Getting boat out of storage – essential?

I know I saw a post similar to this, but now that “shelter in place” is extended to May 4th, I am struggling to figure out when to run to my dad’s place to get my boat out of storage. I bought a new (used) boat a month ago, and made the decision to put it in the shed rather than store it at home, in hind sight, I should have just kept it at home. Technically, with the stay at home order, not sure going to get my fishing boat out of storage will pass as essential, and as someone noted before, pulling a boat down the freeway it a big flag to get stopped for. But, fishing is still allowed, so I could say a little white lie and say I was fishing….?!? Letter of the rule vs. little white lie, so that I can get out Crappie hunting soon. I still am of the opinion fishing opener is going to be limited somehow but at least I would have my boat at home.

Go get your boat. I wouldn’t even hesitate. Fishing is allowed. Pulling your boat is part of fishing.

I agree with grubson. Get your boat and avoid other people. Gasoline is essential too so might as well fill her up on the way home.

The news last night said that people who are prepping boats and pulling them out of storage facilities can operate so as long as they abide by the guidelines. I intend to get my boat out of storage in a couple weeks too, and I will not have any social interaction when I do it because I have arranged it ahead of time.

grubson wrote:

Go get your boat. I wouldn’t even hesitate. Fishing is allowed. Pulling your boat is part of fishing.

Extactly!

Although I have mine in the water on a dock now and I’m not driving it around all day- I certainly didn’t lose any sleep when I went to get it, bring to dealer for a couple service items, gassing up, etc. Do what you need to do to stay ‘mentally’ healthy as well.

Some businesses are allowed to stay open for a reason. Keep the economic ball rolling while keeping others and yourself safe with protective measures.

Go get the dang boat. Just stay away from your dad.

go ahead and pull it. I did last Sunday. hell, it gave me something to do. cleaning, charging batteries, greasing, hooking the electronics up. its fun

I have to jump the border to get mine and Wi guidelines look very tight.
I’m on the fence bout doing it since its two hours away over the border.

I went to my Dad’s last weekend and got mine. Go get your boat and while you are there check if Dad needs anything or any help around the house.

What about hauling a jetski 100+ miles up north to drop it off and get it out of your garage? I didn’t even think about it being an issue until I saw this posting…I would be traveling by myself as an annual early spring checkup on the cabin trip and just figured i’d haul as much as I could get in my vehicle since I won’t have the family with…

Could I really get pulled over and possibly fined?

If your coming on a Internet forum to ask permission to drive then you probably shouldn’t go anywhere. Do what you think is right. Will you get pulled over or hassled? Most likely not.. but if you do you only have yourself to blame

You came to the right place for that question-get it out!

Fishing is an allowed activity per the stay at home order so it would be common sense that picking up your boat would be allowed. Look on the bright side if some over-zealous cop decides to arrest you for picking up your boat you will probably be able to buy a brand new Ranger or Skeeter when you win your unlawful detainment lawsuit.

not asking for permission, just curious if somebody heard anything specific about hauling a boat/trailer/jetski right now as I can easily see how that optic could be viewed as non-essential… I just don’t see how driving by myself non-stop to a secluded acreage property could possibly be viewed as endangering myself or anybody else especially with fewer drivers on the road…

This is right from the Governor’s Press release yesterday:

Under the order, Minnesotans are able to leave their homes for health and safety activities, outdoor activities, gathering necessary supplies, essential travel, the care of others and relocation purposes.

If you deem your boat as necessary supplies, you have a good argument!

Also, it has been mentioned many, many times. Law enforcement on this is being handled as “An education opportunity”. If you get pulled over, just take the “Education” and move on. In other words, don’t get lippy with the cop and you will probably get sent on your way.

-J.

Unless you own a teleporter I’m not sure how you are supposed to get your boat to a lake to fish without towing it, FISHING IS AN ALLOWED ACTIVITY!!!. Here is a copy and paste from the MN.gov website (https://mn.gov/covid19/faq/) :
Permissible activities during the stay at home order include:
Health and safety activities, such as obtaining emergency services or medical supplies
Outdoor activities, such as walking pets, hiking, running, biking, hunting, or fishing
Also this may be of interest to people from the same website:
Can I travel to and from my cabin?
Although the executive order doesn’t prohibit traveling to or from a cabin, the Governor strongly urges all Minnesotans to stay in their primary residences. Staying home helps protects your neighbors from spreading COVID-19 and also avoids crowding rural medical facilities. Avoiding this kind of travel makes us all safer and healthier.

