Who's NOT boating this season due to COVID?

Oh hell no. We’re moving back to Florida and if you wanna find me I’ll be at a sandbar or island on the intercostal.
Look for the hairy white guy smoking a cigar. :cool:
Damn your a hard one. Drink one for me.
 
I was kidding for the most part....this time of year I am only focused on getting the boat in the water.... been doing it for years....
Right now myself and my employees are going to work as an essential business ordered by the government... so its a bit confusing ….stay at home....no ..get up and go to work.... I have two nurses as daughters and my wife works Part time in a pediatricians office... stay at home ….no ..get up and go to work.

Trump touched on it the other day.... Do you shut the whole country down or let parts back open.... I wouldn't open a bar in New York right now but I would allow landscapers to work in Indiana.... and like Illinois I would allow Marinas to be open....not downtown Chicago but in no where Ohio....why not ?

I get it....its better to shelter in place ….but for how long and at what cost?

Landscapers are still working around here.
 
Fortunately, I'm in the water year round - but haven't been to the boat in almost two weeks. I was going to go down this weekend, low 80's and perfect weather - until I spoke to a couple of dock mates. They said it was packed like the Fourth of July weekend. I asked how the social distancing was going and just got a blushing emoji reply. Ummmm…...no thanks. Have responsibilities for family and myself - not going around a bunch of people drinking with a busy marina. Might try to get up there in the next couple of days just to check on the boat, but I'm not going to push the envelope, it's simply not worth the potential consequences - there are things more important at hand.
 
I can go to my boat and walk from the parking lot to the boat and back and in many cases never be within 20' of another person and that's if I'm not trying to avoid them.
 
They're supposed to turn the water on at our marina tomorrow but the wind will be blowing like crazy. I don't like to wash the boat or do much of anything outside in 20-25mph winds.

Tomorrow I get chemo #2 so should still feel pretty good Wednesday and the wind won't be blowing on Wednesday so that will be my day to start washing the boat. Thursday the wind won't be blowing so I may get some time in Thursday a.m. before the chemo crap kicks in and I have to quit.

That's OK, plenty of time to wash the girl.
 
I got my boat out of storage back in January. Took it to a marine outfit and had a new 9.9 suzuki installed as a trolling motor. Took about a week. Brought it home and installed new seats. Found some problems. Sterndrive won't go down, stern nav light doesn't work. Started diagnosing, ordered parts and then the proverbial stuff hit the fan here in Washington. So had to stay home stay safe.

I use the Army's marina at Fort Lewis. Usually opens April 1. They usually notify us in early March. Not a peep. Checked their website, say closed for next two weeks. I think it will be longer than that. Everything on Base is locked down except essential services. So boat is back in storage. Besides the weather is really crappy. We had everything from beautiful sunshine to a hail storm today. Still raining as I write. Forecasts aren't exactly promising. Besides my wife and I are in that vulnerable age category. Have been out only once in three weeks, to buy groceries and propane. Looking at being self isolated for another month or more.
 
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Definitely boating this season. Our marina is however closed and not allowing anyone on the premises. CT says marinas are essential yet our marina is closed while others are busy launching boats. Frustrating but I get it. Their looking out for their employees and patrons while we get this thing under some semblance of control. They may start working on boats again soon but I'm not overly confident being in before May. We have 40 hours of labor needed on the boat so we will be way behind. It sure would be nice to social distance on the boat.
 
We are going to try this Saturday. They are only launching boats at 15 min intervals, and you have 15 minutes to get on your boat. They are limiting the number of launches so people can keep their distance. Will just be my “quaranteam”, which is my wife and second daughter, and we are required to stay 50 ft away from other boats at anchor. Of course, this could all change, haven’t checked the weather yet, can’t schedule the launch until Thursday per marina.
 
I'm on my boat right now. I've been here exclusively for the last week. Our marina is not technically closed but the marina office is so there are no services available. I found a working spigot on a maintenance shed at the top of our dock so I ran 400ft of hose down the dock to my boat for water. I have all I need. They are supposed to turn on the water tomorrow, but obviously that's not happening. The marina is pretty much a ghost town right now, so there's probably no safer spot to shelter in place than in my own Happy Place.
 
As it stands now. DE has closed the border to hot of staters unless you quarantine for 14 days and MD has banned all recreational boating, including kayaks, until further notice. So that pretty much rules out much of anything for the next 6-8 weeks at least.
 
Boating in our area has never been more active -- compared to any time of the year. Nothing better to do, what with the lockdown/social distancing. Only so much TV one can watch.

Boats that never leave the dock are now underway! Of course, some should not be underway. Yesterday we had a ~40'er anchored in our canal because one engine was overheating, the other pumping water into the bilge. TowBoatUS came in an hour and took them home.

Silver lining for boaters. Social distancing at the gas dock, etc.
 
I called the storage facility last week to schedule a pickup and am set to pick it up tomorrow morning. They emailed me a docusign and I paid the balance of my bill over the phone. I had to print out a paper they emailed me that shows my name and my spot. When I get there in the morning I hold the paper up to my window for the workers to see then I follow them to my boat. No interaction needed. BUT...they just announced that my county is in lockdown about 30 minutes ago. And the county the storage facility is in is in lockdown It's only about 5 miles from my house so still planning to go get it but won't be making any stops anywhere along the way. Brining it back home and it will sit in the driveway until we figure out what our summer will be like. At least I can get everything done on it I need to. And I don't think leaving it in there is an option as they would likely continue charging me every month.
 
Ok, I am going to need a plan B. A midnight run, so to speak. My boat is about 300-400 yards from the launch ramp. But on blocks. I need a trailer and a big ass truck (or someone who could hotwire the marina's). Would need to do it at night. Anyone? :)

This fkg sux.
 
My situation is yet unknown... the Corps has closed all of the campgrounds and picnic/playgrounds around the lake, but the launch ramps are still open. The marina owners have not said anything. Normal opening is mid to late April, so there's still time.
 
My situation is yet unknown... the Corps has closed all of the campgrounds and picnic/playgrounds around the lake, but the launch ramps are still open. The marina owners have not said anything. Normal opening is mid to late April, so there's still time.

Strike while no one is looking. Launch and get your slip. Apologize later.
 
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State of Washington governor is threatening to prohibit boating.
 
View attachment 81353 State of Washington governor is threatening to prohibit boating.
Things like that, as well as closing public parks and such, is going to cause a revolt. I can socially isolate on my boat. I can socially isolate in the state park that surrounds my boat. Let them police and break up the large groups. But keeping us cooped up in our homes is bullchit.
 
I was thinking about buying another boat this year but I am not sure now. If I do maybe start fishing again, well float out on the lake with the pole in the water all day. I don't think island hopping is going to be a good idea this year.
 

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