Covid-19. A heads up.

[Nancy]

Ref Black Garbage Bag opener - its a roll of thick plastic that you put in black (or green) garbage bags to hold them open.

What will they think of next!
Coincidentally, I realized earlier today what a garbage bag opener might be. We'd gone out for a walk, taking a garbage bag to pick up trash along our rural road. Turned out it was blowing like stink, and it was almost impossible to get trash in the bag one-handed. That's when the light bulb came on.

[hetek]

They say alcoholic beverage sales are up 55% due to the pandemic.

I'll drink to that!

Besides, I have too much blood in my alcohol system anyway.

[WillieC]

"They say alcoholic beverage sales are up 55% due to the pandemic."

Our local micro brewery is still doing drive-by growler refills. Essential business, for sure, and we are doing our best to support them.

I have always shared my growlers and now am forced to finish them myself before they go flat. This cannot end well.

[DesertAlbin736]

OK, let's do an AOG poll: name your favorite "poisons".

Our list:
Gin & tonic
Rum & Coke
Margaritas
Wine Sangria
Stella Artois beer
Corona (the beer, not the virus)
Hot Irish whiskeys (for cold winter nights aboard, made with Black Velvet Canadian & brown sugar)
Hot buttered rum (again, winter season drink)
Irish Cream liqueur (holidays & cold weather)
NOT a fan of IPA & dark heavy beers & ale.

[DesertAlbin736]

Bit of boat related COVID news, new rules for Florida boating: boating & fishing is ok (rumor about $500 fine for being caught out on the water is false), but number of persons on a boat is now limited to 10 or less & boats must stay at least 50 feet apart. (source: media reports). Subject came up in a call from my brother in Ft. Pierce, FL.

[Norseman]

Bit of boat related COVID news, new rules for Florida boating: boating & fishing is ok (rumor about $500 fine for being caught out on the water is false), but number of persons on a boat is now limited to 10 or less & boats must stay at least 50 feet apart. (source: media reports). Subject came up in a call from my brother in Ft. Pierce, FL.

Yeah, that is some of the rules, here is more:

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[DesertAlbin736]

We're pretty good with all those distancing items. 1) boat stays dry stored on trailer 2) drive straight to launch ramp, keeping social distancing ) 3) beaching boat not practical, although landing by dinghy would be. The "beach" is all rocks & cactus anyway (all plants in AZ have thorns & stickers, not to mention watching out for rattlesnakes) 4) 20 gallon fuel tank is good for 37 hours run time with 5 gallon left in reserve 5) not doing raft ups for the duration 6) two's company, three is a crowd on our boat.

[Norseman]

. two's company, three is a crowd on our boat.

Good rule and needless to say, I had to quit running charters, sometimes had 6 passengers plus the operator.
Wifey and I take the boat out once a week, come he’ll or high water just to keep it fresh and make sure everything is always in good order.
Yesterday the waterways of Fort Lauderdale was a ghost town, 2,5 weeks ago it was crazy, more boats running at the same time than ever before. (Bars, beaches and restaurants shut down, but not boat ramps)
The week after marinas and boat ramps shut down, only guys with private docks are out. Also commercial passenger vessels had to cease operations. Now there is only a few stragglers, a few police boat and a few towboats. Unreal..
Will go out in a few minutes with my smaller boat, a 17’ Cobia, doing daily trips with it but won’t see many other folks on the water.

Docked at one of my favorite bars, “The Pirates Republic” a few months ago:

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I know, one should not have 2 Gods, 2 wife's, or 2 boats, but I am a sinner..

[DesertAlbin736]

Norseman,

So yeah, that "fishing ban" and $500 fines deal was just a false rumor? My brother (actually half brother-same father, different mother) told me about the $500 fine thing (apparently he thought it was true) so I looked it up before going out on a limb & posting it here. Fort Pierce is just 110 miles north of Lauderdale. Although my brother works at the Pursuit Boats plant he doesn't own a boat himself. We were out to visit in 2017, and also during a previous 2010 visit got a tour of the factory.

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The 2017 trip was part of a 55 day, 9,600 mile RV road trip. We camped at St. Lucie County's Savannah parks & rec campground

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On the 2010 trip we had flown out to go on a 7 day Princess Caribbean cruise out of Lauderdale then rented a car for another week of vacation, got the Pursuit factory tour

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That same vacation we drove down to the keys, did an "Air B&B" stay on a small docked 30 ft houseboat in Key Largo, snorkeled over the "Christ of the Abyss" statue off John Pennekamp Coral Reef state park, drove down to Key West, had drinks at Sloppy Joes, and a sunset sail on a schooner.

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Such a fun time. Hard to believe that was 10 years ago already. Maybe next winter we should think about bringing our boat out (at one time it was based in S. Florida several previous owners back) & run out to Grand Bahama from West Palm?

