Coronavirus and Events

[Denny]

Thanks Guest and Mr. Link both. So sorry to hear that the book event has been cancelled along with the Marine Mart as well. I like many others are hoping and praying for better and brighter days to come once again. Hopefully maybe next year we can all get back on the right path and track then.

[Mr Link]

Graphic copied from the Know Your Ships page on Facebook. Both events cancelled, although I see the book signing has a different date than you posted.

[Guest]

Mr. Denny,

If you visit the KYS Facebook page Roger provides frequent updates there. The May 16 signing has been cancelled.

[Denny]

With the "Stay At Home Order" now extended through May 15 has there been any word or official announcements about any other type of evens that may be cancelled or postponed this year as far as in relation to our hobby? The 2020 KYS Book Signing event that was supposed to have taken place on April 11 was rescheduled for May 16 but now due to the extension of the Stay at Home Order I am wondering now if this will again be cancelled or postponed then until a later date possibly this year? I do not visit the KYS Facebook page so I don't know if there's been anything posted there as far as any book events being cancelled or not? I do know and have also read and heard where the Marine Mart slated for June has also been cancelled this year. Any information is appreciated. Thanks.

[Yooper]

If things don’t turn around there will not be any boats to watch either

[BigRiver]

Hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst. Reality will likely be in between. All the best Denny and everyone else reading this.

[Denny]

I could also see no Soo Locks’ Boat Tours running either this season due to the Covid-19 virus. Other places such as Duluth with the Vista Fleet tourboats and in Port Huron with the Huron Lady II cruises also may not run this season? Of course things could and may change and I realize that but whenever things begin to open back up again, it will happen very slowly at a time. Also with the social distancing guidelines now in place, you won’t be able to have too many large gatherings along with people in gatherings and public places as well. I could see most of the tourists shops up north and the Soo remaining closed along with many of the museums as well. You could even see the Mackinaw Island tour boats not running or running very limited as well. Time will tell and we will have to wait and see how it all plays out. One thing is for sure and that it will certainly be different all over this year, Spring and Summer.

[BigRiver]

Rotary Park is fine and still open. Erosion is washing out the land where we all stand to take boat pictures though. And high water has made the park slightly smaller.

[Guest]

I, for one, have given up on attending any gatherings or traveling to see the boats for this season. I could see the restrictions at the Soo Locks continuing well into the summer and possibly later. With that, I would not be surprised to see the park remaining closed for the season. Isn't there some problem at Rotary Park also? I thought I read parts of it were being washed away by high water levels? I would also expect the Covid-19 situation also impacting the Badger's season as well.

[Guest]

Crews are heading to their vessels today, Easter Sunday. They have new rules due to C-19. No shore leave while in port. No crew changes for 4-6 weeks.
Where have all the people gone. Easter Sunday last year we were in a packed Fort Myers Church. Where have all the people gone? This year Easter Sunday our roads and churches are empty. Heavenly Father, please watch over the crews on our Great Lakes vessels. Keep all of us healthy as we social distant to keep this virus from spreading. In Jesus name. Amen

[Guest]

With several large events already cancelled on a global basis, I wouldn't count on several of these local events happening. If the Soo Locks remain closed to visitors that will have a significant impact on Sault Ste. Marie tourism this year.

[Guest]

Most people here are taking the stay at home advice seriously if they are able to stay home without going out to work.
Some aren't, one of my best friends is retired and could stay home forever but he insists that there is little danger and that no one is going to tell him he has to stay home. He is out driving around visiting relatives, stopping at the store for a newspaper and a couple snack items and so on.

His parents and my parents generation fought a world war, gave up years of their lives in service and returned to build the country into what it is. The great lakes mariners worked long days, long months and long years at great sacrifice for the WII war effort.
Now we are being asked to make sacrifices of a much more modest nature to stop a medical pandemic. Time to put things in perspective in my opinion.

[Guest]

Larger sailboats using auxiliary engines are still a motorboat under the rules of the road while using their motors.

