Cruising in Maine will be a little different this summer, at least for the start of the summer. The state has a mandatory 14-day quarantine for people arriving from other states, while some Maine builders and marina operators have adopted new protocols of their own.
“It’s important to understand that Maine is open,” said Stacey Keefer, executive director of the Maine Marine Trades Association. And Maine remains one of the most iconic and desirable cruising destinations in the United States, if not the world.
But this year officials in Maine, just like officials in many other states and localities, have adopted some new rules aimed at stopping the spread of COVID-19. They include the self-quarantine for boats arriving from other states, the use of gloves when handling shared lines or fuel pumps, and maintaining a six-foot distance from other people when you’re on a dock or a ramp. On the water, raft-ups are prohibited. The quarantine means you can cruise into a harbor, but you can’t get off the boat.
It’s not clear at this point, when those regulations will be lifted, although there is talk of mid-June. Meanwhile, some yards have adopted their own protocols.
Drew Lyman, the president of Lyman-Morse, for example, emphasizes that the company is open for business in Camden and Thomaston. For out-of-state visitors, he says “I can’t think of a better place to self-quarantine than on your boat with us.” Lyman-Morse will make the quarantine easier by offering to deliver groceries to boats on their docks or moorings. They also will drop off take-out food from local restaurants, in an effort to support local businesses.
Lyman urges cruisers to use the heads and showers on their boats, although they have water available on the docks and the fuel dock. There’s also free-pump out service in the harbor.
For cruisers who want to move elsewhere during the quarantine period, Lyman-Morse will provide an itinerary for anchoring or picking up a mooring in Penobscot Bay. They even have a 50-mph RIB that can get to you quickly to bring groceries or other support.
Meanwhile, some events have been cancelled or modified. The big Maine Boats, Homes & Harbors show in Rockland in August has been cancelled. The Maine Windjammer Association has cancelled its annual Great Schooner Race. The annual Eggemoggin Reach Regatta for wooden boats is still on, but shore parties have been cancelled and racers will not be allowed to go on shore. Read more:
https://maineboats.com/blog/2020/maines-boating-season-gets-underway-some-changes-previous-years?
