Coronavirus effect on summer season berth decision

[peter gibbs]

First post here, so hope it’s in the correct place?. I’m concerned that there will soon be no opportunity to go to my boat, currently in a marina on the south coast of England. It close to the end of a winter contract and I have to decide what to do. It’s a few hours drive and so if I book a berth for the summer and Coronavirus causes a lock down I’ll never get to go sailing or even see it. In which case I might be better taking it out of the water now and not pay hefty summer rate marina fees. Any one else facing this dilemma?

First post here, so hope it’s in the correct place?. I’m concerned that there will soon be no opportunity to go to my boat, currently in a marina on the south coast of England. It close to the end of a winter contract and I have to decide what to do. It’s a few hours drive and so if I book a berth for the summer and Coronavirus causes a lock down I’ll never get to go sailing or even see it. In which case I might be better taking it out of the water now and not pay hefty summer rate marina fees. Any one else facing this dilemma?

I think we're all going to have to adapt to this season being restricted. My guess (what else can it be?) is that the continent will not be available for April- June but may relent a little thereafter. Commercial pressures will eventually override the authorities instinct to see CV on its way definitely before allowing free movement. There is a reasonable risk (?50%) that a second wave will break out in the later summer, here and/or on the continent, and certain areas will be shut off for containment.
In the UK free movement will resume in July. So make your bookings fit but be prepared for disappointment.

PWG

 

[Rappey]

I'm fairly sure marinas will be open to berth holders as long as it is allowed.
Their revenue comes from moored boats and it's often cheaper to be in the water than on the hard so can't see marinas being empty.
I'm at a loss as to what sailing if any I will have this season so will antifoul and pray !

 

[V1701]

I'm fairly sure marinas will be open to berth holders as long as it is allowed.
Their revenue comes from moored boats and it's often cheaper to be in the water than on the hard so can't see marinas being empty.
I'm at a loss as to what sailing if any I will have this season so will antifoul and pray !

Yes we had a communication from Premier Marinas yesterday saying they will remain open until they're required to close. Office closed though & we are asked to communicate/pay, etc. online. I've seen similar communication from Castle Marinas as well but the questions are whether you'll be allowed to travel from home to the marina and if you can would you then be allowed to take the boat out.

Wuhan have just reported no new cases for the first time. They have been in lockdown for two months. They will remain in lockdown until there is a clear two week period with no new cases being reported. And the sort of lockdown they remain in is way more Draconian than we could even contemplate. Meanwhile many here in the UK, London in particular, have barely changed their behaviour at all, ie. they're still going to pubs, gyms, etc. This is not going to blow over in a couple of months and the longer the UK Government carries on pussyfooting around "advising" us to do X or Y the deeper the shit we are going to be in...

 

[Old Harry]

Yes we had a communication from Premier Marinas yesterday saying they will remain open until they're required to close. Office closed though & we are asked to communicate/pay, etc. online. I've seen similar communication from Castle Marinas as well but the questions are whether you'll be allowed to travel from home to the marina and if you can would you then be allowed to take the boat out.

Wuhan have just reported no new cases for the first time. They have been in lockdown for two months. They will remain in lockdown until there is a clear two week period with no new cases being reported. And the sort of lockdown they remain in is way more Draconian than we could even contemplate. Meanwhile many here in the UK, London in particular, have barely changed their behaviour at all, ie. they're still going to pubs, gyms, etc. This is not going to blow over in a couple of months and the longer the UK Government carries on pussyfooting around "advising" us to do X or Y the deeper the shit we are going to be in...

Will they close down those unregulated street meat markets ?????
The WHO should be taking action over this

 

[JumbleDuck]

Wuhan have just reported no new cases for the first time. They have been in lockdown for two months. They will remain in lockdown until there is a clear two week period with no new cases being reported. And the sort of lockdown they remain in is way more Draconian than we could even contemplate.

I read a very interesting web article from an American living there. It seems that their lockdown system is quite nuanced, and that restrictions have been slowly increased over time to the point that bars and restaurants have been allowed to open again, albeit just for a couple of hours per day.

 

[Jim@sea]

First post here, so hope it’s in the correct place?. I’m concerned that there will soon be no opportunity to go to my boat, currently in a marina on the south coast of England. It close to the end of a winter contract and I have to decide what to do. It’s a few hours drive and so if I book a berth for the summer and Coronavirus causes a lock down I’ll never get to go sailing or even see it. In which case I might be better taking it out of the water now and not pay hefty summer rate marina fees. Any one else facing this dilemma?

Get it out of the water now. In a few weeks/months marinas will be desperate for income and prices may drop.

