COVID-19 Updates

July 2021 Revised COVID Policy

Overview

We will always follow the most recent public health guidance from The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC). As of May 14, 2021 the Maine CDC announced it will adopt the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (U.S. CDC) new guidance which allows fully vaccinated Americans not to wear face coverings indoors, effective May 24, 2021. Apprentices, staff members and other people entering the building are no longer required to wear face coverings in the ‘Shop if they are fully vaccinated. Consistent with the U.S. CDC’s guidelines, it is recommended that people in the building who are not fully vaccinated wear face coverings in the ‘Shop.

The shop building is open to staff and apprentices, individuals from their households, as well as Board members. Additional visitors are no longer required to make an appointment, though they must be accompanied by a member of the staff when touring the shop. The waterfront is open to customers and to the general public. A limited number of group gatherings, trainings, and workshops will take place on campus primarily on evenings and weekends. Shop staff and apprentices are responsible for informing their guests of the policy. 

We are asking for cooperation from everyone with the following to maintain a safe campus. Please be responsible for your own health by practicing good hygiene including not touching your face and washing your hands frequently. Please note that these protocols are subject to change as the response to COVID-19 continues to develop.

• If you have symptoms of COVID-19 as listed on the CDC website, stay home until all symptoms have passed. You can use their Self Checker survey to determine whether you should see a doctor or get tested. 

• Stay at home if you have a temperature of 100+, have symptoms of COVID-19 or do not feel well. Do not return to campus until you have been fever free for 24 hours without the aid of medication.

• Practice good hygiene, including frequently washing hands with soap and water, using hand sanitizer throughout the day, coughing or sneezing into one’s elbow, and avoiding touching one’s face.

• Follow state guidelines on public transit, quarantine, and testing if you leave and return to the state before coming to the ‘Shop campus. 

Youth Programs 

• Wear a face mask or cloth face covering at all times when you are indoors 

June 2021 Revised COVID Policy

We will always follow the most recent public health guidance from The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC). As of May 14, 2021 the Maine CDC announced it will adopt the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (U.S. CDC) new guidance which allows fully vaccinated Americans not to wear face coverings indoors, effective May 24, 2021. Apprentices, staff members and other people entering the building by appointment are no longer required to wear face coverings in the ‘Shop if they are fully vaccinated. Consistent with the U.S. CDC’s guidelines, it is recommended that people in the building who are not fully vaccinated wear face coverings in the ‘Shop.

The shop building is open to staff and apprentices, along with individuals from their households. The shop building will be open by appointment to board members and additional visitors for business purposes. The waterfront is open to customers and visitors. Sailing students and waterfront customers will not have access to the shop building and will be asked to use the port-a-potty by the pier. A limited number of group gatherings, trainings, and workshops will take place on campus primarily on evenings and weekends. Shop staff and apprentices are responsible for informing their guests of the policy. 

We are asking for cooperation from everyone with the following to maintain a safe campus. Please be responsible for your own health by practicing good hygiene including not touching your face and washing your hands frequently. Please note that these protocols are subject to change as the response to COVID-19 continues to develop.

• If you have symptoms of COVID-19 as listed on the CDC website, stay home until all symptoms have passed. You can use their Self Checker survey to determine whether you should see a doctor or get tested. 

• Stay at home if you have a temperature of 100+, have symptoms of COVID-19 or do not feel well. Do not return to campus until you have been fever free for 24 hours without the aid of medication.

• Practice good hygiene, including frequently washing hands with soap and water, using hand sanitizer throughout the day, coughing or sneezing into one’s elbow, and avoiding touching one’s face.

• Follow state guidelines on public transit, quarantine, and testing if you leave and return to the state before coming to the ‘Shop campus. 

