Wrong Boat in MD

[bawlmer]

Forgive my rant. So in the great state of Maryland, our governor has decreed that no boats are to leave the dock during the pandemic unless its a kayak or similar device for purpose of exercise. Fine. No wait!! What about the poor fishermen who fish for sustinence. We must let them out also so they can provide food for their families. So now the rules state you can stuff up to TEN unrelated people on a fishing boat as long as social distancing is practiced (SERIOUSLY????). Wait!!! It gets better. These same poor fishermen who can't afford to go to the local Safeway for seafood (no shortage here) can buy a spot on a CHARTER fishing boat and go fishing. You can also stuff up to TEN of them on said charter fishing boat. Again social distancing being the joke here. And last weekend the fish must really be biting in Annapolis and especially in Ego Alley where more than a few half million dollar "fishing" boats were seen trolling up and down there. Some were also docked with their occupants partying on the dock. Fishing gear was of course in full view.
MEANWHILE. All sailboats are stuck at the dock. We were told the DNR was checking every vessel for fake fishing arrangements and to stay at the dock or face penalties. So while the fishing clowns are out there infecting each other we are not permitted to sail by ourselves (what I normally do) or with members of our own households. All of our neighboring states allow sailing under those conditions.
It is clear the sport fishing lobby is far more skilled at bribing the governor than the sailing community. With that I wait patiently for our turn to be released.

 

[Justin_NSA]

I guess let natural selection run its course. Maybe your governor will be on one of those infected charters.

 

[Leeward Rail]

With the protests we have seen in the USA....My curent thought is that you simply have anyone that doesn't want to avoid spreading it, to be issued a permit. To get the permit, they waive any medical insurance coverage or treatment for SarCov2 related illness, waive any rights to sue anyone for SarsCov2 related illness or death, authorize immediate cremation in the event of death , and still be liable if some sues them.

Then let natural selection takes its toll, while the rest of us wait it out.

May eventually improve/lower housing prices, increase job propects, and lower boat and slip prices too.

 

[rgranger]

Well written rant.... send it to your local paper. Politicians are allergic to bad press.

 

[ToddS]

If I trail a fish hook on a line behind my sailboat (with only members of my household)... would I then be legitimate since that could be argued to be sustenance fishing?

 

[bawlmer]

If I trail a fish hook on a line behind my sailboat (with only members of my household)... would I then be legitimate since that could be argued to be sustenance fishing?

Theoretically you could. I have heard reports that DNR police are stopping boats on the Upper Chesapeake and examining them for fishing equipment, bait, ice and fish storage,etc. They are writing citations for anything that looks "fishy". Please forgive the pun.
Too much drama for me.

 

[shemandr]

I really think the pols have a mindset that discomfort should be evenly distributed. So if poor people can't go have fun then neither should people who can afford sailboats. Because ...wait for it... "We're all in this together." We all know that not every sailor is wealthy. I would say the majority aren't. The sacrifice other endeavors so that they can sail. But pols don't know that. As for the fishing they have lobbyists. We don't - at least not in any meaningful way.

 

[bawlmer]

Then let natural selection takes its toll, while the rest of us wait it out.

I know. I never saw such idiocy in practice while the rest of us are trying to stay sane and adhere to the guidelines.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

We keep getting upset at the politicians who we elect.....

 

[dlochner]

Might I suggest writing letters to your elected state officials suggesting there are more efficient and safe ways of deciding which boats can go out and which need to stay put. I think the cleanest line is the IRS second home definition, if you can sleep, prepare food, and have on board facilities for disposing of digested food, the boats are allowed to sail so long as only those in the same household are on board.

This relieves marinas of having to open restroom facilities, allows boaters who have boats meeting these criteria to social distance and for the most part these are the boaters who do not anchor, raft, and party on the bay.

The charter boat captains obviously have a more well connected lobbying organization.

I sent such a letter to my elected state officials and about a week or 10 days later, marinas were opened. Coincidence? Perhaps. When I bring this up, my wife suggests that I might suffering from delusions of grandeur. But we know the truth.

 

[Davidasailor26]

The governor must read SBO. His press conference not 1 hour after @bawlmer ’s post allows boating (with no qualifiers) tomorrow.

 

[JRT]

Or a more extreme approach for my family was to move away from the North East because while I love the area I just could not take the politics and over reaching government built on shocking taxation levels. 10 years in Alabama, the longest we have every stayed in a state as a family, and we won't be moving any time soon.

 

[bawlmer]

The governor must read SBO. His press conference not 1 hour after @bawlmer ’s post allows boating (with no qualifiers) tomorrow.

That would be a nice thought. More probably due to my daily emails to him and my state reps along with many others doing the same thing.

 

[Stu Jackson]

That would be a nice thought. More probably due to my daily emails to him and my state reps along with many others doing the same thing.

Does this not mean that, regardless of your rant, the system does work?
And that, unlike some other governors, his primary goal is to keep you alive?

 

[sail sfbay]

Restricting sailing in the Chesapeake Bay and well as San Diego County makes no sense if you can social distance (maintain 6 feet and, if not wear a face mask/covering) or sail with household members......I feel your disappoint!!

 

[dlochner]

As @Stu Jackson alludes, there is a process to letting our voices be heard and there is a process for leaders and rule makers who are dealing with a crisis.

My experience as a leader in a crisis situation is limited to dealing with school based incidents, there are parallels. When we were confronted with a situation that was rapidly evolving and placing students and adults at risk, we would issue sometimes draconian rules to establish order. It was rule first, ask questions later. The same has been happening with government response to the pandemic. The NE and especially NYC had to stop or slow the spread, thus almost everything was shut down. Once there was some breathing room, the rule makers could begin evaluating each situation or business to determine what could be opened safely under what guidelines. While we might believe sailing and marinas are essential businesses, in the grand scheme of things they really aren't.

At least in NY there has been a sifting and prioritizing to establish which businesses could open when and under what conditions. This process takes time and I don't expect the rule makers in Albany to fully understand the nuances of every business. It is when we and the trade associations speak up and educate the rule makers they can make reasonable and rational rules. And with most rules, the first version is usually imperfect. It takes a few revisions to get it right.

 

[bawlmer]

We keep getting upset at the politicians who we elect.....

I did vote for him as he, up to recently, was a common sense guy. But we have more important things to do now. Finish stocking the boat, check the weather, float plan...

 

[sailme88]

In order to establish fake bonafides of a fishing vessel, you will need to have onboard: an over abundance of alcohol, several pin-up centerfolds, at least one totally intoxicated crew member, illegal nets, and numerous failed electronic pieces of equipment......

 

[shemandr]

We keep getting upset at the politicians who we elect.....

What you mean "We" Kemo -Sabe?
They all stink - just in different flavors. Whenever I bother to send a letter I usually get a form letter back that doesn't even address my point: "We are working tirelessly to make sure that ...Blah, Blah, Blah ..."

 

[sail sfbay]

Restricting sailing in the Chesapeake Bay and well as San Diego County makes no sense if you can social distance (maintain 6 feet and, if not wear a face mask/covering) or sail with household members......

......or especially, if you single hand sail.