Please help

[killyourguitar]

Thank you SOS! ❤️❤️❤️ ❤️

[Island Time O25]

Originally Posted by killyourguitar

Great advice guys, any idea how to find a trailer for this boat? Maybe a rental? I have a f250 super with a gas 460 efi, do you think that would tow it?

P30 displaces 8,300lbs, 9,000 with the engine, etc. So you need a trailer rated for at least 10,000-12,000lbs incl. weight of the trailer. Can your F250 handle this much weight?

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by Island Time O25

Throw the A4 away. Or trade it for anything useful on a boat. And get a 3cyl used Universal diesel. It'll it fit perfectly as they were meant to be direct replacements for A4 (same company). And while you're at it install an add'l fuel tank but at some location where the weight will not disbalance the boat.

I'm with the previous posters re: trucking as a better alternative to transiting the Canal. And you don't need to truck all the way to FL, just to Texas somewhere. Splash there and it's a strait shot to FL.

Canal before cv19 was a major PITA for small vessels. I was there as a crew in 2017 and witnessed all of the local bureaucracy at its worst. Between transit fee, handlers charges, visa/permits costs, marina fees, baksheesh left and right and whatnot you'd be definitely better off just trucking to TX. Especially time wise.

I've taken handline vessels through the Canal 8 times and have done the paperwork twice for my own boat. The canal authority personnel have always been professional. There are zero bribes or baksheesh in regards to the Panama Canal.
Note the marinas and immigration visas are all seperate businesses or government entities that have nothing to do with the ACP, the Canal authority.
So I call BS on your slamming of the Canal.

[NYSail]

Call a licensed boat hauler..... just can’t slap a 12,000 lb boat on a trailer and drive down the road....

[PanamaJim]

If you havent sailed. Don't do it. You're nowhere near prepared. Take baby steps. I am telling you this humbly from experience. You don't have the financial resources. No woman would crew for you. Please don't endanger potential crew members who are not knowledgeable. You are responsible for their wellbeing.

Originally Posted by NYSail

Call a licensed boat hauler..... just can’t slap a 12,000 lb boat on a trailer and drive down the road....

[Island Time O25]

Originally Posted by Paul L

I've taken handline vessels through the Canal 8 times and have done the paperwork twice for my own boat. The canal authority personnel have always been professional. There are zero bribes or baksheesh in regards to the Panama Canal.
Note the marinas and immigration visas are all seperate businesses or government entities that have nothing to do with the ACP, the Canal authority.
So I call BS on your slamming of the Canal.

I just stated what I witnessed personally. Unfortunately none of us spoke Spanish and all the bureaucrats we encounters pretended not to speak English. Perhaps they didn't. We ended up hiring our taxi driver as an interpreter for the rest of the day.

The Port Captain's office in Shelter Bay marina which usually processes all the paperwork was closed. Supposedly the guy was on vacation that and next week. This was Thursday. Because me and another guy had to fly out Saturday night/early Sunday we went to the main Port Authority office in Cristobal. We spent the entire day going back and forth between three separate offices (not the Canal offices as the owner dealt with them next week after we got all the paperwork from port/immig/etc). And had to pay "overtime" at each as they all claimed that overtime started half an hour before we got there. We literally started at 8AM and got the final stamp from immiggraiton at about 6:45PM.

Now you may call that "overtime" scheme - a legitimate fee. But having started the process at 8AM on a weekday (Friday) and having paid about $120-150 over the regular charges by the end of the day, I beg to differ.

Funny thing was, the skipper/owner is a seasoned marine professional who transited the Canal umpteen times, both as a crew/captain on large cargo ships and a few times as small vessel skipper. He was surprised at the run around we got that day since his previous check ins went more or less smoothly. Even those on small vessels when he did not use agents. Perhaps we were just unlucky to arrive during the absence of the regular Port Authority rep at Shelter Bay. But given our personal experience I would advise to expect some delays and bribes, at least in Cristobal unless one has a good command of Spanish.

Oh, and another funny thing. Our flight back was at 3AM Sunday. At the check in we almost were not allowed to board as it turned out that the immigration office at Cristobal used a stamp with which a young kid at the airport security check in was unfamiliar. So he had to go to his supervisor who came out of the office and luckily for us spoke English and figured out (after we produced a copy of our official crew list) that we were OK.

The Key West to Canal sail (with a 3 day stop at Havana) was spectacular though (even if a little bumpy at times) and I highly recommend it for anyone contemplating it.

[Island Time O25]

Originally Posted by NYSail

Call a licensed boat hauler..... just can’t slap a 12,000 lb boat on a trailer and drive down the road....

