On behalf of the Board of Directors of Sail Canada we hope this correspondence finds you safe and healthy. Sail Canada would like to thank all of its members for persevering during this difficult time. As we look to the promising return to sailing, the safety of our members will continue to be our number one priority. Sail Canada is confident that as we get through this pandemic together sailing will be seen as a healthy activity and an environmentally friendly choice for Canadians, that allows for physical distancing in a natural setting.
In anticipation of the potential reopening of sailing clubs, Sail Canada and the Provincial Sailing Associations are taking steps to ensure the return to sailing is as safe and as soon as possible. Guidelines and recommendations for a safe environment have been established and reviewed by the Sail Canada COVID 19 Health and Return to Sailing Task Force. See the Guidelines here and the Sail Canada release on the website here. However, these should be treated as guidelines/recommendations, and are meant to provide advice once provincial and local restrictions are lifted and sailing has the green light to proceed with limited activities.
The return to sailing can begin once municipal, provincial and federal regulations permit the resumption of club and sailing activities. These requirements will differ from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, so it is important that everyone be well versed on the local directives as they take priority over any recommendation or guidelines from Sail Canada and its partners. Please contact your Provincial Sailing Association if you need assistance and guidance in this capacity.
Separate from our general Guidelines and Recommendations for Return to Sailing, Sail Canada’s High-Performance Director, Mike Milner, is creating specific guidelines for a return to training and competitions by our High Performance athletes. This is also in consultation with the Sail Canada COVID-19 Health and Return to Sailing Task Force. It will be implemented with a phased-in approach and communicated to athletes shortly.
Sail Canada will continue to create and share resources on its website as the situation continues to change, based on the best information available. Please consult the website (www.sailing.ca) on a regular basis. Information for World Sailing is also posted there, as well as updated information from the Government of Canada website.
Let’s all of us be prudent leaders in this safe return to the water. If we follow our local authorities and take preventive measures, we will help to prevent a second wave of the coronavirus. We can all do our small part.
Please stay safe and well in this challenging time as we create a new normal environment for sailing.
Thank you,
Hugh McGugan, Chair of Sail Canada & Don Adam, CEO of Sail Canada
