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Member Notices

Membership Update #2

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Published: Tuesday, 19 May 2020 17:06

With summer approaching and the desire to get out on the water, we are planning to open for our 44th season at the Boston Sailing Center on Thursday, May 28th. The governor just announced on Monday that recreational boating is allowed in Phase 1 of the reopening plan!

As we begin to see positive signs of a return to the new normal on the horizon, I would like to update you with our plans for re-opening and the additional policies put into place this season for doing so safely.

We are implementing a set of new BSC 2020 COVID-19 Member Policies in addition to the existing 2020 Policies and Procedures. As the season gets underway, these policies are likely to change based upon the CDC, and state and local guidelines. Please check the website frequently to stay apprised of these changes.

A smooth and successful transition into this season is dependent upon all of us working together towards a shared goal of safety for our staff and members, to ensure that we continue to enjoy sailing in Boston Harbor. To that end, we ask that all members and staff wear face masks while within six feet of each other, practice social distancing, and wash hands or use hand sanitizer before getting on and off the boats.

In addition, we are limiting use of the inside of the riverboat to staff only. If you need to speak with our office staff, please call 617-227-4198. Bathrooms are available for members on the upper deck. Lockers and the filtered water machine will not be accessible this year. If you need ice, please ask a staff member to get it for you. Launch rides will be for one group of no more than four people at a time and, if the dock is crowded, please wait on the sea wall.

This season comes with some exciting improvements at BSC. We have hired a boat cleaning and detailing company, On the Water Boat Cleaning, to assist us. The docks have been rebuilt and stabilized. Francois has made new jibs for the Sonars and new sails for Syrena. We have transitioned our classroom lessons to an online format with smaller class sizes on the water. Finally, we have added four more boats to the fleet, including a brand new Jeanneau 349! Our staff has been deeply committed to making this season a success.

Please read our complete list of new policies and electronically sign the updated waiver for this season. 

NEW WAIVER

Sign the new waiver before end of day Friday, May 22nd so that your boat booking process will not be delayed.

Your Membership Dates

Your membership end date will be adjusted by 24 days (the amount of missed days this season). If you would prefer to have a credit put on your account for the missed days to use towards your next membership, please let the office know before Thursday, May 28th.

Reservation System

Reservations will open for May 28th onward starting at noon on May 26th. As long as you sign the new waiver, you will be able to start booking your sails! If you still require a checkout for your new membership, our team will be in touch with you directly.

If you would like to get in touch with us, please send us an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Our office location will not be open until sometime in June, and by appointment only.

Soling Racers will be contacted directly tomorrow, May 20th.

We are excited for a return to normalcy and for our members and their families to be out on the water enjoying the beauty of the sea.

All the best,

Jim Davidian,
President
Boston Sailing Center

COVID-19 Member Policies

Details
Published: Tuesday, 19 May 2020 16:03

The Boston Sailing Center has developed the following guidelines in accordance with state and local authorities to ensure safe use of the facilities this season. These are in addition to the guidelines that already exist. Our goal is to protect our employees, members and families, while allowing the use of our facilities.

Updated September 2, 2020 This page will be updated throughout the season. Please check back frequently.

This page posts updates to the previously published policies and procedures document. 

Members must comply with and stay up to date with COVID-19 Guidance and the safe boating guidelines (updated for phase 3 on July 3, 2020) posted by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, in addition to the below. 

GENERAL

All members must sign the updated waiver electronically before being allowed to book or use of BSC boats.

Do not come to the Boston Sailing Center if you have symptoms, someone in your household has Covid-19, or you have been asked to self-isolate or quarantine by your doctor or a health official.

Members must always wear face masks when within 6 feet of others.

Every attempt must be made to maintain social distancing.

Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer before boarding a boat. Use of sailing gloves is encouraged.

Please submit maintenance requests from your phone before leaving BSC using this link. QR codes are also posted on the gangways to access the link. If an issue is severe enough that the boat should not be sailed before it is addressed, please inform a member of staff. 

RESERVATIONS

Call 617-227-4198 to check in and out for your boat.

Boat reservations must be made by 6:00pm the day before you plan to sail so that we can adequately prepare your boat.

When making a reservation, do not book immediately before or after another reservation on the same boat. Solings and Sonars require a buffer of one hour between reservations, Mid-range and cruising boats require a buffer of two hours between reservations. 

Last minute reservations may no longer be made day of. Please call the day before between 5pm and 6pm to book your last minute reservation for the next day. These will not count towards your normal rolling reservations. 

The online reservation system will no longer accomodate reservations within 24 hours. Call the office to inquire about last minute availability. 