May 2021 Revised COVID Protocol

Overview

We will always follow the most recent public health guidance from The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC). As of April 27, 2021 the Maine CDC “recommends that people wear face coverings in outdoor settings where it is difficult to maintain physical distance. Face coverings are still required for indoor public settings, and there are no changes to Maine’s physical distancing requirements at this time.” Due to the number and variety of people accessing our programs and services, we are treating The Apprenticeshop campus as a public space. In conformance with current CDC guidance, we are requiring that all people inside our buildings continue to wear a mask, regardless of vaccination status. 

The shop building is open to staff and apprentices, along with individuals from their households. The shop building will be open by appointment to board members and additional visitors for business purposes. The waterfront is open to customers and visitors. Sailing students and waterfront customers will not have access to the shop building and will be asked to use the port-a-potty by the pier. Group gatherings will follow the current Maine CDC guidance of 50 people indoors with face coverings and 100 people outdoors, with face coverings if distance can not be maintained. A limited number of group gatherings, trainings, and workshops will take place on campus primarily on evenings and weekends. Everyone on campus must adhere to the same safety protocol outlined below. Shop staff and apprentices are responsible for informing their guests of the policy. 

We are asking for cooperation from everyone with the following to maintain a safe campus. Please be responsible for your own health by practicing good hygiene including not touching your face and washing your hands frequently. Please note that these protocols are subject to change as the response to COVID-19 continues to develop.

General 

• If you have symptoms of COVID-19 as listed on the CDC website, stay home until all symptoms have passed. You can use their Self Checker survey to determine whether you should see a doctor or get tested. 

• Take your temperature daily before coming to the ‘Shop campus. 

• Stay at home if you have a temperature of 100+, have symptoms of COVID-19 or do not feel well. Do not return to campus until you have been fever free for 24 hours without the aid of medication.

• Maintain a physical distance of 6 feet from others when possible.

• Wear a face mask or cloth face covering in the building at all times. 

• Wear a face mask or cloth face covering in the yard where physical distancing measures are difficult to maintain.

• Practice good hygiene, including frequently washing hands with soap and water, using hand sanitizer throughout the day, coughing or sneezing into one’s elbow, and avoiding touching one’s face.

• Follow state guidelines on quarantine and testing if you leave and return to the state before coming to the ‘Shop campus. 

Shop Floor

• Wear a cloth face covering or PPE appropriate for the task at all times.

• Keep primary doors locked throughout the day. The middle floor garage door can be opened to promote air flow. Please string a rope across the opening to prevent visitors from entering. 

• Open windows to promote fresh air circulation.

Yard/Waterfront

• Wear a mask at all times in the ‘Shop truck if there is more than one person in the vehicle. 

• Wear a face mask or cloth face covering in the yard where physical distancing measures are difficult to maintain.

Youth Programs 

• Maintain a physical distance of 6 feet from others when possible.

• Wear a face mask or cloth face covering at all times when you are indoors, including when you are in the BTA shed and the Bosun’s Locker. 

• Wear a face mask or cloth face covering outside where physical distancing measures are difficult to maintain.

• Sanitize your hands often.

Sailing/Seamanship

• Wear a mask at all times in a boat, unless:

  • You are in a boat by yourself

  • You are able to maintain a 6 foot distance from others in the same vessel

Office/Kitchen/Bathroom

• Wash your hands before and after eating.

• The common kitchen is open for eating and preparing food. No more than 4 people can eat in the kitchen at a time and should sit at least 6 feet apart. Please remember to put your mask when talking.  

• Staff and apprentices are encouraged to eat outside or at their bench or desk. If you choose to eat indoors, please maintain a physical distance of at least 6 feet from others and do not socialize without a face covering on. 

• Friday Community Lunch will start up again in mid May. Preparation can take place in the kitchen with masks on. Communal eating will still take place outside weather permitting. 

• The common table can be used for meetings. When possible, physically distance. Always wear a mask.

• When alone in an enclosed space with the door closed (bathrooms and offices), masks are not required but must be put on when another person enters the space.

