Where do 4 line handlers (plus yourself) sleep on a 27-foot boat?

[hamburking]

Originally Posted by Ryban

...how I'm going to squeeze 4 line handlers onto my boat for a night, in addition to myself.

Thats another reason why I'm looking for a boat with pilot berths in the main cabin. Opposing settees with pilot berths above...that's 4 bunk right there. Of course this is rare to non-existent on a 27' boat. But that's definitely on my wish list for my next boat...so I can invite a bunch of kids, friends, crew, who-ever, and everyone gets a bunk. S&S boats often had this layout, including many of the older swan boats. I think the C&C40 too.

On a 27, I think the cabin floor and cockpit may be your solution. Or get a big bottle of rum for the crew, and just let nature take its course!

[oldjags]

Dry season just began here in Panama, so sleeping on the deck shouldn't be a problem with rain. Just the bugs!

Keep in mind you are expected to provide lunch for the canal advisor on the second day, after you overnight in Lake Gatun. If the galley doesn't appear to the advisor as though it's clean and safe to eat food prepared in it, he has the option of ordering food to be delivered to the boat, and that is very expensive!! :-)

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by Ryban

I'll tell them I can make the minimum speed, and when I don't it's definitely going to be because of stronger than anticipated currents. Definitely.

I think I'll feed my crew a diet low in fiber, as I don't want anyone using the head for that purpose with 4 people aboard. There is no door, nor curtain presently isolating the head from the rest of the boat.I suppose I'll add a curtain for this occasion, but if someone chooses to drop a deuce, it's going to be all hands on deck.

Airmen would be great line handlers I bet, as they're used to obeying orders without question.

FYI you have to answer Yes to Do you have a holding tank to be allowed to moor in Lake Gatun.
The lake is the water supply for Panama City.

[Ryban]

Originally Posted by Paul L

FYI you have to answer Yes to Do you have a holding tank to be allowed to moor in Lake Gatun.
The lake is the water supply for Panama City.

Yeah. I have a holding tank, this isn't the problem. The problem would be having 5 people bearing witness to your act via the olfactory senses.

If trucking the boat across was an option, I probably would go that route. However, it would also require the mast to come down, and I think in the end it would cost more money, and be a much bigger hassle.

I have friends on very small boats, though. 20-footers without real cabins. I don't see any way they could meet the crossing requirements, and they'd either have to be towed or trucked.

[fourlyons]

To answer your question, yes, we did a two day, west to east transit on a 25' folkboat. We had 9 aboard during the day, at night the canal pilot left leaving 8. Mind you, only 5 were adults, the rest were all under 10 years old. We had people in berths, on the deck, and on the sole.
It went fine, we didn't know back then about not swimming, it was very refreshing after a hot day motoring

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by Ryban

......

I have friends on very small boats, though. 20-footers without real cabins. I don't see any way they could meet the crossing requirements, and they'd either have to be towed or trucked.

At least one person swam through the Canal.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Dave22q

Sleep 4/5 on 27 footer? Stacked or vertical! Even the deck is a little small for this. That raises another question-- why on earth do you need more than two on the lines?

Currents can get pretty intense and its good to have a dedicated hand on each line of you need to move quickly.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/kcresenhe9...92107.mp4?dl=0

[double u]

..I linehandled for
https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/...ay-1980-online & I seem to recall (this was in 83!) there were only two of us. it was a one-day transit (standard in these days! only later it "was not possible"...).have a contingency plan in case of rain, we saw some heavy, & I mean heavy³ rains (returning late from linehandling on another boat we found our dingi filled up 1/3 & the flats (no marina in these days) very choppy. used to be cheap too in these days...alas...

[markpierce]

Hmm. The couple of times I transited the canal, there were no small boats in transit. Did, however, observe a superyacht anchored in the lake. Concluding small boats transiting the canal are not the typical.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by markpierce

Hmm. The couple of times I transited the canal, there were no small boats in transit. Did, however, observe a superyacht anchored in the lake. Concluding small boats transiting the canal are not the typical.

Pretty common, but varies dramatically seasonally with small boats trying to get across the Pacific/Atlanric before/after hurricane season.