Who's NOT boating this season due to COVID?

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Covid-19 and Boating in the Northwest


Our readers have been asking about the current status regarding boating during the Covid-19 pandemic – the “Stay-at-Home Directive” applies to boating activities. The Canada/US border is closed to all non-essential travel. Washington State Parks and BC Parks have closed their facilities and services, and Washington State DNR lands and services are also closed. Many marinas in Washington State and British Columbia are closed to guest moorage, or are in the process of closing. Most of the Fuel docks remain open and are considered a necessity for essential commercial vessel activity. Pleasure vessels may use the fuel docks, but be prepared to follow policies, such as a limit on the number of boats/people allowed to purchase fuel at one time.

The March 25th “Stay-at-Home Directive” applies to all non-essential travel. BC as well as Washington State have issued “Stay-at-Home Directives.” It is important that we all do what is needed to stop this pandemic. The sooner we stay home, the sooner we can get back to boating. We all love being out on the water, but now is not the time. We don’t want to place additional burdens on first-responders and emergency services, attending to boaters that find themselves in trouble.

The good news is that this will pass with time. As things start to open up, check back at waggonerguide.com for the current status regarding border crossings, the reopening of marinas, and access to marine parks.
 
joeyleggz said:
That’s crazy where are you? first report I heard of something like that the Marina’s all around me are launching boats every day
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My cousin is in charge of 100 or so parks in Florida. He said there all closed! Been driving around kicking people out. Signs up, tape , gates closed and people still walking around. Boat ramps are closed. He’s a boater and also said the rule in the water is 50 feet apart no rafting. He said a lot of people aren’t listening and thinks that will be shut down today.
 
The information was sent to me by someone in BC but it was from the waggonerguide.com a boating guide published in Washington. They have a new book each year and it is good. We find them to be accurate. If you are a west coast boater you probably know about them if not get their book if you go out of your comfort area.
 
So far boating is a permitted activity in NC. LKN was very crowded on Saturday. My marina is only fueling one boat at time to maintain social distancing. Long wait for fuel. I filled both tanks on Saturday just in case. I didn't see anyone rafting up but there were some boats that looked pretty crowded. Hard to stay 6' apart when you have 8 people on a deck boat.
 
I spent a little time at my mostly deserted marina yesterday. It was a beautiful spring day and made it easy to forget what is happening in the world. Managed to pressure wash the boat and started polishing and waxing above the RR. I found it all extremely therapeutic.

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I just paid for my boat storage in Washington. They are putting boats in the water but said all marine parks are closed.
 
I got my time to splash call today.... I said I cant be there until Thursday...they weren't happy...2 phone calls back and forth later and they agreed. I am going outside on the hard for a few weeks though. I don't trust the rising water and I still have waxing I can do.... getting close :)
 
marina called me today finally after 2 weeks of sending emails and phone messages.They plan to reopen monday the 13th. Hopefully the governoress wont extend that part of the lockdown.
 
Our forecast is looking good for this upcoming weekend and I plan to go tie to a dock and sit on my boat overnight for the first trip this year. I do not have to see nor interact with a soul...
 
No boating here and no realistic timeline to things being back to normal. My boat is in the Thousand Islands in Rockport, Ontario. The marina is open for maintenance as an essential service, but there is no access for boat owners. There is prep happening on boats. The closure is mandated by the province, with very large fines possible, especially for Corporations (up to $10 million plus $500K and a year in jail for directors) for not complying if they are not an essential service.

Even if the marinas were open, individuals are not supposed be out of their houses unless absolutely necessary; boating isn't considered absolutely necessary. I'm not a fan of this policy, and I can see a case for isolating on a fully self-sufficient boat, but I do see the logic. The purpose is they are trying to reduce all other forms of emergencies or situations that would require response by the same systems and people that are dealing with COVID-19 cases.

If you can go boating then campers should be allowed to camp, motocrossers allowed to ride their dirt bikes, etc. If the superset of all these types of enthusiasts are doing their things, our emergency responders will get calls, maybe even more than typical since a lot of people aren't at work...
 
1956olds said:
marina called me today finally after 2 weeks of sending emails and phone messages.They plan to reopen monday the 13th. Hopefully the governoress wont extend that part of the lockdown.
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NY Governor extended stay at home till April 29th:(, But we have to do it so we can all enjoy our summer.
 
WA's Office of Superintendent of Public Schools cancelled all in-class school for the rest of the year.

Lots of unanswered questions raised by all of this and I'm certainly not smart enough to have the answers.
 
So far so good for me on LKN. I've been out on my boat the last two weekends. They have organized the dry storage so one boat get's launch and retrieved at a time and there are no dockhands so you have to move your boat yourself to / from the lift area. There is one person there running the lift. When you come back in if you can't space out enough at the docks, he asks you to wait. I had no problem staying far away from everyone and no one is touching your boat, lines anything. Now, if you can't handle your boat you might have a problem. For fuel, you call during the week (fuel dock is closed), they have a pump on land that they use for the lifts etc - they pull your boat out of the rack, fuel it and charge your credit card - they fueled my boat for me today.
 
Today government of some province in the Netherlands closed all marinas for recreation and maintenance. Our marina is one of those province. Probably Affraid of the Easter crowds. For sure after Easter it’s not gonna change.
Also forbidden to go out with your boat to another province.

Tomorrow gonna empty refrigerator, watertank etc.
I understand all of the regulations but damn this hurts...
 
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