October 2020 Revised COVID Protocol

Overview

The most important things we can do for our community health and safety are: 

• Wash your hands often

• Wear a mask at all times per new Executive Order

• Stay home if you do not feel well or have a fever of 100+ degrees

• Be smart outside the ‘Shop — do not engage in high risk behaviors (see attached sheet)

The shop building is open to staff and apprentices, along with individuals from their households. Apprentices and staff are permitted to bring non-household visitors into the shop on evenings and weekends. As we will be maintaining a log of people on campus, please let Liz know who they are and when the visit will take place. The shop building will be open by appointment to board members and additional visitors for business purposes. Volunteers will work on projects outside of the shop building.The waterfront is open to customers and visitors. Sailing students and waterfront customers will not have access to the shop building and will be asked to use the port-a-potty by the pier. Group gatherings, with the exception of Morning Meeting, will remain outdoors or until further notice. Morning Meeting will be held on the bottom floor around the table saw and nearby vicinity. Everyone on campus must adhere to the same safety protocol outlined below. Shop staff and apprentices are responsible for informing their guests of the policy. 

Apprenticeship Programs: Apprenticeships restarted on July 6. New apprentices join on September 2, 2020. Fall 12-Week Intensive starts on September 28, 2020. Maritime Skills will take place outside and in the BTA shed over the course of the fall. 

Sailing Programs: Adult sailing runs through mid-October. High School Sailing runs Sept 1- Oct 22.

Staff: Primary staff are in the building for an 8am-5pm workday with flexibility to work from home as needed.

Workshops/lectures: Will not take place on campus until further notice. 

We are asking for cooperation from everyone with the following to maintain a safe campus. Please be responsible for your own health by practicing good hygiene including not touching your face and washing your hands frequently. Please note that these protocols are subject to change as the response to COVID-19 continues to develop.

General 

• If you any of the symptoms listed on the CDC website, stay home until all symptoms have passed. You can find the list of symptoms by clicking here. There is also a Coronavirus Self Checker tool on this website to aid you in deciding whether you need to see a doctor or get tested. 

• Take your temperature daily before coming onto campus. 

• Stay at home if you have a temperature of 100+ or do not feel well. Do not return to campus until you have been fever-free for 24 hours without the aid of medication.

• Maintain a physical distance of 6-feet from others when possible.

• Wear a face mask or cloth face covering in the building at all times. 

• Wear a face mask or cloth face covering in the yard where physical distancing measures are difficult to maintain.

• Apply hand sanitizer upon entering the building first thing in the morning, at return from lunch, or from a trip off campus.

• Practice good hygiene, including frequently washing hands with soap and water, using hand sanitizer throughout the day, coughing or sneezing into one’s elbow, and avoid touching one’s face.

• Follow state guidelines on quarantine and testing if you leave and return to the state before coming on campus.

• Staff will keep a daily log of the people on campus. We will not track all visitors to our waterfront and yard other than, a) for a ‘Shop organized event like a launch or community gathering, b) when a waterfront visitor/customer is in close contact with staff for over 15 minutes. Nate/sailing. Nina/apprentices. Liz/visitors & other.Emma/waterfront

Shop Floor

• Wear a cloth face covering or PPE appropriate for the task, at all times.

• To the extent possible in a learning environment, maintain physical distance when advice or consultation is sought. Stay apart for discussions and step away from areas where inspection is required. 

• Limit the number of people working inside a boat at the same time to 2. 

• Sanitize high touch areas of common equipment at the end of the day

• Limit the shared use of hand and small power tools. Keep tools to one person or project for the duration as much as practical. 

• Sanitize any tools before returning them to the common tool area.   

• Keep primary doors locked throughout the day. The 2nd floor garage bay door can be open to promote air flow. Please string a rope across the opening to prevent visitors from entering. 

• Open windows to promote fresh air circulation.

