It's official we can now go sailing again!

Mark-1

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Vessel finder is interesting this morning. If I was going to anchor overnight I think I might have switched off my AIS transponder.

In spite of envy and temptation I think they're wrong. If people start staying away overnight many of them will be travelling long distances and spreading CV from region to region.

Staying overnight away from home feels like dropping litter or graffiti to me - one or two people can justify it on the basis it makes little difference. If 10pc of the population take that view it's a massive problem.
 

GTom

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In spite of envy and temptation I think they're wrong. If people start staying away overnight many of them will be travelling long distances and spreading CV from region to region.

Staying overnight away from home feels like dropping litter or graffiti to me - one or two people can justify it on the basis it makes little difference. If 10pc of the population take that view it's a massive problem.

Sailing-cruising isn't really the fastest way to spread anything and of course you have to use local facilities in a "dirty" manner. Not exactly the same as a caravan, reaching 300 miles a day stopping by every second public toilet...
 

Mark-1

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Sailing-cruising isn't really the fastest way to spread anything and of course you have to use local facilities in a "dirty" manner. Not exactly the same as a caravan, reaching 300 miles a day stopping by every second public toilet...

I think the problem is 'overnighting'. Fewer people will do a long round trip drive for single day exercise activity than would for a weekend or longer. Banning overnighting reduces spread between regions. (I'm not saying that's the only reason.)
 

greeny

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Unfortunately, whilst the government is trying its best to issue guidelines, "one size doesn't fit all" . If an activity not banned by law which it seems sailing or staying overnight isn't, then it is open to you managing to justify it on the basis of risk. Staying overnight in some circumstances is far safer from a covid perspective than travelling everyday. In other circumstances it may not be.
Risk assess our own situation, then follow that assessment to reduce the risk.
Don't get me wrong, I am not encouraging people to break all the rules such as distancing, meeting in large groups etc, because they clearly reduce the risk of disease spread. Staying overnight on your boat in most circumstance will also reduce the risk.
I can see the point that the more people stay overnight, the more the risk goes up of contamination. So if your boat is on anchor, mooring or a quite marina then that risk is nil. If you are in a busy marina and intend to stay there overnight, the risk goes up with the population and close proximity maybe.
Then you have to do the right thing and not stay.
All I am saying is that it's not rocket science to work it out and then act accordingly.
 

Babylon

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JumbleDuck

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In spite of envy and temptation I think they're wrong. If people start staying away overnight many of them will be travelling long distances and spreading CV from region to region.
Yes, I think the point of the holiday house / caravan / overnight on boat ban is not because spending the night somewhere particularly endangers the delicate locals more than going for the day but because it effectively rules out a lot of long distance travel.
 

DJE

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Yes, I think the point of the holiday house / caravan / overnight on boat ban is not because spending the night somewhere particularly endangers the delicate locals more than going for the day but because it effectively rules out a lot of long distance travel.
Unfortunately, whilst the government is trying its best to issue guidelines..............................All I am saying is that it's not rocket science to work it out and then act accordingly.
So why not just ban travel of more than a certain distance from home for leisure purposes? I was amazed when they lifted the travel restrictions completely.
 

Babylon

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So why not just ban travel of more than a certain distance from home for leisure purposes?

The thing can never be successfully micro-managed in such a way.

One could drive exactly half the range of one's car's tank with food from the main home to a second-home, a caravan in a field by itself, a tent or a boat, just stay there for a week, then drive back on the rest of the tank - risk close to zero. Alternatively one could messily travel twenty miles away from home, spreading disease everywhere, and repeat the same hapless journey back home at the end of the weekend.
 

matt1

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Many EUR countries put a radius of travel and seem to have been somewhat more successful than us! Lots of boats obviously sailed to Newtown very early this am to anchor for breakfast and some setting off across Lyme Bay for a day sail! Without wishing to sound like a school teacher let’s hope the actions of a few don’t spoil it for the rest of us. If we end up with infections rising again I’m sure the authorities will be quick to analyse the real outcome of unlocking various sections of society / sport - I’m sure they wouldn’t lose any sleep re-introducing a ban on water sports if people have demonstrated they can’t follows rules.
 

