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**jeremiason** · 18-08-2012, 05:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by saculmot

It was nice of the peanut farmer to turn the canal over. Palm greasing is now an essential element of passage.

We are currently on the Pacific side of the Canal moored at Balboa Yacht Club waiting for the end of hurricane season to cross over to the Caribbean.

We have found Panama City a very nice place and compared to the rest of Central America and Mexico this is very modern. They have a huge mall and restaurants for every food imaginable.

They have several marine stores here in Panama City and you can find just about anyting here. Shipping from the USA or Canada to Panama is very expensive.

The only people here that seem to want to rip you off are the Cab Drivers, who routinely try to charge higher fees to the tourist. Although there are set fees, you better negotiate a fee before getting in the cab.

The price of VISA have either have changed since the writters went through or they mistyped them....

Currently VISA price for Yachts is $105 per person, this has been hottly contested and may change at the first of the year, if you believe the rummors.

Also note Canal Fee will be going up this Fall and will raise the price of a transit about $200-300 depending on the size of your boat.

**zeehag** · 18-08-2012, 06:24

the announcement i read was that the rates were to rise july 1, 2012...what about that?? did that rate hike occur, and if so , another comes on top of that rate hike?? the july 1 raise of rates was to have been up to 300 percent higher than before.....
also, those who went before advised to find a taxi driver to be an agent--is that still the practice?

micah719 · 18-08-2012, 07:14

I think I'll be investing in some oilskin underpants and an extra case of baked beans, and avoid Panama by going the long way around....

**Paul L** · 18-08-2012, 07:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by zeehag

.... the july 1 raise of rates was to have been up to 300 percent higher than before..........

Where do you get your math? Maybe US$300, not 300%.

**zeehag** · 18-08-2012, 08:09

paul l--i am going by the rates posted -- was an article that i posted a few months ago here on cf--did you read that?????

**zeehag** · 18-08-2012, 09:08

paul l--here is the article as published :

panama canal fees to rise

**avb3** · 18-08-2012, 09:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by micah719

I think I'll be investing in some oilskin underpants and an extra case of baked beans, and avoid Panama by going the long way around....

One would certainly need more cash that way, a significant boat, along with appropriate experience. It may be more economical taking the canal for a number of reasons.

**Paul L** · 18-08-2012, 10:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by zeehag

paul l--here is the article as published :

panama canal fees to rise

Where in that article do you see 300% increase. It says the increase is from the current $500 to $800. No where near 300% and still a smoking deal and a money looser for the ACP.

engele · 18-08-2012, 10:30

The ACP has been the easiest organization to work with in Central America for us. Sure the price for under 50' just went to $800 from $500, but that isn't as bad as it could be. Think about fuel, time and breakage to go around. As far as corruption is concerned the ACP seemed pretty clean to me, especially compared to gov agencies in the region. There were no bribes asked or offered for our transit. We did not use an agent and had no need for one.

**Capt.Fred** · 18-08-2012, 11:36

In 1983, The canal authorities asked for $100 up front. Passage for my 50' boat was $73, Several months later, surprisingly

I received a beautifully engraved check for $27. I have always wished I had framed that check. Everyone was respectful and polite. There were a few misadventures, but that's life anywhere. BTW, In Colon I bought a brand new 15hp Evinrude complete in the box with all the tags for $550. The the swarthy looking seller wanted all the money up front and he disappeared. OK,

alright, I'm a sucker. Everyone assured me not to worry. Sho nuff in a couple hours my Evinrude showed up and I finally sold it in 2003. Evinrudes listed in the USA for about $1,200 at that time.

micah719 · 18-08-2012, 11:51

av....the boat is being designed to be as substantial as a 14m boat can be....and the experience will only come once I've been on it for a number of years. There are enough corpses and wrecks in that patch of water, not intending to join them! I might not even bother; by the time I'm capable of doing The Horn it might not be worth going into the Atlantic anymore anyway. South Pacific has enough to keep one contentedly busy for a long time, and doing such a crazy thing just to be able to say one has done it is not wise. Btw, does China still own the Panama Canal? Must look that one up....

Misiu · 18-08-2012, 13:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by engele

The ACP has been the easiest organization to work with in Central America for us. .............. As far as corruption is concerned the ACP seemed pretty clean to me, especially compared to gov agencies in the region. There were no bribes asked or offered for our transit. We did not use an agent and had no need for one.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Capt.Fred

.......Everyone was respectful and polite. .....

Ditto. I also did everything by myself. There were no problems and the entire process went unusually smooth. One on the companies in Central America which works as designed.

micah719 · 18-08-2012, 14:26

Checked on Canal ownership....apparently a Hong Kong billionaire owns it, so effectively, the PRC does.

Whatever; it's getting more and more expensive, and I'd rather invest in the boat and my skills rather than blow a wad of cash in the name of a one-off convenience. Must investigate the NW passage as alternative. Can't be too many tourist-spoiled spots there, and few pirates and grifters and bureacrats.

**jeremiason** · 18-08-2012, 14:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by zeehag

the announcement i read was that the rates were to rise july 1, 2012...what about that?? did that rate hike occur, and if so , another comes on top of that rate hike?? the july 1 raise of rates was to have been up to 300 percent higher than before.....
also, those who went before advised to find a taxi driver to be an agent--is that still the practice?

The new fees schedule was suppose to take effect July 1, 2012.

That didn't happen after the shipping industry bitched and it was posponed for 90 days.

The new fee schedule is now supposed to be implimented on October 1, 2012.

**jeremiason** · 18-08-2012, 15:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Capt.Fred

In 1983, The canal authorities asked for $100 up front. Passage for my 50' boat was $73, Several months later, surprisingly

I received a beautifully engraved check for $27. I have always wished I had framed that check. Everyone was respectful and polite. There were a few misadventures, but that's life anywhere. BTW, In Colon I bought a brand new 15hp Evinrude complete in the box with all the tags for $550. The the swarthy looking seller wanted all the money up front and he disappeared. OK,

alright, I'm a sucker. Everyone assured me not to worry. Sho nuff in a couple hours my Evinrude showed up and I finally sold it in 2003. Evinrudes listed in the USA for about $1,200 at that time.

You have to remember when the USA ran the Panama Canal One they were something similar to a "NON-PROFIT".

When it reverted back t the Panamanians it became a profit business.