Ahoy there! We know that you are driven by passion and we know it is hard during these times to stay away. Most of us dream of being allowed to get back on the water but for others, this is still a valid option.
So the question we are trying to answer is: should we use our boats during this period or not?
The simple answer is: it depends.
First of all, it all depends on the situation in your country. In some countries these activities are still allowed while in others there is a full lockdown in place meaning only essential activities are permitted such as going for grocery shopping.
If you are in a country where these activities are still permitted and only social distancing is the norm then you are one of the lucky ones. You can still go boating but with some simple to follow rules you can still keep yourself and everyone else safe. A boat is a very small and closed environment and you know very well that this creates perfect conditions for transmitting viruses.
Here are some basic rules we consider important for social distancing that apply to boaters:
- 1. Go boating only with people from your immediate household – as all other activities during these times, boating should be done only with your immediate family. We know that you love inviting friends or some relative on your boat but this time is not advised, especially because you will be spending time so close to each other and chances of infection will increase.
- 2. Keep your distance to other boats – this includes no beaching your boat next to someone else, absolutely no rafting (we know you love this). The further away you stay from others the safest you are. Keep disinfectants close by – try to use them as much as possible, especially when you go buy something and bring it back on your boat.
- 3. Keep disinfectants close by – try to use them as much as possible, especially when you go buy something and bring it back on your boat.
- 4. No unnecessary contact – indeed, we love socializing, we love to talk to other boaters. Unfortunately this time we need to stay away from these types of contacts.
- 5. Try to see the positive side – most of us need to work from home now and if you own a boat and you have good mobile connectivity you could actually stay on your boat during this time. You can work from there and enjoy some special moments with your loved ones. It could be a healthy way of dealing with this whole situation.
