Refit - Trinidad vs Cartagena

[Oceanhuntersb]

I have a 2000, 45' Leopard cat that needs to be hauled out for paint, general maintenance as well as interfacing all electronics, possibly all new rigging; installing SSB and removing bimini top to install a hard top to fix solar panels on. Currently cruising the thorny path through the Carribean and I am in Guadeloupe. Does anyone have recent experience in either Trinidad or Cartagena in regards to getting work done? Was it done well, good price, nice marina or yard, was the work slow, etc. Also I have heard different opinions in regard to safety in both places, any insight there? Originally the plan was Cartagena sometime in July but I keep hearing contradictory info. Ultimately the boat is going to end up in Bocas del Toro in Panama. Thanks for any suggestions and fair winds.

[slomotion]

I don't have any current information. But a few years ago Trinidad, Puerto La Cruz, VZ, and Cartagena were all considered good places to find reasonably priced quality boat work. A reportedly good source for cruiser-oriented Cartagena information is a fellow named Lee Miles at:

Colombian-American Chamber of Commerce -Cartagena
Edificio Banco de Colombia, Of. 500
Apdo. A‚reo 20483
Cartagena, Colombia
Phone: 575-365-7724
FAX: 575-365-1704
E-mail: director@amchamcartagena.org

[little boat]

A buddy of mine wondering the same thing sent me this. I've deleted the yacht's name and I don't know them or know where my friend found this. Sorry no date as to when it was written either, it was included in an email to me in November '07. So with all those disclaimers:

> Hello from Cartagena! We're anchored in front of Club
> Nautico - with over 50 other boats!
> We're not getting boatwork done here, however, it's
> amazing the increase in prices! I would swear I have
> it wrong, but it's in writing ... one of the boatyards
> charges $8/foot to haul & launch, but the nicer
> boatyard is now charging $24 -- yes, that's TWENTYFOUR
> U.S. DOLLARS A FOOT -- JUST to haul & relaunch. Days
> in the yard while you have work done are $72/day --
> it's much less expensive in Shelter Bay Marina in
> Colon. And Shelter Bay is known as being expensive in
> these parts.

[ronflonflon]

Go to grenada marine (grenada). They have an extra wide travellift for cats and they are doing great work on rigging, fiberglass, electronics and stainless. It was the best yard we have seen in the whole caribbean.
Also grenadians are very friendly people, low on criminality and the island is beautiful.
Enjoy !

[Joli]

We have friends who haul in Trinadad and they said that the price has gone up substantially. The price they paid in Trinadad last year was 70% higher then the price they would pay back in the Great Lakes.

[slomotion]

Yikes! I just checked the current prices at Bahia Redonda in VZ where we stayed 6 years ago and they are nearly triple what we paid then. I think the collapsing USD is inescapable.

[Soft Air]

I have just bought a nice Cheoy Lee 41 offshore Richards and after taking her from Tortola to Puerto Rico for electronics and communications refit, we will take her to Cartagena for a complete interior aesthetical job from scratch.

I will keep you posted about prices and quality of the area.

Best

JC

[Soft Air]

I am myself from Cartagena and I think this city continues to be an affordable and reliable location to having boat work done, I will be sailing my Cheoy Lee 41 Richards from Tortola soon to have work done in Cartagena, however all the electronics part will be done in Tortola as part of our needs to sail to Cartagena once there we will complete exterior and interior work, I will keep you posted about pricing, quality etc.