Crew Available: Panama Canal Transit - pay YOU for passage.

[kawikasurf]

Aloha,
I’m 62 years old - in excellent condition - Hawai`i Ironman, 35 marathons, 100’s of triathlons and running races, dozens of multi-mile open water swims. Experienced sailor - Virgin Islands, Chesapeake Bay, California Coastal Waters, Great Lakes. Former Sea Explorer/instructor, owned several boats. Am current organizer of a Hawaiian Outrigger Canoe Club and also a weekly ukulele kanikapila (a Hawaiian word meaning roughly, “let’s makes some music”). Advanced open water scuba certified. Former V.P. Marketing, medical and biotech companies. Responsible, affable, outgoing, great sense of humor, neat, clean, respectful, considerate, clean-cut, hard-worker. Not creepy or scary in any way - you’ll feel very comfortable having me aboard. My life’s dream (as with most of us, right?) has been to transit the Panama Canal on a small boat. I’ll gladly pay you $200 (Is that a fair amount? Sorry, I honestly don’t know.) for the privilege of being your crew for just the Panama Canal transit portion. Will bring my own food, beverage, towels and whatevah! Will fend-off, handle lines, mop decks, stand watch, and other crew duties during your transit. Want to learn to play ukulele and/or learn Hawaiian language songs? I’ll bring an extra ukulele and teach you. Will send photos and websites where you can learn more about me. I’d consider it a favor and would say lots of really nice things about you for years to come to anyone who would listen. Thanks for reading my post.

[andreas.mehlin]

I don't think you Will need to pay anything. All boats are looking for line handlers. If you get down to colon/ shelter bay or Panama city you Will find à boat the same day

[atoll]

boatman61 will be arriving in panama on the 4-5 april,then transiting the canal at a guess around the 10th april.
im sure he would take you up on your offer

send him a pm and he will get back to you when he arrives

see this thread http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...lan-78699.html

[northwestsailor]

I agree with andreas.mehlin. I just went through the canal north to south and had five line handlers who did not pay me a thing. Nor did I ask them. They were a necessity and a blessing. We fed them well (at least no complaints) and they were back home in Shelter Bay marina by 2 am. We did the whole trip in 7.5 hours.

[SaucySailoress]

Originally Posted by atoll

boatman61 will be arriving in panama on the 4-5 april,then transiting the canal at a guess around the 10th april.
im sure he would take you up on your offer

send him a pm and he will get back to you when he arrives

see this thread http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...lan-78699.html

You reckon boatman61 would take on crew willing to PAY hard cash? You'd think so, but....

Originally Posted by kawikasurf

Aloha,
Responsible, .... neat, clean, respectful, considerate, clean-cut

[atoll]

Originally Posted by SaucySailoress

You reckon boatman61 would take on crew willing to PAY hard cash? You'd think so, but....

fortunately for the panama transit, line handlers don't go on the crew list,so you are not responsible for repatriating them at the other end!

[kawikasurf]

Originally Posted by atoll

boatman61 will be arriving in panama on the 4-5 april,then transiting the canal at a guess around the 10th april.
im sure he would take you up on your offer

send him a pm and he will get back to you when he arrives

see this thread http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...lan-78699.html

Thanks so much for your quick reply. Awfully nice of you and enormously encouraging. I certainly shall do as you suggest. Can’t tell you how much I appreciate it.

[kawikasurf]

That’s amazing. For some reason, I was thinking it was a two-day exercise on a small boat. Amazing that it all happens in a single day. Good news for me and especially for the skipper - means that I wouldn’t be cluttering-up his/her deck overnight. Thanks so much for the information.

[kawikasurf]

Very interesting and good to know - technical stuff I’d never considered. Naturally, I’d have my return plane ticket in hand. I’m assuming I’ll fly into Panama City. Would handle my own lodging and ground transportation, of course.

[AllezCat]

Hello
I transited 15 years ago.
I agree with others.
Just get down to the Caribbean side and ask around.
You will be on a boat the next day (maybe same day).
It is required for each boat to have 4 line handlers...
then catch a bus back and do it again if you like...

[AllezCat]

however,
if I do it again I will hire the local professionals.
4 guys 4 ropes.
I had 2 crew and picked up 2 backpackers (quid pro quo)
almost lost my boat twice in the canal....

[AllezCat]

Originally Posted by kawikasurf

That’s amazing. For some reason, I was thinking it was a two-day exercise on a small boat. Amazing that it all happens in a single day. Good news for me and especially for the skipper - means that I wouldn’t be cluttering-up his/her deck overnight. Thanks so much for the information.

i did it over two days.
easy to do in one.
up to the pilots - and not sure why the decide to anchor in the lake over night...

[kawikasurf]

Originally Posted by AllezCat

i did it over two days.
easy to do in one.
up to the pilots - and not sure why the decide to anchor in the lake over night...

Thanks for this and your previous two posts. Not kidding that I’ve been dreaming of this since the 1960’s. The internet is astonishing. Whatever can be conceived can be done, apparently. For years, I’ve had this ill-conceived plan wherein I quit my job, make my way to Panama, and hang-out in waterfront haunts until I can make a “connection." I had absolutely no idea it was this straightforward. Many thanks to you and all other kind cruisers for your valuable insights.

- David