New Sailing Thoughts on the Corona Virus

This morning I received an email from Alert Reader Dave Brede, included below. He brings up a great point – while sailing may seem like the right thing to do right now (I wrote so myself) it really does put others at risk. We need to keep the broader picture in mind. There’s a reason Governor Inslee wants nearly all of us all to stay home. In this critical moment, staying holed up on shore seems like the right thing to do. We in the Northwest were hit early and hard, but we’re doing very well at slowing the spread. The sooner we get on top of this, the sooner we can enjoy some bracing days on the water, bobbing at anchor and lee-bowing that starboard tacker who’s just asking for it. -Kurt

Dear Kurt,

I love Sailish and read Bruce’s Briefs with caffeinated fervor – so thank you for your support of our fantastic Salish Sea boating community and making us all a little smarter. And I think we both share Noj Henderson as a good friend.

Some of Noj’s Facebook posts about Covid-19 in New Zealand have sobered my thoughts about going on the water during these critical weeks of the pandemic.

The NZ Coast Guard has recommended all boaters stay off the water. While
our National Message is confused and our National Coast Guard can’t make the same statement, we can understand the NZ logic. In NZ, they rescue about 4000 boaters per year. Say 10+ per day, and that requires many boat crews working together, and then returning to their homes and families. It is safer for the NZ Coast Guard crews to stay home, but that requires the boaters to stay home.

Like our noisy 8 pm celebration of the Medical Professionals, let’s have a loud tribute to the real brave men and women in our local floating Police and Coast Guard, (and private towing, gas dock, marine industry); our tribute is to let the Salish Sea look like it did 1000 years ago, no boat traffic.

– Just the incredible beauty of an undisturbed natural wonder. It could be our SALUTE. I know I will go sailing soon – but not right now. I could sneak out, go anchor and hang out and safely not be with anyone – but if all my fellow sneaky boaters do this with me then we have an unnecessary
number of people put at risk. And those are the very people that are there to save us – the coast guard, just like the doctors and nurses.

Let’s be proud of the empty waterways for these short weeks – they will be there for us when we return.

Fewer boating families will be touched by the loss of a beloved companion or mentor or friend if we act aggressively to minimize not just our own personal contact with the virus, but minimize the need for all the individuals who support our love of the sport of boating to stay safe.

Stay Home, Stay Safe, do your boating exercises, freeze up some provisions, plan your summer trip, watch sailboat racing on YouTube. I think, as a strong voice in the Salish Sea boating infosphere – you have a chance to aid our best chances.

Like a puff that hits right when you needed it.

Respect,

Dave

Kurt Hoehne

Kurt grew up racing and cruising in the Midwest, and has raced Lasers since the late 1970s. Currently he is a broker at Swiftsure Yachts. He has been Assistant Editor at Sailing Magazine and a short stint as Editor of Northwest Yachting. Through Meadow Point Publishing he handles various marketing duties for smaller local companies. He currently is partners on a C&C 36 which he cruises throughout the Northwest. He’s married to the amazing Abby and is father to Ian and Gabe.