 

[Kurrawong_Kid]

Hello and welcome to the forum.

I don't think it is an issue. The boat is an ideal location to self isolate. Unless they stop all travel from your front door to the boat then why not cast off and go sailing. Currently, they have closed several marinas on the French side of La Manche but nothing stopping you popping over and anchoring off.

+1 Luckily my boat was launched last week. I commissioned her at the weekend. Now (Over 80) self isolating at home. When my wife and I get bored with doing the garden, clearing the garage etc. we intend to decamp to the boat and will largely anchor off for a week or two. If we have to do a Macron type form we will be travelling to get food. Trouble is it is 169 miles from our house to the marina. Might be a bit hard to explain!

 

[wallacebob]

Do not commit to any decision, as long as your boat is safe. I’m in spain just now. Washed the boat last Friday, to go sailing over the weekend. Then SoE, so I can’t even drive to the marina and all sailing is forbidden anyway. It will happen in UK next week, so just stay at home and make no plans.

 

[Muddy32]

My mooring provider has altered my place of mooring as from 1st April. I think that I shall go and prepare it and then sit there working on the boat-from next week alone, except the dog. I will presume that I can take him ashore for exercise and hygiene reasons, preferably upriver to somewhere nice, with no others around.

 

[ProDave]

Just had an email from the sailing club. Crane in cancelled, comissioning moorings cancelled and all club events cancelled.

We still have the option to slipway launch, subject to our harbour still being open. At least it is a sheltered harbour on a pontoon, so if later restrictions stop us getting to the boat it will be safe.

 

[Cotillion]

Can’t believe the government are going to put us under house arrest so going to launch end of the month and put to sea. Probably won’t be anywhere worth going until the restrictions ease but day sails will be preferable to all the sitting around that I’ve done this winter.

 

[JumbleDuck]

I'm going to check the boat thoroughly tomorrow but since she's 100 miles and a ferry crossing away I am going to concentrate on getting my Hunter 490 back into service on Loch Ken this year. That'll give us sailing fun and occasional overnights even if bigger trips become tricky or impossible for a while.

 

[Simon__]

Get it out of the water now. In a few weeks/months marinas will be desperate for income and prices may drop.

But what if there’s no staff to launch the boat again? I wanted a couple of weeks out to anti foul and freshen up the topsides but coming out seems like the bigger risk to me as once everything shuts down there won’t be anyone operating the lifts. At least if you’re in the water you can use the boat so long as we aren’t all under house arrest.

 

[differentroads]

Do not commit to any decision, as long as your boat is safe. I’m in spain just now. Washed the boat last Friday, to go sailing over the weekend. Then SoE, so I can’t even drive to the marina and all sailing is forbidden anyway. It will happen in UK next week, so just stay at home and make no plans.

This, essentially. The UK seems to be about a week behind Spain in infection rates and government reactions. The UK govt has today closed pubs, gyms, schools, cinemas etc which Spain did just under a week ago. Restrictions on shopping, gathering in any number, being on the street without a purpose that is permitted, never mind recreational boating are enforced.
It all comes as a shock to a freedom loving British sailor but I accept that its for the protection of people more vulnerable than me.
So I have shelved my plans for sailing this summer and so should you folks back in Blighty. If we get away it will be a bonus. But we also need to be sure that we can get to where we want to be, or to return to. I think that will remain in doubt for months.
I never thought having a seven page to-do list and a boat rammed with bits of wood, ironmongery, spare parts, paint and various adhesives would turn out to be such a blessing ?

 

[ProDave]

Further to our situation.

As well as the sailing club (where the boat is ashore) cancelling crane in, so have the cruisers at the harbour where we stay.

BUT the harbourmaster has told us our berth is available and if we can launch we can take up the berth and go sailing, The harbour will be open.

The only thing that will stop us is a ban on non essential travel.

If we do get sailing it is going to be very strange with very few boats on the water and most stuck on the hard,

Planned launch is a few weeks away, the speed this is developing it might not happen.

 

[eddystone]

But what if there’s no staff to launch the boat again? I wanted a couple of weeks out to anti foul and freshen up the topsides but coming out seems like the bigger risk to me as once everything shuts down there won’t be anyone operating the lifts. At least if you’re in the water you can use the boat so long as we aren’t all under house arrest.

Agree with that - I’m launching Monday onto my swinging mooring which is pretty self isolating. Of course if travel bans are applied I won’t be able to get to the boat ( or get off it if next week!) but the nearby boatyard will check if necessary.
I think there will be opportunities to sail - some public health experts believe the most likely exit strategy is “pulsed” ie restrictions relaxed for a bit and then re-applied and so on until new cases drop.