Allowed on boat...

Old Bumbulum

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I fail to see how sailing a laser is or can be prohibited. It is even less a transmission hazard than emptying the dog in the park, taking a bike ride or going to the off licence (apparently an 'essential' activity) and we're told we can do all those.
I also fail to see how driving there has any significant effect on anything either. The 1 in 100,000 chance of having an accident and needing emergency services is descending into such infinitessimal levels of risk that it seems silly.
Ditto going to the boat, even to collect tools. As long as you don't mix with other peope what is the hazard?
 

Motor_Sailor

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. . . I also fail to see how . . .

The instructions are to stay at home except for three or four very specific exceptions.

What's so hard to understand?

I guess they purposefully didn't say "unless you're a smart arsed know-all who thinks that they and others like them can come up with their own reasons why their exceptionalism isn't a problem and do as they wish"
 

Old Harry

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New emergency legislation in the UK says no one in the country is allowed to leave their home “without reasonable excuse”.

Several new activities which are permitted have been added to a list outlined by the Prime Minister on Monday.

They include moving house, fulfilling legal obligations, accessing critical public services and to escape injury, illness or the risk of harm.

There is no limit in the legislation on the number of times each day a person may leave their premises.

Police now have powers to “direct” and “remove” people to their homes and use “reasonable force” to do so, if they’re not complying with the new laws.

Fixed penalty fines can be imposed on people who flout the rules on being at home or gathering in groups of three or more by community support officers, local authority wardens, as well as police officers.

The legislation says prosecutions may be brought.

The measures - which last six months - must be reviewed every three weeks.
 

TimfromMersea

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Obviously the emergency legislation, if it really does say what the writer above says it does, alters the whole situation.

I suppose it might be possible for anyone to claim that their “permitted normal exercise“ was sailing, and Michael Gove said on the television the other day that people could take “their normal level of exercise“. The essential problem is that if people see sailors out on the water having a nice time, they might reasonably think “if they can go out and have a nice time then so can I“ and this is not what the government have ordered.

My boat is out of the water at the moment and likely to remain so as the yard is not launching any more boats. Even if it was on the water, I really can’t see how they can be any suggestion that going to the boat is an “essential journey”. My boat is out of the water at the moment and likely to remain so as the yard is not launching any more boats. Even if it was on the water, I really can’t see how they can be any suggestion that going to the boat is an “essential journey“.

I suppose the only thing that the “determined sailors” who are insistent on continuing their sport during the lock down period could do is to carry on sailing, get a fine issued by a policeman, and then say “I’m not paying it, I’ll see you in court”. It would be interesting to see what Her Majesty’s Judges thought of any clever lawyerly reasons why the offender thought sailing was permitted, and like anything in the law, it’s up to Her Majesty’s Judges how laws passed by Parliament are interpreted.
 

Cotillion

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Are we allowed to go sailing? Latest steer is to avoid non-essential travel - including to holiday homes, caravans etc. Presume that includes boats. Don't quite get it - as I went up to the boat yesterday and stayed aboard - didn't come within 20m let alone 2m of anyone - ok I spoke to John at the marina at a distance - but well outside the required tolerances.

If we go sailing (if ever it gets warm enough) I can't see how we could break any of the social distancing rules - and I can't think of many other recreational pursuits that you can undertake with no danger of coming into close proximity to others.
I feel it’s a common sense approach that’s needed and that putting to sea isn’t going to make a jot of difference to the Corona outcome. I can’t think of anywhere more isolated than the ocean. Unfortunately, there are those in our cities who struggle to maintain the necessary distances due to the proximities that city dwelling entails, ignorance or downright indifference, so any directive that’s put out by the government is aimed at them and the rest of the country is dragged into the melee and we take the advice at face value and comply. Overall if the whole country do this then the virus will be overcome more quickly.
 

WF36

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I’m in my office, wearing a mask, just now, because the Minister for our sector likes teleconferences twice a week and my CEO wants me there with him as he isn’t British and needs help understanding our system.

I carry a letter saying that my travel is essential.
Thought I saw you in an A12 lay-by earlier!
 

johnalison

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I feel it’s a common sense approach that’s needed and that putting to sea isn’t going to make a jot of difference to the Corona outcome. I can’t think of anywhere more isolated than the ocean. Unfortunately, there are those in our cities who struggle to maintain the necessary distances due to the proximities that city dwelling entails, ignorance or downright indifference, so any directive that’s put out by the government is aimed at them and the rest of the country is dragged into the melee and we take the advice at face value and comply. Overall if the whole country do this then the virus will be overcome more quickly.
If the directive says that we cannot leave our houses except for specified reasons, then that is what we must do. There are enough people around already who fail to understand the nature of a crisis. I regret not being able to sail, or rather fit out my boat perhaps for the season, but all I have lost is a little recreation. I saw some girl on TV weeping because she couldn't continue her occupation, which she descibed as being that of a 'nail technician', as if this were something that we should regard as important. I would be happy if marginal occupations, such as small builders, were to continue to work, but we have no choice except to set an example, if only to put moral pressure on waverers to comply.
 

