panama canal fees to rise

[John A]

The ACP is in the process of building another set of locks after which the current locks will need to be shut down and upgraded. All this will apparently take money, along with verious ungrades that they'd like to do to their country.

The water used for the canal operation is not recycled, and it takes the same amount of fresh water to raise a large containier ship at $150,000 a transit as it does to raise our small boats. Small boats are just an expense to them.

I think the only reason they tolerate us is becase that was an item in Carter's treaty when Panama took control of the canal..

[hellosailor]

ACP is of course completing the new "superPanamax" extra wide canal sections, and they have to raise money to cover their extra expenses. Small craft are no doubt an uneconomical nuisance to them and I would not be surprised if they don't require small craft to use a float on / float off "ferry" at some point in the future, so as to eliminate the nuisance.

I still think the US should have given back the canal when we were asked to, despite the fact that the US built both the Canal and Panama. My only disagreement is ecological, I think we should have filled the whole damned thing in overnight before giving it back.

[Paul L]

The Canal barely breaks even or looses money on hand-line transits like sailboats. The current cost for under 50 ft is $650. This is a smoking deal. The Canal personnel are very friendly and respectful towards cruisers. I wish I could say the same in reverse, but a lot of cruisers seem to think they are owed some kind of red carpet, special service for them as they jaunt around the world. An increase to $800 is still a good deal. Have you looked at not taking the short cut and heading down to the Straits of Magellan. You'll burn a little more in fuel just to stay warm.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

Somehow we paid something like 600 back in 2004 ... PLUS the bond, plus the cruising permit, plus visas, plus ... And all this without hiring an agent, linehandlers, etc..

Have you ever transited indeed? If you say the transit is dirt cheap then go ahead and pay ours!

Really.

b.

No...not dirt cheap and you're right...the final bill will probably be $1200 or better. But if you're cruising for, say, 36 months and your cruising is around $1200 a month anyways, dosn't it only represent less than 3%? I plan on a small income while I'm doing this. Being solo (thus far) I would just hold up, work a little and go.

[John A]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

The french started it...The US picked it up around 1904 and finished it. They paid Columbia 10 million for the right to do it but never owned it. Panama became a country later I believe. There was alway tension between the US and Panama which resulted in many clashes. One such clash killed a few dozen Panamanians a 3 US soldiers. As far as Carter...Remember...we didn't own it and we didn't own Panama.
Personally, I own a 35 ft. boat. So it's $500 for me...Big deal! That's a monthly booze bill for most cruisers and in Mexico. You can pay $1000 a month in a Marina. Get over it! How many times are you going to go through?...Twice at most. Don't worry about beans and rice. Just stop drinking for month and you'll be fine.

The US encouraged a revolution of the people living in the area that became Panama against Columbia. We placed Navy warships in the area and basicaly took the land away from Columbia and built the canal. At the time of the US departure there were 22 US military establisments in Panama. Not counting the Drug traffic, the US was their main source of revenue. The US subsidize the canal for the rest of the World.

BTW at the time of the switch over all employees of the canal had to relinquish their US passports in order to stay employed.

[Celestialsailor]

Ya..I know there was more to the story as there is with Guantanamo Bay.

[susanna reiter]

Originally Posted by John A

The US encouraged a revolution of the people living in the area that became Panama against Columbia. We placed Navy warships in the area and basicaly took the land away from Columbia and built the canal. At the time of the US departure there were 22 US military establisments in Panama. Not counting the Drug traffic, the US was their main source of revenue. The US subsidize the canal for the rest of the World.

BTW at the time of the switch over all employees of the canal had to relinquish their US passports in order to stay employed.

You be right !! John A...You be right !!!!

[Khagan1227]

Funny thing, my roomate in college was Panamanian. He is now Duty Canal Port Captain/Plannin Section Chief (Naval Arch) working for ACP.

Since we were in College just after Carter handed over administration of the canal to Panama, we had more than one heated argument over the deal.

I wonder if I can get a discount on my transit...

[S/VSkylark]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

Somehow we paid something like 600 back in 2004 ... PLUS the bond, plus the cruising permit, plus visas, plus ... And all this without hiring an agent, linehandlers, etc..

Have you ever transited indeed? If you say the transit is dirt cheap then go ahead and pay ours!

Really.

b.

So all told for a 35 foot boat transiting the canal, who has done it lately? What was your cost, did you use an agent?

[POH]

Rather than limit to 35 foot boat - anyone who's done it lately and could list out the types of fees, and identify where size will have impact (and what impact is if you know it), would be great for budgeting.

As for going around ... I bet it would cost you more than doing the canal in extra food/fuel/maintenance.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by S/VSkylark

So all told for a 35 foot boat transiting the canal, who has done it lately? What was your cost, did you use an agent?

I've done 7 transits in the last 6 months on various sail and power boats. Including one on my boat last Dec. I did not use an agent. Everyone in the Canal authority offices speaks English and are professional. Costs on my transit were for a 37 ft boat (slightly higher at 50 ft):
$650 for Canal transit, admeasurer and security
$60 line rental
$2 per tire x8
Food and drinks for crew
$85 taxi ride back for cruiser line handlers.
$850 deposit/buffer, returned in 10 days after transit with a $25 wire fee

That's the total. Pretty damn economical.

[boatman61]

I don't give a damn... I'd only pass through this ***** hole on a delivery... got nicer place's to sail to in my boat...

[Boatguy30]

Is there actually some requirement the canal has to provide transit for yachts?

The canal authority has certainly done what it can to eliminate yachts by bull-dozing the PC yacht club, setting fire to the other one and not issuing permits to rebuild, etc, etc.

Went thru in 2005 and planned to again in 2009, but plans changed. Now with a cat, the canal is the only option on returning to the Pacific in a few years as overland transport won't work.

Cheers,
Jeff

[avb3]

Originally Posted by boatman61

I don't give a damn... I'd only pass through this ***** hole on a delivery... got nicer place's to sail to in my boat...

Boatman, are you in the canal right now? BTW, I have friends living in Panama City now for 6 years; they love it and won't come back to Canada except to visit.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by Boatguy30

Is there actually some requirement the canal has to provide transit for yachts?
....

The Canal Treaty requires that it offer passage for all ships from all countries, including those at war

Originally Posted by Boatguy30

The canal authority has certainly done what it can to eliminate yachts by bull-dozing the PC yacht club, setting fire to the other one and not issuing permits to rebuild, etc, etc.

Yea, how come the Canal authority doesn't give up some land for yachties from other countries to use in the middle of their commercial cash cow What right do they have to earn money for Panama instead? While the PCYC is no longer there, Shelter Bay Marina offers plenty for a crusier. And, yes, it is on land and water leased from the Panamanian government on the old Fort Sherman.