Beginning Of Season Near

[RGrew176]

Source of the post So what happens IF there is a second wave larger than this one (it will be if everyone is locked up and there is little immunity) around October and everything closes when we are still in the water? Food for thought.

They are going to have to allow those who may still be in the water to pull and winterize. There is no way they could prevent that.

[RGrew176]

I went to my marina today to pay for my seasonal dockage, $1700. The marina was bustling with activity. Probably 60 or so people down there working on their boats. I cut open a hole in my shrinkwrap and went aboard. Everything looks good. Tomorrow (Saturday) I plan to head down and cut off the shrinkwrap and ready the boat for launch.

Next Friday, May 8th looks like a go to launch. The marina started launching boats today. Looks like we are going to have a season after all. This Covid thing is not going away so we will all have to practice the new normal, social distancing. I do wonder if we will be allowed to cross the border to Canada this season.

The beginning of the season is in sight.

[Midnightsun]

Source of the post Been talking to some of the guys since the announcement today. Some marinas won't launch boats if they're not commissioning the engines so they can then move the boat to the slip. Those that want to commission their own engines then move their boat will have to wait until visiting restrictions are lifted. Honestly I think that's fair. If you don't want to pay for them to commission your engines so they can move your boat, then you'll have to wait to be launched when you're allowed to be there, we can't expect them to do that for free.

I realize that it does you no good to have your boat in the water if you can't go to it but if they don't start launching, I see a lot of frustrated boaters waiting to be launched when marinas finally open to the public. For those that want to commission themselves, they'll suddenly expect to be in before the weekend and of course everyone is more important than the other guy. The reality is there are only so many hours in a day. I suspect there are going to be a lot of requests for marinas to commission engines and move boats for from guys that usually do it themselves so they don't have to wait on a schedule to be launched when things finally open up completely.

For those of you that winter in covered slips and will be launched regardless of whether they are commissioning or not, I hope you left your boat "launch ready" last Fall. I always preach this for several reasons...when you complete your winterizing, your boat should be launch ready except perhaps for needing to hook up batteries.

This is a good start for boaters, marinas, and all the other businesses that rely on recreational boating. Is it a good thing for preventing the spread of the virus? Only time will tell. We can only hope that people continue to maintain their current practices in hopes that we get rid of this thing for good. I do think that it's going to be around for years though. I don't know of any virus that had just up and disappeared in a matter of months or a year, it can take a long time. Even after we finally come up with a vaccine, it'll still take years IMO. Maintaining this new norm until then will help reduce that time.

Every situation is different. Here is the issue where I store the boat. No mechanics and nobody is allowed on the property unless they work there so who is going to prep the boat for launch? The owner needs to be on board to start the engines and move the boat away from the ramp as there is nobody from the Marina which is allowed to do this for liability reasons. They could launch and move it by hand down the dock but there is only room for 4 boats so once again the owner must start it up and drive it to the dock.

There are 5 big domes where boats are stored which look like this. They are BIG! Well over half the boats are from elsewhere such as myself. They cannot put my boat in the water because I have no dock there along with the majority of the boats.



Someone would need to move my boat to get to the boats behind me, where are they going to put all these boats if they cannot be put in the water and who is going to pay to move them @ $250+ a pop? Regardless, even if you have a dock here there is nobody that can bring your boat to it's dock who works at the Marina.

Bottom line is the last directive is only good for a few places in my area to get a head start. The vast majority of Marinas here are all in the same predicament as me since there are no mechanical services available.

[bud37]

That is the problem with global one covers all orders. You are correct that most situations are different with logistics, but I don't believe there is any possible way they could cover all the bases for everyone in this unless there were thousands of different orders.Even marinas around here with property, have offsite storage buildings to take the overflow much like yours, boats are just transported back to the marina from their winter slumber spots.

At our marina the crew just drops the boat in, checks the bilge in the slings and ties it to the dock and moves on to the next boat....you go on board to check it , fire it up and move it to the slip. Now I believe we could still follow that procedure but cannot due to the guidelines. We will wait and watch how it turns out. It's kinda like the Friday order to the workforce, you are home for the weekend while all the employees pick holes in the plan and swear it won't work...then by Tuesday following they have figured out how to make it work and all is well with most...

The head start may just be to get the crews safety and health training up to par and learn the procedures to keep the public and themselves safe.

Remember , not everyone has the means to cover the bills for all these things to be done for them, especially all the fall costs if we are once again locked out.

This hope sure does make the weekend feel better though, doesn't it ?

[Midnightsun]

I see no reason why owners should not be allowed to get to their boats. There obviously must be strict rules once at the dock that you are not allowed to congregate or have anyone else on board unless they are from the same household.