Yard/Waterfront

• Wipe down frequent touch parts of the shop truck after use (handles, steering wheel, gear shift, etc.).

• Wear a mask any time more than 2 people are together in a boat, whether in the yard or on the water. 

Office/Kitchen/Bathroom

• Wash your hands before and after eating.

• The common kitchen will remain closed for eating and preparing food, with the exception of the microwave, refrigerator, sink, and preparing tea/coffee. Wipe down high touch surfaces after use. 

• Please do not use common hand towels other than for drying dishes.

• Staff and apprentices are encouraged to eat outside or at their bench or desk. If you choose to eat indoors, please maintain a physical distance of at least 6 feet from others and do not socialize without a face covering on. 

• Friday Community Lunch will generally be byo and take place outdoors until further notice. 

• The common table can be used for meetings. Wear a mask. 

• Wipe down frequently touched areas (keyboards, phones, copiers, door handles, light switches) at the end of the day.  

• Leave interior doors open when possible to minimize touch.

• When working alone in an enclosed space with the door closed (bathrooms and offices), masks are not required but must be put on when another person enters the space.

July 2020 Apprenticeshop Reopening Protocol

Overview

The Apprenticeshop campus will reopen to students on July 6. The shop building will be open to staff and apprentices, along with individuals from their households. Apprentices and staff are permitted to bring non-household visitors into the shop on evenings and weekends. As we will be maintaining a log of people on campus, please let Liz know who they are and when the visit will take place. The shop building will be open by appointment to additional visitors for business purposes. Volunteers will work on projects outside of the shop building. The waterfront is open to customers and visitors. Sailing students and waterfront customers will not have access to the shop building and will be asked to use the port-a-potty by the pier. Group gatherings, including Morning Meetings, will remain outdoors or in the white shed until further notice. Everyone on campus must adhere to the same safety protocol outlined below. Shop staff and apprentices are responsible for informing their guests of the policy. 

Apprenticeship Programs: Current Apprenticeships restart on July 6 for a regular 8-4 day. New apprentices will join on September 2, 2020. 12-Week Intensive restarts on July 13 (no current enrollments). Maritime Skills camp will take place outside and in the BTA shed. 

Sailing Programs: Summer Sailing starts on July 6 for intermediate level sailors. Morning and afternoon sessions M, T, W and F. Custom program for Trekkers on Thursday. Adult sailing will begin on July 20th and take place in the evenings. 

Staff: Primary staff will return to the building for an 8am-5pm workday on July 6 with flexibility to work from home. Summer sailing staff will start training on June 29. 

Workshops/lectures: Will not take place on campus until further notice. 

We are asking for cooperation from everyone with the following to maintain a safe campus. Please be responsible for your own health by practicing good hygiene including not touching your face and washing your hands frequently. Please note that these protocols are subject to change as the response to COVID-19 continues to develop:

General 

• Stay at home if you have a temperature or do not feel well. 

• Maintain a physical distance of 6 feet from others when possible.

• Wear a face mask or cloth face covering in the building at all times. 

• Wear a face mask or cloth face covering in the yard where physical distancing measures are difficult to maintain.

• Apply hand sanitizer and wipe down door handles upon entering the building . 

• Practice good hygiene, including frequently washing hands with soap and water, using hand sanitizer throughout the day, coughing or sneezing into one’s elbow, and avoid touching one’s face.

• Follow state guidelines on quarantine and testing if you leave and return to the state before coming on campus.

• Staff will keep a daily log of the people on campus. Nate/sailing. Nina/apprentices. Liz/visitors & other. Emma/waterfront

Shop Floor

• Wear a cloth face covering or PPE appropriate for the task, at all times.

• To the extent possible in a learning environment, maintain physical distance when advice or consultation is sought. Stay apart for discussions and step away from areas where inspection is required. 

• Limit the number of people working inside a boat at the same time to 2. 

• Sanitize high touch areas of common equipment after each use.