Graham376

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The thing can never be successfully micro-managed in such a way.
One could drive exactly half the range of one's car's tank with food from the main home to a second-home, a caravan in a field by itself, a tent or a boat, just stay there for a week, then drive back on the rest of the tank - risk close to zero. Alternatively one could messily travel twenty miles away from home, spreading disease everywhere, and repeat the same hapless journey back home at the end of the weekend.

Radius of travel has worked well in other countries where people have been restricted to their own municipality to limit virus transfer from high to low risk areas. I think unlimited travel within England could be a mistake as many won't be following personal distancing rules or isolating on a boat.
 

GTom

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I think the problem is 'overnighting'. Fewer people will do a long round trip drive for single day exercise activity than would for a weekend or longer. Banning overnighting reduces spread between regions. (I'm not saying that's the only reason.)
If you are a carrier, embarking in the Solent, you'll start showing symptoms before reaching Land's End and very likely run out of holiday time before hitting Milford - which is not less infected than Southampton anyway.
Especially if catching the thing wasn't the last item on your agenda Friday afternoon...

It's about time to learn to live with the virus and manage the risk: disinfect your hands, wear a mask where and whenever it makes sense, observe distancing.

BTW, "sleeping out" still doesn't mean migrating between regions. Simply set a radius of travel, add common sense hygiene and distancing - problem solved. The disappearance rate of the virus can only be improved if you decrease REAL transmission scenarios.
 
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JumbleDuck

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Radius of travel has worked well in other countries where people have been restricted to their own municipality to limit virus transfer from high to low risk areas. I think unlimited travel within England could be a mistake as many won't be following personal distancing rules or isolating on a boat.
On the other hand, Germany has recently started allowing travel anywhere in the country, and they seem to know what they are doing a lot better than Boris and his entourage.
 

GTom

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On the other hand, Germany has recently started allowing travel anywhere in the country, and they seem to know what they are doing a lot better than Boris and his entourage.
True. However, in Germany it's not typical that NRW residents (most infected part of the country) crowd in East-Germany this time of the year. Baltic beaches might become interesting in a couple of weeks though. Still, I think a general freedom to travel is the way to go for Britain too and protect specific areas if necessary. ie. landing on disease-free islands could be prohibited, etc.
 

Graham376

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On the other hand, Germany has recently started allowing travel anywhere in the country, and they seem to know what they are doing a lot better than Boris and his entourage.

Recent reports say numbers have increased in Germany after travel restrictions were eased. It will be interesting to see the difference in spread over the next couple of weeks, when England is compared to Scotland, Wales and N Ireland who still limit travel.
 

Bluetack42

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I think the problem is 'overnighting'. Fewer people will do a long round trip drive for single day exercise activity than would for a weekend or longer. Banning overnighting reduces spread between regions. (I'm not saying that's the only reason.)
And what’s the problem about spreading CV-19 between regions? sounds worrying but is it really? Just suppose I am one of the 1 in 400 people who has CV-19 (& the much smaller proportion who is in the asymptomatic period) and being the outdoor type I chose to drive 200 miles to my boat, granted there is a risk I will spread it to others along the way or at the destination, but not once I am safely on the boat, nobody else is at risk then, the longer I stay aboard the better. Alternatively I do not drive to my boat but instead stay in my local area, getting exercise, going to Tesco & B&Q, sitting on the park bench etc, etc. So instead I will be infecting locals instead Including during the time I would have been safely isolated on the boat. Surely IF I am going to spread it I am better to spread it to regions where the incidence is low than where it is already high, so less chance of a second peak overwhelming the NHS, Cornwall here I come!
 

Babylon

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My son, who is a physio on a Covid ITU, buried one of his colleagues on Monday. She was only 30. STFAH. You might think the likelihood of being infected is low, but the impact can be horrendous.

Can be indeed, but extremely rare for a young person etc - so no need to stop the world, or use such an example to emotionally blunder 66 million people.
 

JumbleDuck

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Recent reports say numbers have increased in Germany after travel restrictions were eased.
True, but if it was the same report I saw then (a) it was two days after restrictions were lifted, which is nowhere soon enough to detect any effect and (b) it was cases, which is a useless as a comparator because it depends so much on who was tested and why.

We Scots will be watching the English NHS with interest over the next couple of weeks, though.
 
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