Pandemic Sailing Protocol
Mandatory Guidelines and Requirements During Coronavirus Pandemic
- Before going to the boat:
- You are required to know and follow these guidelines.
- DO NOT JOIN any BWF sail unless you can answer "No" to having these symptoms within the past 10 days
- Fever (temperature >37.8℃/100.0℉ or night sweats or shaking chills?
- Shortness of breath?
- Cough?
- Chills?
- Sore throat?
- Body aches?
- Loss of sense of smell or taste?
- In the past 10 days have you had unprotected contact (within 6 feet for more than 15 minutes) with someone you know to be diagnosed with COVID-19?
- Have you recently tested positive for COVID-19?
- Arrival at the boat: everyone must answer survey questions about their health. Protective gear must be donned prior to getting on the boat and ideally before entering the dock area.
- Initial orientation and safety talk, and concluding circle up after sailing, will both be carried out with crew lining up from the bow along both sides of the boat to maintain separation and also maximize being able to see and hear everyone.
- Everyone will wear a mask the entire time. This is required by the State of California and by Blue Water Foundation.
- In general, do not remove your mask when speaking. Keep it in place at all times.
- Disposable masks are not recommended because they get wet and they are hard to keep on. Buffs or cloth masks work better and are recommended.
- On sails which include eating lunch, everyone must bring their own and no food will be consumed while under way; it's too hard to distance while sailing with masks off. When it is time to eat, maintain six or more feet separation, DO NOT SHARE food and maintain awareness until the mask is back in place.
- Everyone will use hand sanitizer before coming aboard at the beginning of the sail.
- Take care to maintain separation at all times when aboard
- Boat: we restrict the total number aboard to 9 in order to ensure there is enough room to maintain separation.
- Cockpit: on all boats, no more than 5 people in the cockpit at any time; three may be handling sheets and steering, two may be instructing.
- Below decks: no more than 3 people below at a time and avoid clumping in one area