panama canal fees to rise

[Boatguy30]

There was a guy in the Rio Dulce hauling boats west boat the roads are bad and his max size was around 35'. When you figure mast unstepping, radar poles, solar panels, davits, etc it's a lot of work with bigger boats. I'm actually an experienced hauler and rigger and would consider this enterprise in the future, but canal fees would need to be more like 3-5K for it to work out in my opinion.
Cheers,
Jeff

[Travis McGee]

I have not driven it, but I understand that the highway between Salina Cruz and the Gulf of Mexico is made for huge trucks and big loads. It's a primary transportation connection in Mexico between the two oceans. Unstepping masts and arches etc is a hassle, but not as much as sailing another couple of weeks to Panama, making the transit, and then sailing across the usually very rough Carib in the winter, the usual off-hurricane-season window. I've got a 48' steel cutter with a deck-stepped mast, and I've had it off several times in the past decade. It's not such a big deal, at least not to me, YMMV. But I think it would be possible to organize a company to do this with a yacht transporter over the road across Mexico. Most of the narco war lunacy takes place far to the north. It's just an option I always wondered about. It will probably never happen. Less than 100 miles over the road, and your boat could be in the opposite ocean in one day, and much, much closer to the USA on both ends than sailing to Panama and back.

[Travis McGee]

http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/auth/englis...ent_am/map.jpg

[John A]

How about an older Ship from Dockwise to ferry boats thru the canal? Maybe even a barge, or transport them on the train?

[zeehag]

"(If Mexico was safer, it would make a lot of sense to haul boats over the road, less than 100 miles, from Salina Cruz on the Gulf of Tehuantapec north to the Gulf of Mexico. A 100 mile highway trip on a yacht transporter would be cheaper and much faster than sailing all the way to Panama and using the canal.)"

what makes you believe mexico is not safe?? LOL..i have been here with my boat for over one year--is not a problem. i have driven here before i sailed here. is NO PROBLEM unless you are into drugs and smuggling of weaponry. then is a problem. there are many of us cruising mexico and LOVING it here. the people are gentle and kind and giving and even helpful.
the places are quaint. what is the problem. you are only in danger if you mess in the spiders nest. if you have no dealings with narcos or smugglers or cartels, you are VERY SAFE. stop reading the sensatonalist news propagandas.

[hellosailor]

Travis, that sounds like a good employment opportunity for someone. Since NAFTA liberated the truckers in the Americas...does that mean any American boat hauler could drop down, haul 'em and pray the canal company didn't come around to complain about the competition?

Gotta figure it could be done as a day trip for considerably under a grand, haul & fall included.

[zeehag]

the transport ship will have to suffer the raised fees-even higher than our lil fee raise-- also so that would be not a good option.

[Boatguy30]

We're not talking trailer sailers here. You're looking at several days each end for the typical say 45' cruising boat. $1000 might pay just the trucking portion, but not any labor or yard fees. Again, it would be around a 3-5K cost for the typical boat.
I suppose if there were no low bridges more could be left on, but I'm assuming the need to get to 13'6" which often means cabin winches, pulpits, stanchions all off. Might as well be going to Alaska as the work is the same to get it on the truck. not as much padding, wrapping needed, but LOTS of work.