Kukri

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The mother of my children has just informed me that the obstetrician who delivered our elder son died yesterday, one of nine doctors in the Philippines to die so far. The Minister of Health in the Duterte Government has announced that he will not be buying test kits because the 100,000 donated to the nation are enough. That’s one per thousand people before this sort of thing:65F44B81-70D8-48AA-93E8-94C79BB35621.jpeg
 

Leighb

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Unfortunately a lot of yachting folk obviously think that they are exempt from the directives of the government. SWMBO walked down our lane to the postbox this afternoon, her only outing today, down by the river she saw a number of people working on boats, chatting to each other without keeping a proper distance and behaving as if nothing had changed. It is possible that one or two might have walked there from their homes , but likely most had driven there. No doubt they all think they are special and that their activity is essential. What part of STAY AT HOME do they not understand??
 

tillergirl

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IMPORTANT INFORMATION: REVISIONS TO THE USAGE OF THE MOORING FACILITIES ON HA’PENNY PIER TO MANAGE THE SPREAD OF THE COVID-19 VIRUS
To manage the current Covid-19 virus outbreak we have revised the mooring usage on the Ha’penny Pier pontoons.
With immediate effect, and until further notice, leisure-type vessels are not permitted to berth on the Ha’penny pontoon facilities. This action has been taken to protect our
employees and aligns to current Government guidance to stay at home if possible.
The revised usage notice does not apply to registered fishermen who can continue to use the pontoons.
We can be contacted on communications@hha.co.uk
Notice to Mariners No. 13 of 2020 is rescinded.
 

Tradewinds

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Unfortunately a lot of yachting folk obviously think that they are exempt from the directives of the government. SWMBO walked down our lane to the postbox this afternoon, her only outing today, down by the river she saw a number of people working on boats, chatting to each other without keeping a proper distance and behaving as if nothing had changed. It is possible that one or two might have walked there from their homes , but likely most had driven there. No doubt they all think they are special and that their activity is essential. What part of STAY AT HOME do they not understand??

I despair
 

Marmalade

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The instructions are to stay at home except for three or four very specific exceptions.

What's so hard to understand?

I guess they purposefully didn't say "unless you're a smart arsed know-all who thinks that they and others like them can come up with their own reasons why their exceptionalism isn't a problem and do as they wish"

I think so far we've conducted this conversation without descending into name calling - let's respect this forum and keep it like that.

It's not a case of whether it's hard to understand. But the "stay at home" instruction has a purpose. That purpose, supposedly, is to stop virus trnasmission. If a person does something outside, completely solo - like sailing a single handed dinghy as someone suggested then it would seem that purpose has been fulfilled. I'm not aware of anyone who thinks they're exempt. If as Leighb saw - there are people doing sailing related things but breaking the isolation rules - ie unnecessary contact with others, I condemn it. But government can't set out every possible circumstance and cater for it. Thus they set out the purpose, and expect people to follow the rules - and they specifically asked people to follow the spirit of the rules as well as the letter thereof - a further indication that there is a level of complexity that's not hard to understand - simply hard to legislate. Adherence to rules without thought or challenge has never been part of our national make-up and I, for one, am nervous when someone just prescribes a solution rather than outlining the problem and asking for sensible cooperation.
I'm staying at home by the way, working from home and taking one bike ride a day. But I do want to test whether a common sense approach to this is valid. I haven't yet heard a compelling argument for not doing as some have suggested and going sailing in a responsible way - unless you count "do as you're told" as compelling.
 

ashtead

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I don't see why liveabords cannot go for day sails on basis they return after one hours sailing and don't have contact with others of course . I did wonder today as I walked past fields with horses whether they are still allowed to exercise horses or if usage is now banned ? Or is it like walking the dog maybe ?
 

PaulRainbow

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The rule is ;

Stay at home

  • Only go outside for food, health reasons or work (but only if you cannot work from home)
  • Stay 2 metres (6ft) away from other people
  • Wash your hands as soon as you get home
How can anyone comply with that and still go sailing ?
 

Greemble

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I haven't yet heard a compelling argument for not doing as some have suggested and going sailing in a responsible way - unless you count "do as you're told" as compelling.
Ask the RNLI if they really want to come out if / when you get into trouble.

Or is it that you will never need them and know you'll not be passing on any infections anyway?
 

nortada

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On the PM radio programme, they had a listeners' questions session and one was "Can I drive somewhere to walk?". The answer was yes provided that you walked in a responsibly socially distant manner. So if you drive to the boat, keep away from other people and go out solo or with someone you live with, I can't see the difference between that and driving to go for a walk. Yet again, the governement advice leaves too much leeway for interpretation.

It is impossible to rule for every situation so the government offers guidelines and relies on common sense to prevail.

Unfortunately, common sense is an oxymoron?
 
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