Canadian Yachting May 2021 - 62

CROSSING THE LINE

DR. WINCH ANSWERS
YOUR BOATING
PANDEMIC
QUESTIONS
By | John Morris
Q: Does an N95 mask retain its
effectiveness if you take a wave in
the face and it gets soaked?
Dr W: If you're like me, you'll find a
wet mask considerably more comfortable than a dry, scratchy one. Many
commercial fishermen purposely wet
their masks prior to use and several
have recommended a quick coating
of ballyhoo or pilchard.
Q: As spring arrives, the scene at
my boat club is coming alive. Is it
OK to socialize?
Dr. W: My advice - be selective.
When the dock master comes by to
discuss your tardy fees, it might be
best to ask him/her to step back, possibly off the dock and into the water.
On the other hand if a nearby boater
drops by carrying a Mai Tai with an
umbrella in it, simply ask them to
leave it by your transom and wave as
you take your first sip.
Q: Is it acceptable to do business
Zooms in sailing attire?
Dr W: I think it adds to your authority
if you can demonstrate your life-work
balance equation. You may wish to
iron your regatta shirt and buff your
gold chains, but a casual approach
really can burnish your persona.
Clearly, no pants are required so
shorts or even none at all are appropriate. Just a tip - if you are pantless
for your interview, we suggest putting

62

on some lower half covering before
you walk into town for a burger.
Q: Summer is coming and I don't
want to spend time in stuffy
clinics. Can I receive my second
vaccine shot while on the boat?
Dr W: Some talented practitioners
are well able to get a second shot
in your bicep even when the boat is
pitching in a stormy sea. Some less
flexible GPs feel they prefer administering needles when the boat is
docked. If, for some reason, the person holding the hypodermic is not
accustomed to the gentle rocking of
a boat, we recommend sharing a Mai
Tai to get them in sync with the natural undulation of the harbor.
Q: Is it within the legal requirements to steer a boat with a nasal
swab stuck in a nostril?
While the Safe Boating Guide
doesn't specifically address this
Covid-test issue, it doesn't forbid it
either. Call the 800 number and wait
3.5 hours on hold. If the hold music
is Jimmy Buffet, you should be good
to go.
Q: Does Evinrude still make
vaccines?
British Seagull medications were
extremely popular during the Spanish
Flu period. Although Evinrude produced some excellent 50:1 two-stroke

CANADIAN YACHTING | MAY 2021

oils, their attempt at clinical research
in the medical field was hampered by
patients' continuing need to operate
pull-cord outboards. Once electric
start became more commonplace,
this problem was resolved.
Q: How long does a towrope need
to be to allow socially distanced
wakeboarding?
Dr W: the distance between the
spotter and the boarder can easily be greater than six feet, so most
requirements can be met. The only
real issue occurs when the gang
decides to so some old-fashioned
pyramid trick water skiing. Generally,
when a pyramid is part of your program, you should restrict the skiers to
family groups with the eldest at the
top. Grandma holding the flag literally atop the family tree with her mask
clearly visible will make a summer
memory you'll cherish for years.
In a post Q&A interview, Dr. Winch
acknowledges that he might have
mis-heard the initial question. Rather
than being a trained medical 'doctor', Winch understood we wanted to
speak with a 'dock attendant'. Please
ignore the advice above.
Canadian Yachting May 2021

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