• Limit the shared use of hand and small power tools. Keep tools to one person or project for the duration as much as practical. 

• Sanitize any tools before returning them to the common tool area.   

• Keep primary doors locked throughout the day. 2nd floor garage bay door can be open to promote air flow. Please string a rope across the opening to prevent visitors from entering. 

• Open windows to promote fresh air circulation.

Yard/Waterfront

• Wipe down frequent touch parts of the shop truck after use (handles, steering wheel, gear shift, etc.).

• Wipe down frequent touch parts of any shop fleet boats after each use (tiller, rails, etc)

• Wipe down frequent touch areas on Bosun’s Shed and common equipment. 

• Wear a mask any time more than 2 people are together in a boat, in the yard or on the water. 

• Follow any additional Seamanship Program specific protocol. 

Office/Kitchen

• Wipe down frequently touched areas (keyboards, phones, copiers, door handles, light switches) twice a day, at lunchtime and upon departing the building.  

• Leave interior doors open when possible to minimize touch.

• Wipe down handles and light switches in the bathroom after each use (toilet, sink and door).

• The common kitchen will remain closed for eating and preparing food, with the exception of the microwave, refrigerator and sink. Please bring your own dishes and utensils. Wipe down high touch surfaces after use. Staff and apprentices are encouraged to eat outside or at their bench or desk. If you choose to eat indoors, please maintain a physical distance of at least 6 feet from others and do not socialize without a face covering on. 

• Friday Community Lunch will be BYO and take place outdoors. 

• The common table can be used for meetings. 

• When working alone in an office space, masks are not required but must be put on when another staff person enters the space.

April 27th Protocol for Safe Use of Ashop Facility 

In keeping with the State of Maine guidelines for Phase 1 (May 1 - May 31) reopening of businesses, the Apprenticeshop will open parts of our multifaceted operations accordingly. Our primary mission is education in traditional craft and seamanship; all other boatyard and marina functions support and enable this educational mission. So while we await guidelines for the reopening of in-person education, we are focusing on our operations as a boatyard and marina.

Staff will resume work as of April 27th but the shop building will remain closed to students and the public until further notice. Staff who can work from home will do so and those who must go to our campus to carry out their work will follow appropriate safety protocol. The yard is currently open to customers and apprentices so that they can work on personal boats and projects. 

To keep the Apprenticeshop facility safe for our staff, customers, and the wider community, we ask that anyone on the Apprenticeshop property follow these guidelines. We will continue to update guidelines in accordance with the State. 

Staff, please:

• Stay at home if you have a temperature or do not feel well. 

• Maintain a physical distance of 6 feet from others.

• Wear a face mask in the building at all times. 

• Wear a face mask in the yard where physical distancing measures are difficult to maintain.

• Wear gloves and/or apply hand sanitizer upon entering the building.

• Wipe down frequently touched areas (keyboards, phones, copiers, common tools, door handles) periodically during the work day and upon departing the building. 

• Leave interior doors open when possible to minimize touch.

• Wipe down handles in the bathroom after each use (toilet, sink and door).

• Wipe down frequent touch parts of the shop truck after use (handles, steering wheel, gear shift, etc.).

• For activities that require more than one person, such as Float In, use masks and pair up with couples/households as much as possible. 

• The common kitchen will remain closed until further notice, with the exception of getting water from the sink. Wipe down the faucet after use. 

Apprentices, please: 

• Follow the policy above while in the yard, or entering the building to use the bathroom or to grab tools. 

• If anything more significant is needed of shop tools and equipment, please ask a staff member to do it for you or schedule a time. 

Storage Customers, please:

• Maintain a physical distance of 6 feet from others.

• Wear cloth face coverings in the yard where physical distancing measures are difficult to maintain.

• Use the port-o-potty available and use hand sanitizer provided before and after use. Wipe down the high-touch areas after use. 

