Taking a sailboat into Panama

[Pacific]

We are wanting to go to Panama, initially as 'tourists', and plan to go through due process of obtaining necessary visas etc to stay. We plan to take very few possessions other than our 36'sailboat. We'll likely sail across to Bocas del Toro from Florida.

Can someone please help me understand what is involved with taking it into the country (legal, taxes, duty? etc).

Thanks a lot.

John

[chuckr]

we are in panama and checked into bocas -- it was incredibly expensive - just because it is bocas - portobelo is cheaper and easier - the port capt with 3 other people showed up at our boat before we had the anchor down and charged us $100 us on the spot as they came aboard for an inspection - then i think 160 for a cruising permit, then immigration got us for more and made us take a 1 year maritime visa - total cost by the time they were done with us was about $500 - if possible go to portobelo -

just my thoughts
chuck

[Pacific]

Thanks for the heads up Chuck. The reason I was thinking of Bocas is that we are planning to move to Boquete / Caldera area, and trying to find a place to keep the boat that we can fairly easily access. In the case of Bocas, I figured it'd be a drive to Almirante, and boat across to Bocas. Certainly not ideal.

Portobelo sounds like a good place, but probably too far for us. Any other suggestions?

Thanks a lot.

John

[chuckr]

The bocas area would be the place - one of the few with an expat community where you can safely keep a boat and where there are some alternatives to store a boat - just understand when you bring the boat in there will be some extra costs from the officals - but as you are going to be living down there it would be the best place to enter and by far the closest

just our thoughts
chuck

[Pacific]

Thanks Chuck. That is very helpful. I keep searching the internet and can't seem to find anything better/closer, so your perspective being there means a lot.

Given our situation, which of the three would you recommend?

Bocas Marina
Careening Bay Marina
Red Frog Beach Marina

Thanks again.

John

[chuckr]

john -- the only one i have been to is bocas and it was nice and foks do store their boats there for long period of times -- i have no idea on the others
sorry

chuck

[atoll]

Originally Posted by chuckr

we are in panama and checked into bocas -- it was incredibly expensive - just because it is bocas - portobelo is cheaper and easier - the port capt with 3 other people showed up at our boat before we had the anchor down and charged us $100 us on the spot as they came aboard for an inspection - then i think 160 for a cruising permit, then immigration got us for more and made us take a 1 year maritime visa - total cost by the time they were done with us was about $500 - if possible go to portobelo -

just my thoughts
chuck

a sign of the times,they got somthing you want,and you got the money to pay for it,......untill people start protesting and sailing away prices/extortion will only increase in the yachting world .......

[FSMike]

Would it be cheaper to clear in at Portobelo (sp?) and then go to Bocas?