crossing panama on a truck

[sailor Martin]

Hi

i am now now anchord With my 29 footer in puerto lindo (carribean side of panama) and looking to cross to the pacific side on the back of a truck. I also need to dry dock my boat for A week of repairs (preferably on the pacific side).

Does anybody know how does this process of land crossing work and have any tips on the subject?
Phone numbers or names of agents or truck companies or any body that could help me would be welcome.

Thank you
Gal

[s/v Moondancer]

Yards generally cheaper and more cruiser friendly on the Caribbean side.

[category4jay]

As I understand your post you are looking to trailer your boat and yourself from the Carib side to the pacific side. Correct?

[sailor Martin]

Yes indeed

[boatman61]

Contact Shelter Bay Marina and they can put you in touch with a haulage company and dismast and load you.. choice of 3 places Pacific side to re-float.. once again SB can advise

[ElGatoGordo]

I have no info to offer. But I'm itching to know why you don't take it through the canal?

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[boatman61]

Could be he cannot meet the speed limit.. or its cheaper to overland..

[sailor Martin]

Well i indeed do not meet with the speed limit. I can only make 3.5 motoring. Also i am a bit worride About the damage that can happen in the canal and it may be cheaper to go with a truck. Also now is the beasy season in the canal so might be dificulte to get through.

Thanks for the shelter bay tip, ill call them Up for more info but ill prefer to do it here in linton as its a free anchorage here and the marina is cheaper.
Any body else with more information and tips?

Thanks guys

[oldsalt_1942]

I live in Panama so know the topography pretty well. There is a pretty decent boat yard in Almirante (Caribbean side) BUT it's NOT the place you'd want to haul out and try and cross the isthmus. You'd be going on a narrow, winding road HIGH into the mountains. Nuh Uh!

I'm not sure about the haul out facilities around Shelter Bay, but I know that, as far as Panama's concerned, the passage from Shelter Bay and Colon to Panama City is pretty flat. Only slightly hilly and nothing like Almirante to Pedrigal.

[Claus Kjaerby]

Dont know about any dry dock on the Pacific side, Marinas are expensive on the dry, but Balboa Yacht Club has reasonable prices for a rail haul out + daily rate

2285794

Good luck

[roland stockham]

Would also recommend Shelter bay for repairs but go to Panama city for parts, very little available around Colon. Paperwork for the canal and the transit are quite simple (by the standards of the area!) and straightforward, It is the entry to the country and the cruising permit that are the nightmare. The thought of organizing trucking would keep me awake for a month and I can't even imagine where you would go back in and getting permits, even finding out what you need as a foreigner would be next to impossible. As for getting back in, to say Panama city is not cruiser friendly... words fail! None of the marinas even allow visitors to tie up. If you want to do this I think you must find a local company that will take on the job and agree a fixed wet to wet price including all the lift and slipping fees beforehand. I would possibly go with a company recommended by shelter bay but be very very wary.
My advice is to find a bigger boat that can tow you through. It would actually make life easier as you do the locks rafted to another boat anyway so knowing your partner boat would make that easier. A trawler yacht above 35ft would probably be ideal.
Failing that is it possible to use the train or ship as deck cargo. Using a yacht transport service is probably the simplest but most expensive option.

[s/v Moondancer]

My info on Shelter Bay is from 2014 and the Pacific side from 2015.

The dock master at Shelter Bay is a Brit called John Halle, he is very knowledgeable, helpful and speaks excellent Spanish. He is the best source of information.

Shelter Bay is a good yard but the Chandlery was poor, they had plans to improve. There is a good mechanic there who is US? Do the work there and if needed ship in parts. The boat yard at La Playita on the Pacific side is not cruiser friendly. The marine rail at Balboa Yacht Club would probably not be best pleased if your work became a 2-3 week job.

As for truck shipping vs going thro' the Canal I would talk to a Canal Agent, John will recommend one. However, 3.5 knots is too slow and they may not approve a tow even if you could find one.

Good luck.

[s/v Moondancer]

Even if you got things worked out at Shelter Bay the boat yard/marina in La Playita is so cruiser unfriendly they might not agree to lift you back in and I cannot think of a location/dock that a crane could use to lift you in!

[Nadezhda]

The guy in the second photo on this page managed it. He rafted up against another yacht for the whole passage. Nadezhda: April 2007

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by roland stockham

.......
My advice is to find a bigger boat that can tow you through. It would actually make life easier as you do the locks rafted to another boat anyway so knowing your partner boat would make that easier. A trawler yacht above 35ft would probably be ideal.
.....

I think this is a more reasonable approach. Pay a trawler or smaller sportfisher or even a cruiser sailboat to side tie tow you through. It will probably be cheaper than a trucking fiasco.
Or even better, fix the boat so it can reliably do 5 kts. The Canal asks for more but will live with 5kts.