I still think we can get in the water by June 1st though. Only issue is how in the heck will they handle all the boaters who have not even prepped their boats yet who are now wanting to do this on the same weekend when they eventually OK it? Mayhem and frustration come to mind. Normally people start prepping boats a few months back, one here and one there, no crowds, usually the owner by himself or with his wife like I do but this did not happen and boats remain inaccessible to this day. Will definitely be interesting come the time. Good news is I hauled late last fall so I am close to the main door since it was almost full by then.

[bud37]

Source of the post I see no reason why owners should not be allowed to get to their boats.

Could be a couple reasons...I think first may be to protect the staff from an unknown ( stranger danger.. )...another could be a revenue stream. Once that boat is at the slip you will be on your own...there are some guidelines on the way though from the Boating association. The marina industry is still going to have to create value or people will move on when it gets too expensive or hard to comply with all the rules. Surprising how fast things can go south sometimes...show up one day and the gates are locked as has happened a number of times.

[pepmyster]

Today we go and install the batteries and such. Our marina can do it all, launch , mechanical, retrieve, I would like to remove the shrink wrap but if things go south, It'll cost me another thousand just to put it on again. If the boat is in the slip, and you can never go get it, Then, winterize and, pay for a slip you never used and shrink wrap again. Makes no sense for the order if we are not going to be allowed extremely soon. Lets all hope!!!!!

[Viper]

It's better to at least get a head start where they can IMO. Your situation Hans is unfortunate and hopefully that will change soon. When it finally opens up, it'll be a mad rush for sure but haul out and launch always is in this industry, we're used to it but will have to just tweak how we go about it this year.

I can see it being a different haul out. Around here, haul out starts right after Thanksgiving weekend. That gives us just enough of a window to haul out and winterize everybody before the start of dangerous temps. If we are to start haul out at the same time, they might have to close the marinas to prevent folks from being on their boat the week prior to haul out for the sake of the haul out crew and techs. Every location is different but I don't see a way around that in a lot of places.

I've mentioned before that we can't simply take people at their word that they'll continue to comply with safe practices. I've seen first hand how idiotic some can be, especially after a few pints. One only need watch the news to see that some people still don't get it after restrictions are lifted. At a marina, this puts me and my associates at danger with this virus around. I'll say this, if people get careless at their boats after regulations are relaxed and cases start to increase again, marinas will face another shutdown and that doesn't do any of us any good.

[Tireless]

To be honest, our Marina was taken by surprise that they are allowing them to prep boats as of May 4th. They thought this wouldn't come till May 12th or later. He seems to think that they will allow public access to Marinas in time to have the boats prepped and in the water by the end of May. This amounts to a 3-4 week delay for us.

The marina industry wants to be able to put boats in the water because thats when their revenue stream starts. If the boats are not in the water they would have to consider rebates. This decision, IMHO, is for the marina industry not the boaters. The industry would take a big hit if they couldn't put boats in the water, so good call. To be honest, I agree that marinas can operate now to get boats ready and in where possible, ensuring safety to the workers and staff.

Hans, we are in the same position as you. The boat owners shore to slip their own boats, the marine prefers this. So my boat doesn't go in till I am ready, so I need access as well. May only have time to uncover and not be able to put the shine to her. The mechanics that work on the property don't want boaters around when they are working. This is a private company that comes to the property to do the work.

I am all for being patient, but I am anxious to get going like everyone else. I think it wall all work out just fine. We still have folks dropping like fly's in Ontario and Quebec, but it is trending down sharply outside the LTCH's.

Stay safe and enjoy what looks to be a nice sunny day.

Greg

[Viper]

Source of the post ......The marina industry wants to be able to put boats in the water because thats when their revenue stream starts.....

Actually that's not necessarily the case. Most that I've dealt with start charging for the following year's slip fees in the Fall. While some allow a payment plan into the season in question, some don't. The staggered payments will help a bit but I see some boaters holding back payment until they're allowed to enjoy their boats. There will also likely be those that ask for reduced rates because this is cutting into their boating season. For marinas that took full payment last Fall and have used that to cover expenses until now, launching without allowing the public access means they won't have the usual sales from parts and other services that usually help at this time, including dock store and fuel sales, etc. etc. But they'll have to pay their guys to launch and commission, and wait until folks compensate them for that which is usually a challenge at the best of times. Boats in the water and staff on site means higher electric bills, and other related expenses. I don't think this will be an easy time for them financially just because they're being allowed to launch, their expenses will increase now, especially payroll and hydro.