So get out of the house and go fishing to maintain your sanity everyone, just use some common sense. If you see another fisherman at the ramp avoid walking up to him and giving him a hug or a kiss.

Bass-n-Eyes wrote:

If you see another fisherman at the ramp avoid walking up to him and giving him a hug or a kiss.

Bass-n-Eyes wrote:

So get out of the house and go fishing to maintain your sanity everyone, just use some common sense.

Let’s not be driving hours to a destination either as they recommend fishing “locally.” Also, just because you can fish doesn’t mean you should pile 5 people into a boat like they were doing in Green Bay last week that resulted in a shut down. Common sense to me says you should be fishing by yourself or maybe with one other person that you associate with regularly and you should be doing it near your primary residence.

You can’t get pulled over just because you are driving.
DT

getting mine out of storage this weekend. Stay away from people and use your head. Should be fine

The question is “Technically” vs. “Common Sense”

Technically you can get pulled over just for driving – “You can also drive to and from essential services, but driving around for fun is out” – “While in many areas, there’s no police enforcement for shelter in place, in some regions, such as the counties of the San Francisco Bay Area, you can be fined or imprisoned if you don’t comply.”

Common Sense – Law Enforcement can, but will not unless it is something excessive.

So in my case, I am going to my parents to deliver necessities, like food and toilet paper, without entering their home or getting within 10 feet of them. While there, I just happen to pick up my boat out of storage, and return home. And if stopped, I will happily take it as a learning experience and continue on my way. Then after this final wintery/snow/rain mix ends, I will get out to nature, on my own, or with family member, and boat/fish the local lakes for panfish until opener.

I’m talking in MN, not California. You can NOT be stopped just because you are driving.
DT

I fish locally on a private dock right now but a friend and I will be using his boat soon. We will both drive to the launch site separately where I can assist in the launching and pulling out, then we both drive home separately. A 16 foot boat. We won’t be within 6 feet of each other ever except stepping off the dock or onto the dock and I’ll be masked [gaitored] anyway.

If you want to fish, make it work inside the limits they are asking for. Simple. Stop reading more into this than need be.

my son got stopped going to work in morning yesterday to see where he was going. Know of one other person being stopped for the same.

In mn.

Really because there are people driving all over. Plenty of people still driving to work.

About the jet ski. There was a bunch of them on Tonka this pass weekend. And several that were trailered.
I mean that is your street cred on the line if you want to tow your jet ski.

Didn’t you need to do a welfare check on your dad anyway? And catch some food for dinner since the stores are sold out of fresh seafood?

Greg C wrote:

my son got stopped going to work in morning yesterday to see where he was going. Know of one other person being stopped for the same.

Looks like another reason to pull people over.

My daughter was pulled over in another state for having out of state license on the car. She temporarily lives in that state while going to school. Plus her army base is in that state, which is part of the reason she stayed. No problem for her but police said it’s a $500.00 fine for others.

If this situation needs a “shelter in place” then ALL should be required to stay home with military patrolling the streets. Other than that it’s a “social distancing” thing and needs to be addressed that way. This half a** approach to control has people confused.

Down here in Illinois, we are fishing. There must have been 75 trailers at one launch on Sunday. No problems. Plenty of room. Saw DNR out too. Everyone was keeping away from each other. Easy to do on the water but also at the boat launch.

To the op, if it was me, I’d go get my boat and keep away from people.

To the guy in Minnesota driving to Wisconsin for his boat??? Depends on the police officer’s interpretation of the current situation and laws in place.

A) even if you get pulled over they will tell you to go home, which by the time you have the boat, that’s where you are going. It’s not like your going to get hauled off to jail for being to far from home.

B) don’t give them a reason to pull you over (speeding,lights out, weaving all over the place, all those triggering events that would get you pulled over in normal conditions). Officers don’t want close up interaction right now any more than you do but still need to keep the road safe.