Seru Boca Marina in Curacao

[Windship60]

Hello,

I was wondering if anyone has hauled out at the Seru Boca marina in Curacao? We are going to have a significant amount of work done on our Windship and were curious as to what the quality of workmanship was there? We are currently in Fort Lauderdale, but I don't feel comfortable leaving her there over the hurricane season.

Any thoughts, opinions?

[Bradley]

It doesn't have a haulout facility. Curacao Marine has a trailer and Opus Marine has a travel lift. Your boat may be too big for the trailer.

What type of work do you need. Then I can tell you about the quality.

[Windship60]

We want to take up the teak deck, lay down a layer of glass on the deck, prep and paint entire boat; replace all hatches; soda blast bottom, new epoxy undercoat and paint; install new rigging; recondition Hundestat gear box and re-align; grease rudder packing gland; remove a longitudinal stringer and reglass; install duel fuel filters; clean engine room, engine and re-paint; clean and do all necessary repairs to thru-hulls; strip, bleach and varnish all bright work; maintenance work on all seacocks and strainers, propellor (re-paint), all bilges (repaint), a/c system, black and grey water systems, generator; some electrical work; repair of bow sprit - teak and stainless rails; re-chrome some winches; new head liner throughout boat; new sails.
As you can see, there is a significant amount of work we want done.
Let me know what you think. Thanks.

[Bradley]

That is quite an extensive list of work. Almost all of those things can be done in Curacao, but you would definitely need to be present. You will have to get a number of people involved to complete such a project. The quality is good.

You might think about Colombia or Panama for a lot of the work. The work is good and a lot cheaper.

[jpssailing]

Hi I just read your post. I hauled at Curasau marina and left my boat for several months. When i returned my computer was gone. then after I was done with the work ready for a relaunch and the arival of my wife and friends for a sail they informed me the trailer wasnt working the tire was flat! At that point i lost it I had mad friends buuy then and coincidently they were powerfull friends with some pull they offered to bring in a crane gratis. the sort of it is the marina filled the tire wit 5200 and water and got her launched but doing a job like you have in mind I would go to Shelter Bay marina in Panama soeak to Russell Goedjen Russ@shelterbaymarina,com they have a big yard and work is far cheaper than any where i have found as well the area of panama is great sailing. Colon is a **** hole parden my french but Panama city is great and not that far rent a car long term andenjoy the area. All the best J.P.S S/V Papillon

[GordMay]

As Bradley noted, “That is quite an extensive list of work.”
Although Ft. Lauderdale is in the hurricane belt, it is also among the very best places in the world to get skilled marine work performed.

[s/v Jedi]

Sorry guys but I don't agree with anything suggested in this thread ;-)

Seru Boca is a marina, not a yard. It is a very nice marina. Kees is the dock master and he is the local agent for Marine Warehouse so it's easy to get parts.

There are two boatyards in Curacao; the one with the trailer is Curacao Marine. The one with the travelift is Opus Marine. I would not want to do that list of jobs in either one but Curacao Marine is the only one that could do most of the list. The trailer can be a problem if your boat is big (we couldn't use it). The owner Gijs is a nice fellow but you will have words with the other owner like everyone else. They are very busy and delays are imminent.

Shelter Bay in Colon, Panama: that's where we are now. Forget the skilled workers, there are none employed by the yard and none available locally. You can have regular things done, like anti-fouling. All the rest you do yourself (or ask other cruisers to help) or it doesn't get done. It's a lovely place though, surrounded by sea and jungle and we even like Colon.

Ft. Lauderdale: We hauled at PlayBoy Marine which is in the Dania cut off canal. The yard is okay but ask for Stuart Dodd who is an independant contractor for that project list. Price is why I would not do that list in Ft Lauderdale and I still didn't forget the Bahia Mar marina fee's we paid there...

No, the best place to do that list is Trinidad, like Peake's boatyard. You will get the same quality work as in Ft Lauderdale (but there's bad contractors too, in both places, so ask cruisers that worked with a contractor about their experience) at less than half the price.

You must be attending in both places if you want it done on time and right.

cheers,
Nick.