[Guest]

Well that is just another of her contradictory statements. She previously said in her news cast that boating was allowed, no exclusions after the State police and DNR were at odds about the ruling. I had not read yesterday’s news story. I can tell you people are launching and fishing yet this morning and no one is bothering them. People are fishing from shore in Dingle park in Ecorse. No one is trying to stop them and i doubt anyone will. Sailboats use motors to get in and out of harbor so where is the logic?

Yep, no one said that you cannot fish from shore. Just don’t use that motorboat. Plus a sailboat using a motor is still a motorized boat getting into and out of port.

[Colin]

.....Sailboats use motors to get in and out of harbor so where is the logic?

I suspect they were mostly thinking of small dingys (which generally would not have an auxiliary engine) and just have not clarified. Regardless auxiliary sailboats are far more self sufficient then powerboats, For instance lots of people I know only fill their fuel tank once or twice a season, and that is still with a fair bit of motoring.

[hausen]

Sailboats use motors to get in and out of harbor so where is the logic?

From https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-3 ... --,00.html,

here is the logic:

Can I Still Go Boating?

Non-motorized boating, such as kayaking, canoeing and sailing, falls within the outdoor activities permitted under the "Stay Home, Stay Safe" Executive Order. Any outdoor activity, including boating, must be done in a manner consistent with social distancing, and individuals should use only their own equipment to prevent the transmission of the virus through the touching of shared surfaces. Additionally, persons not part of a single household may not boat together.

Am I able to use my motor-powered boat for recreational purposes, including fishing?

No. Under the governor’s revised “Stay Home, Stay Safe” Executive Order 2020-42, physical outdoor activity, such as kayaking, canoeing and sailing, remains permissible. However, the use of a motorboat, jet ski or similar watercraft is not permitted for the duration of the Executive Order, which is currently set to expire at 11:59 p.m. April 30. Prohibition on the use of motorized watercraft is reflected in the governor’s Frequently Asked Questions document that explains and interprets Executive Order 2020-42.

The DNR has received many reports about heavy use of boat launches across the state and the subsequent congregation of people at these launches in violation of social distancing requirements, and in a manner that threatens public health. In addition, people who use motorized watercraft typically need to procure secondary services for their craft, such as parts and gasoline, that could unnecessarily increase contact with others and spread disease. The hope is that the prohibition on the use of motorized watercraft will reduce the movement of, and contact among, people with the intent of slowing the spread of the coronavirus.

Please recreate locally and responsibly. Long distance travel is prohibited unless it is for a purpose considered critical under the governor’s “Stay Home, Stay Safe” Executive Order.

(Updated April 10, 2020)

[Guest]

Well that is just another of her contradictory statements. She previously said in her news cast that boating was allowed, no exclusions after the State police and DNR were at odds about the ruling. I had not read yesterday’s news story. I can tell you people are launching and fishing yet this morning and no one is bothering them. People are fishing from shore in Dingle park in Ecorse. No one is trying to stop them and i doubt anyone will. Sailboats use motors to get in and out of harbor so where is the logic?

[Guest]

Not sure where you got that info. Fishing is allowed in motorized boats. You can’t take your cruiser out joy riding. Every day hundreds of boats are on the Detroit River fishing and no one is bothering them. I know, I am one of them. Wyandotte n Ecorse Mi boat ramps are open. DNR is there to enforce fishing laws. Local cops monitor to be sure no one is congregating in groups. Launch, fish, retrieve n all is good.

Sorry. As of April 10,2020 motorized boats are not allowed even to go fishing. I have used the Wyandotte ramp since 1968. Check out mlive.com for the Governors latest Ex Oder 2020-42. Fine for use of your motorized boat is $1,000.00

[Syd bc]

Motor boats OK on the west coast But they closed the boat launches

[djd49]

Not sure where you got that info. Fishing is allowed in motorized boats. You can’t take your cruiser out joy riding. Every day hundreds of boats are on the Detroit River fishing and no one is bothering them. I know, I am one of them. Wyandotte n Ecorse Mi boat ramps are open. DNR is there to enforce fishing laws. Local cops monitor to be sure no one is congregating in groups. Launch, fish, retrieve n all is good.

https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-3 ... --,00.html