Mid-Range and Cruising Members: If you are cleared for night sailing during your checkout and have reserved your boat past 9:00pm, you may keep that boat as late as 7:00am the following day. Upon booking, inform the office of your intent to keep the boat through the morning, and that you will be stepping off the boat by no later than 7:00am.

FACILITIES

Access to the riverboat office is limited to appointment only.

The use of the upper deck of the riverboat is limited to 10 people at a time.

Upper deck bathrooms will be available for member use (staff will use downstairs). Members should spray down the bathroom after use with provided bleach solution.

DOCKS + LAUNCH SERVICE

Launch service will be restricted to maintain social distancing. The launch will be limited to one group of 4 people going to or from a boat.

Please wait for the launch on the sea wall at the top of the gangway if there are others waiting on the dock.

Limit your time on the dock when getting ready to depart. Arrive with your crew and be ready to go.

There will be no port-a-potties provided on J-24's until further notice, unless you are on an overnight or a three-day cruise.

Sails in need of repair should be placed in a marked bin on the upper deck of the riverboat. Tags to use to indicate the nature of repairs will be provided there as well.

Boston Sailing Center's Cleaning Procedures

Boat will be cleaned before each use. Once a boat is cleaned it will be off limits except for the member who has it reserved.

Interiors will be cleaned with soap and water, and then disinfected with diluted bleach or other disinfectants from EPA List N.

Cruising boat interiors will be fogged when expected to be put into service for a reservation with a disinfectant from EPA List N.

Galleyware will only be cleaned by BSC staff before 7-Day Cruises. Member should plan to bring their own cups, plates, and silverware for day sails as needed.

Decks and exterior surfaces will be washed with soap and water. In addition, common touch areas such as winch handles, wheel/tiller, chart plotters, cockpit tables, boat hooks, and hand holds will be disinfected.

Daysailors and Mid-Range boats will be sprayed with the bleach solution before each use.

Upper deck bathrooms will be fogged daily with a disinfectant from EPA List N.

Pre-Season Membership Update

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Published: Friday, 10 April 2020 16:45

I hope this message finds you well. I am thinking of all of you and your families in these difficult times.

One thing that has been really helpful to me throughout all of this uncertainty is maintaining hope for the future. For me, this includes hope for the safety and health of our community, a return to normalcy, and, of course, getting back on the water with you all. I trust that many of you share these same sentiments.

Since March 9th, our team has been working safely from home and will continue to do so. We are extremely lucky to have had a mild winter, along with an incredibly hardworking and dedicated maintenance team. Every boat has been checked and repaired as necessary, bottom painted, and made ready to launch. Once our boats are in the water, we will need to step masts and rig them appropriately. This process typically takes place in March and April. We intend to start this process in May, if the conditions allow.

As we enter our 44th season, safety, as always, remains the primary consideration of Boston Sailing Center. We plan to continue to clean all of our boats effectively with those goals in mind. We are exploring adding new equipment and practices to ensure that Boston Sailing Center is as sanitary and safe as is reasonable. We will keep you all updated on the new procedures, with more specific information announced in May. As the effects of COVID-19 evolve, decisions will be made as to how to proceed with larger member events on a case by case basis.

We are still planning a start for our season. We intend to get everyone sailing as soon as it is safe to do so. That being said, we will not be opening on May 4th as previously planned. We now expect to open closer to the beginning of June. Once we announce the new start date, members may choose one of the following options for their memberships:

  1. Extend your membership expiration date by the number of missed days from May 4th until the new start date.
  2. Receive a prorated monetary credit to be used towards a future membership to account for the missed days from May 4th through the new start date. This is a good option for cruising members who would like to keep their current off-season expiration dates, and plan on renewing next season before the cruise week schedule goes out in March.

Until we have an official start date, you do not need to tell us how you would like to adjust your membership.

I hope you all share my excitement for another great season. It will be different than any we have had before, but together we can make it a special one. I can promise that we will do our best to get everyone back on the water soon. I am spending much of my time thinking of sunset cruises, evening racing, and remembering the good times we’ve had together and knowing there is so much more to enjoy.

I would like to close by taking a moment for gratitude. While this is a stressful and devastating time in so many ways, I am grateful to be part of this community. I feel lucky to have a chance to know you, and to navigate this unprecedented time with such supportive and loyal staff. I feel lucky that getting back to normal means getting back to sailing in Boston Harbor and beyond. It’s a wonderful normal to have.

Having been a part of the Boston Sailing Center for 34 years, I believe that while there are new boats and new faces, there is a special energy at the Boston Sailing Center that has never changed. It is an energy that comes when we are all together and doing what we love. Our season will come again, albeit after some patience. Stay healthy. We’ll be sailing again soon.

Jim Davidian,
President
Boston Sailing Center