gear then I could be sailing any day. There will be no trip to Newfoundland this year. The plan is to do a couple of shorter trips to Maine and around Cape Cod. If each trip is only around two weeks I shouldn't have to do much in the way of re supplying while away. I tend to spend most of my time ashore, hiking the beaches or trails so I will be well away from other people. It will be very interesting to see how full, normally crowded anchorages are this year.

Stay safe, Steve.

[Paul D.]

It is up in the air for us on Wester Lake Superior. Since our boat is berthed in a rural county, they don't have much in the way of health care services so have been asking people with cabins to stay home, for now at least. We'll see how that is enforced as their main source of income is tourist/cabin based. No one here launches til May either way. Good luck and I hope we each have a sailing season.

[Neil Gordon]

Marina Bay, on Boston Harbor, is open. They've asked for social distancing in the parking lot and coming and going to the boats. Once on board, there's sufficient space between those on board on boat and those on boats in neighboring slips. I think we can operate more or less as usual, including getting assistance from neighbors with dock lines.

Not sure what cruising plans will be like, where we'd typically be on moorings, although we could opt for the dinghy instead of the launch.

[wsonntag]

Maryland has a full recreational boating ban in effect accept for those harvesting seafood for sustenance. So always be brandishing a crab net. Maryland has designated marine operations as essential so boatyards are staying open at their discretion. We've been aboard our CD31 in her slip several times doing maintenance work. As long as we don't leave the slip and we're the only ones aboard, we feel we are honoring both the active boating ban and the social distancing requirements. We are more than 6 feet from our fellow boaters even if they were on the adjacent boats which they are not. I can't remember when I have pined so for some hours sailing.....

[kerrydeare]

... my standing rigging is sitting in my shop while I learn how to work with Sta-Lok fittings ...

I have spares for Sta-Lok so PM to me if interested.

[John Stone]

Orion looks marvelous. Jim. That’s got to feel great to have her back in her element.

Enjoying your sailing Steve L. I’m envious.

[GeorgeH]

In New York the governor has declared the "use of boat launches and marinas for recreational vessels is not considered essential." So I assume most LI marinas will be shut down until the order is lifted.

I might just keep Spartina on the hard this sailing season and do some long needed maintenance. Probably will do a lot more day sailing on my '16 Snipe instead.

-George