Everyone, please:

• Stay home if you have a temperature or do not feel well.

• Be responsible for your own health by practicing good hygiene including not touching your face and washing your hands frequently.

• When it gets awkward or cumbersome to adhere to these guidelines, keep in mind the wider community and how our individual actions impact others. 

• Try to stay positive and be kind as we all figure this out!

April 14th Letter from the Executive Director

Dear Apprenticeshop Community,

As with many organizations and individuals grasping for something familiar to anchor ourselves, we at the Apprenticeshop are also feeling saddened and unmoored by the new reality unfolding around us. Our hearts go out to all those suffering from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

In a normal spring, our shop and waterfront would be humming— the first round of floats would already be in and High School Sailors would have had to wipe snow from their 420s before casting off to zip around the harbor. Instead, our campus is quiet. Programs have been cancelled or postponed. Our staff have been sent home and, all but two carrying out basic functions, furloughed. The state of not knowing what to expect in coming weeks is our collective discomfort. But the Apprenticeshop is nimble, creative and skilled at solving problems in the moment, with the tools at hand.

While our community has dispersed, we are using what we can to remain connected. We have taken our Friday Community Lunch to Zoom. Nina has created a new Apprenticeshop Daily Digest and João has been making short videos for our Maritime Skills and Skateboard Club afterschool programs. As we go, we’ll be devising new ways to stay connected beyond our screens. By early May, we hope to re-engage all staff using safe distancing practices so that we can prepare our waterfront for some version of summer use. While we are exploring a variety of contingencies and will adjust in accordance with public health guidance, we have created a sketch plan for now. We will continue to accept registrations for our programs and services with the promise that we will refund fees when a program or service has been canceled or shortened. We will continue to keep you updated through emails and our website.

• Waterfront Services: June 1, dinghy dock, slip space, and moorings available 

• Summer Sailing: July 6; start of Youth Summer Sailing & Adult Sailing

• Apprentice Programs: July 6, Restart current apprentice program. We will extend graduation dates by the amount of time missed. July 13, Start of 12-week Intensive; September 6, start of 9-month and 2-year programs.

While we have proven to be resilient over the past 48 years, we are also fragile and do not have the reserves of a larger organization. With a pause in programming we are losing out on critical earned income. So I ask you to consider ways in which you can help see us through this challenging time. If you are able to contribute fees already paid as a donation or credit towards future programs, it would be greatly appreciated. If you are able to donate to general operations, or if you feel drawn to supporting scholarships for sailing or boatbuilding students, please do so here. To be ready to open the doors wide when the time comes, we will need the support of everyone who cares about the Apprenticeshop and believes that access to boatbuilding and seamanship on Rockland Harbor must be part of our future. 

We wish you good spirits and health in the coming days.

With Gratitude,
Bella
Executive Director

March 16th Letter to the public

Dear friends, 

In consideration of public health and safety, The Apprenticeshop will be closed to the public until further notice. Staff are currently still in the building and are available to take calls and respond to emails. A few updates about upcoming programming:

• This Wednesday's lecture is cancelled, as well as our April lecture. We are working on scheduling alternate dates later in the year.

• We are canceling our current Marlinespike Seamanship workshop and our upcoming Lofting workshop. We will do our best to reschedule these for later in the year.

• As of now, the start of Spring High School sailing has been pushed back to April 28th. Our intention is to run the program for the full 8 weeks, finishing on June 18th.

• We are still accepting applications for our 12-week program but we've decided to postpone the March 30th start date. Please inquire with us if you are interested in registering or know of someone else who is.

We are taking it one day at a time as we make decisions in this unpredictable and unprecedented time. We hope all of you are staying healthy and taking the necessary precautions so we can make it through this as a community. We hope to resume regular programming as soon as possible. For questions or concerns, please call the office at (207) 594-1800 or email us at info@apprenticeshop.org.

Take care!
The Ashop Team