Things aren’t quite that bad in the United State, but French authorities just prohibited all boating activities, at least until March 31. The ban was designed to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
In the U.S., many boating events – boat shows, fishing tournaments, owners’ rendezvous – have been cancelled or postponed. Some yacht clubs have closed, marinas have adopted restrictions, both Sabre and Back Cove had to postpone their big 50th anniversary celebration from this June to next year.
The Palm Beach boat show, which was to have started on March 26, was postponed, as we reported last week. It now has been rescheduled from May 14 through 17. But the initial postponement left a lot of boat companies scrambling, particularly those that had planned to introduce a new model.
Meanwhile, many cruising people are facing increasing uncertainty about which marinas are open, or operating with reduced services, or have shut down fuel docks. You can find an updated list of marinas and their current services at waterwayguide.com/covid-19-reports. This list is compiled by Waterway Guide with help from the America’s Great Loop Cruisers’ Association and Dockwa.
It shows that some marinas are closed, some are closed to transients, some have restricted services (such as no pump-outs), and some are operating normally. Those tied to restaurants are particularly vulnerable to closing. It is updated continually.
In France, meanwhile, the government prohibited yachting, tourism and water-sports activities in the Med, the Atlantic, and the English Channel until the end of the month. The prohibition is intended to combat the spread of the virus by restricting all travel.
https://www.waterwayguide.com/covid-19-reports
