By William C. Winslow

The short answer is maybe. Answering the question represents considering the risk factors present before deciding whether to hit the water or stay at home.

The Coronavirus, which causes COVID-19, is primarily transmitted by contact between people. An infected individual coughs, sneezes, shouts, or talks in proximity to another who in turn inhales the discharged droplets through the nose or mouth. (The droplets can also land on solid surfaces like doorknobs, light switches, telephones and electronic equipment and spread when unsuspecting users then touch their noses, eyes, mouths, though that is not presently believed to be a significant way to catch this novel virus).

What happens next?  The virus attacks cell tissue in your lungs degrading or destroying your body’s natural immunity, causing respiratory collapse and/or failure of other organs. Some people’s symptoms are mild, but over 100,000 people have died at the time of this writing. The statistics are sobering, as are the newer ways that the disease has affected people, including children. The rapid spread of the Coronavirus will not be stopped until there is an effective and safe vaccine, or an effective treatment that prevents the worst effects on the body. Lockdowns and isolation slow things down, but that’s about it.

What advice would I — a layperson, not a doctor — give fidgety skippers yearning to get out on the water? It all comes down to risk.

Risk dramatically changes with age and health. Anyone over 65 sits on the wrong side of vulnerability, as do those with cancer, obesity, diabetes, asthma, heart, lung, kidney and liver diseases, and a host of other ailments that lower immunity. If you’re in this category, you should probably stay on shore if a boating day involves contact with others outside those you live with. The same applies if you live with someone in a higher-risk category, even if they don’t go boating, as you might bring the virus home.

What do the rest of us do? The same as we do at home, including isolation, social distancing, rigorous cleaning. Yet those things are more of a challenge on a boat. First, who gets to come aboard?  Your immediate family (those living with you at home) provide more safety than fishing buddies and close friends. With only a small percentage of the country tested, most people can’t be sure they aren’t incubating and spreading the virus.

Be prepared to change long standing cruising habits. Keep your craft in Bristol fashion — all systems in good and seamanlike order before you slip the docking lines. Have all the proper certifications and paperwork aboard, and boat with lots of gas. The less you interact with rescue, enforcement, and towing services as well as dockhands and mechanics, the better. Keep cruises short; if you do an overnighter, don’t raft up or pull into unknown marinas. Swimming off the boat is OK, but you may not be allowed on a local beach unless you are a resident (nor should you be venturing there anyway).

Wiping down a boat before and after should be mandatory.  Pay particular attention to lifelines and railings — boats by their nature bounce around, so passengers hold on to whatever’s handy. Should you come in contact with docking lines, electric cords, gas handles or anything else touched by others, I recommend that you wear gloves and then wash your hands.

It’s a good idea to check with your own marina or boatyard its rules on virus safety, separation, wearing masks, and sanitation. Do your utmost not to go at that facility or any dockside restroom despite any promises of extra attention to cleanliness. Instead, use the head on your boat that you have personally sanitized for your protection. If your boat doesn’t come with a head, I’d keep trips to a minimum rather than making pit stops.

When it comes to using your head, engage common sense. If something seems unsanitary if any sense of the word, turn back. All your precautions will be for naught if you are sitting toe-to-toe in the launch with an unmasked virus carrier.

If you do get out on the water, have a great time! Stay safe and watch out for ticks. They are out in force and have no concern about social distancing.

More information

https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

The author is the Division 5 – Staff Officer Public Affairs, First District Southern Region, for the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, the all-volunteer, non-military arm of the Coast Guard, teaching boating safety education and conducting search and rescue operations. Visit http://cgaux.org/ to join the Auxiliary or for class information.