At my winter storage marina some guys do. Largest I've seen hauled by its owner is a 30ft powerboat. And he had a good sized diesel truck. Although it took 3 marina guys to run around him giving directions when he was pulling out. Either one of those 3 guys would have pulled out with blinds on.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by Island Time O25

I just stated what I witnessed personally. Unfortunately none of us spoke Spanish and all the bureaucrats we encounters pretended not to speak English. Perhaps they didn't. We ended up hiring our taxi driver as an interpreter for the rest of the day.

The Port Captain's office in Shelter Bay marina which usually processes all the paperwork was closed. Supposedly the guy was on vacation that and next week. This was Thursday. Because me and another guy had to fly out Saturday night/early Sunday we went to the main Port Authority office in Cristobal. We spent the entire day going back and forth between three separate offices (not the Canal offices as the owner dealt with them next week after we got all the paperwork from port/immig/etc). And had to pay "overtime" at each as they all claimed that overtime started half an hour before we got there. We literally started at 8AM and got the final stamp from immiggraiton at about 6:45PM.

Now you may call that "overtime" scheme - a legitimate fee. But having started the process at 8AM on a weekday (Friday) and having paid about $120-150 over the regular charges by the end of the day, I beg to differ.

Funny thing was, the skipper/owner is a seasoned marine professional who transited the Canal umpteen times, both as a crew/captain on large cargo ships and a few times as small vessel skipper. He was surprised at the run around we got that day since his previous check ins went more or less smoothly. Even those on small vessels when he did not use agents. Perhaps we were just unlucky to arrive during the absence of the regular Port Authority rep at Shelter Bay. But given our personal experience I would advise to expect some delays and bribes, at least in Cristobal unless one has a good command of Spanish.

Oh, and another funny thing. Our flight back was at 3AM Sunday. At the check in we almost were not allowed to board as it turned out that the immigration office at Cristobal used a stamp with which a young kid at the airport security check in was unfamiliar. So he had to go to his supervisor who came out of the office and luckily for us spoke English and figured out (after we produced a copy of our official crew list) that we were OK.

The Key West to Canal sail (with a 3 day stop at Havana) was spectacular though (even if a little bumpy at times) and I highly recommend it for anyone contemplating it.

Nothing you mentioned above has to do with the Canal. The canal is run by the ACP. All the people at the ACP you need to deal with to sign up and transit the canal speak fine english.

The Port Captains and Immigration are part of the Panamanian government. These are required to be dealt with whether you transit the canal or not when you clear into Panama. At times they aren't fun to deal with but it has nothing to do with the ACP.

[Thumbs Up]

" where can I get charts for South America's Coasts?"
Why would you need those? Thinking of sailing around Cape Horn?
FYI- Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and even Panama are all countries in North America.

[belizesailor]

While fixing up an old boat may prove therapeutic for you during a difficult time, if you do want to be there when your daughter grows up then dont take off on a journey for which you are completely unprepared.

There are several threads here of similar rash actions. None to my recollection ended in loss of life, but they did end in loss of boat.

[killyourguitar]

I've been out of range and see this thread has been getting bites. I was wrong about the boat, it's a Vanguard. I've been getting lots of help from the locals at the marina in all kinds of ways to get her ready to cruise. The inboard A4 engine is alive and well, the hull, valves, plumbing, electrical, hooks, sails and rigging are now clean and in excellent condition with all covers and other protective equipment functional and updated where needed... The boat weighs 10,300 lbs dry, the A4 is the 30 horse version, there's two mains, three jibs and two genoas... Have tested the anchors, manual windlass, iCom radio, robust nav instruments, planning for autopilot, new (different) skiff and engine, have basic diving gear for bottom maintenance... have boatswain's chair, hand and battery tool sets, inverters and chargers with a modest 180 watt panel set, backup hardware kits, having two alternators refurbished at the best shop in town, NO STINKING TOILET PAPER, but still a lot to do but it's coming along quick. I estimate I've got about 140~ hours labor into prep so far and close to a grand and counting on parts and supplies. Thank you, come again. ��

[Sailmonkey]

I had a vanguard several years ago. It’s a very nice sailing boat, when trimmed correctly t he tiller is a joy to hold!

[killyourguitar]

Even when the rain is flying sideways right in the eyes :-)

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by killyourguitar

Even when the rain is flying sideways right in the eyes :-)

Well, not specifically then.......

[Magic1st]

Don't forget every fee of every Country you go/pass through. Mexico has TIP and specific Mexican insurance requirements for example. Almost none of the Countries would even allow you in. So this is just a discussion post...