In contrast to the first lockdown, sailors are apparently not blocked from accessing their boats this time. This was the result of an enquiry made today by YACHT to the responsible ministries in northern Germany.
The agreements reached yesterday, Wednesday, in Berlin between Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel and the Minister Presidents of the federal states must first be transposed into state law everywhere so that the measures can come into force from Monday, 3 November. They will then initially apply until the end of the month. However, a spokesperson for the Hamburg Senate has already stated today that "individual sport" will in all likelihood continue to be permitted in "strict compliance with the contact rules".
This would mean that a maximum of ten people from a maximum of two households could continue to meet - but they would have to keep a distance of at least 1.5 metres from everyone else. Access to sports facilities such as jetties, club harbours or winter camps would therefore still be possible.
According to the Senate spokesperson from Hamburg, lessons have been learnt from the first lockdown. Individual sport will also continue to be permitted in Bremen, while in Lower Saxony the state government is "currently working flat out on a new coronavirus ordinance".
In Schleswig-Holstein training sessions for clubs have to be cancelled as things stand, but individual sport is "still permitted" here too. The country's marinas are open, including for (guest) yachts. Electricity, water and sanitary facilities are accessible, but a hygiene concept must be drawn up for the latter, which everyone must adhere to. Overnight stays are also permitted on pleasure craft, subject to compliance with the general contact avoidance rules. In Schleswig-Holstein, the operators of the marinas and associated facilities are responsible for compliance with the new coronavirus rules.
Andreas Löwe, Vice President of the German Sailing Association, currently assesses the situation for sailors in YACHT as follows: "The general contact rules apply. I can't yet see any special regulations that would prohibit access. From the publications to date, I also can't yet see that harbours are to be closed. However, the restrictions apply to sport, i.e. either with your own household or in pairs. However, it will only be possible to say more precisely once the new general orders or regulations are in place."
Löwe continues: "As tourist uses are to be restricted, there may be restrictions such as bans on overnight stays or calling at foreign harbours. But in my opinion, bringing the boat into winter storage or transferring it there can be considered a necessary journey."
He does not see any problems with access to the winter camps. Löwe: "No sport is played here, so I don't see any problems at the moment as long as no more than the maximum of ten people from two households come together."
As soon as the federal states have drawn up and published the regulations, we will report further.