[WillieC]

The "beach" is all rocks & cactus anyway (all plants in AZ have thorns & stickers, not to mention watching out for rattlesnakes....

AND...

SCORPIONS! Our recent AZ trip had me wanting to head back north pdq! Everything is trying to kill you there!

[Tree]

Guys. Looking at some of the previous posts about boating and with respect, you’re not getting it. We are now banned from boating here in the UK. The risk is not worth it and this is the sole purpose of me starting this post. Don’t go out. Stay home. Stay safe. Life as we know it will not be normal for months, maybe years to come.

With all due respect, many of you guys on this board are in your senior years. You are in the highest risk category. If you’re going boating, what else will you be doing prior to that? Trips to the grocery store for that day out. Potentially mixing with other people at the car parks and boat ramps? All ramps and slipways here in the UK are closed. Just take a look on MarineTraffic to see how many pleasure boats are out - almost zero. You go out to sea, something happens and you require emergency assistance. Hell why not add some more strain on your emergency services because you fancied some down time.

I really don’t want to be a killjoy but just think before you act please. This Kungflu, Hong Kong Fluey, Chinese Flu call it what you will does not discriminate. Hell our own leader, the Prime Minister himself is still in isolation with it. Our chief medical advisor has it. Our health minister has just recovered from it. You are not invincible.

I’m lot trying to scare anyone but this is real. Please think before you venture out. Do you really need to?

[DCatSea]

I'm with Tree; time to take this shit seriously. Plenty of boaty stuff to do at home (In addition to the onboard list): clean the kayaks again; inflate the inflatable and give it a good clean; sort out years of boat related paperwork, file appropriately and scan to one of those little hard drive things, (next owner take note); finish all those little woodwork jobs that wouldn't normally deserve time; fit handrail to dock steps; clean all those fenders I've acquired; clean all the fishing gear so that the fish are impressed enough to take the bait this year or next; service and run the outboard again; clean out the onboard toolbox (taking out picture frame clamps, 8 oily paintbrushes, a bicycle toolset, prop-pullers, scores of screwdrivers and pliers, and all those half-used tubes of caulk and glue - WD40 what's left); ETC ETC ETC

Decide what I can sell at Herrington Harbor Marine Yard Sale (May - I don't think so) - and how little I can expect to make.

Plan move to new home marina (Shipwright Harbour, Deale MD.

THEN:
Finish the garden path I started last year; paint all the retaining walls; rehab the lawns; weed everything; plant veggies (seed and plants); weed everything again; paint the front porch; prune the more neglected shrubs; take the chainsaw to a couple of trees that need "trimming"; sit outside with beer and fatty snacks (repeat as needed); throw red meat on the grill (repeat as needed).

Carefully avoid all news networks and references to "how well we are doing", and how we are going to screw China, Canada, Mexico; California and New York, USN Captains who try to save their sailors, Joe Biden/Bernie Sanders/AOC and Juan Maduro. Get my news from John Oliver and Seth Myers.

[Norseman]

. So yeah, that "fishing ban" and $500 fines deal was just a false rumor?

No idea, I don’t fish and have no intention to ever go fishing, never looked up the latest rules.

[Norseman]

. If you’re going boating, what else will you be doing prior to that? Trips to the grocery store for that day out. Potentially mixing with other people at the car parks and boat ramps?

Thx for the advice, but no trips to the grocery store, no mixing with people in the car park and no boat ramps.
No trips offshore either, strictly inland canals and rivers, if my engine stops working, anchor down, call the tug, no personal contact, no risk to First Providers, all pre-paid towing insurance, tow me home to my personal dock.
In other words, very low risk to us and everybody else, and big time social separation. We take it very seriously..

[DesertAlbin736]

Actually we are staying home now. Arizona is now up to 1,769 cases & 41 deaths. Less than two weeks ago it was 152 cases & 1 death. Our liquor cabinet, fridge, & pantry are well stocked, & 15 rolls of toilet paper on hand. We have our 60" TV & Lazy Boy recliners in the living room, jacuzzi out on the patio, tequila, mix, ice, blender, & salt for Margaritas. Outside temps are reaching into the low to mid 80s now, and the pool is almost warm enough to swim, 80 deg water with the solar blanket cover (dry air makes it feels chilly when coming out of the water if ambient air is below 90). I have some nice clean 9x15" cotton polishing cloths & some velcro that I can use with my sewing machine to sew face masks. I have a half dozen pairs of surgical type latex gloves left over from paint & varnishing projects. We may have coyotes, rattlesnakes, & scorpions, but WillieC has seen what our back yard "resort" like patio looks like. It's a sacrifice I know, but I think we'll make it.