Hello, you can click on the link below for video and more information on crossing through the
Panama Canal, which we did last March on our
Lagoon 380.
Regarding 8 Knots, if your
boat can make 7 knots then that will suffice. They just want to ensure that you can cross the Gantun Lake in a timely fashion and you do not really travel at 8 knots. If 6 knots is your highest speed, then you might need to pay slightly more. But it is not a strict regulation.
Regarding costs, we were charged the following for a
Lagoon 380:
$850 US Buffer (normally returned to you after your transit.)
$250 US Transit Fee based on our LOW (or pay an agent $300 to $500.)
$3 US per Tire (you will want at least 14 tires tied to your
hull in plastic bags.)
$65 US Per Line Handler (if you cannot get others to help, you need 4 total.)
$20 Line Rentals (you need 4 x 100 feet lines for the locks, included w/ line handler).
So, as you can see, transiting the
Canal is actually not that costly. Had our agent not stolen our buffer (she claims her business partner stole her funds) we would have transited for just a few hundred dollars. As I write in my blog, I would highly recommend that you do not leave yourself up to the mercy of an agent and just go pay your
fees in town yourself. Why give the
money away and risk not having her pay you back. Lesson learned...
http://www.sailblogs.com/member/hone...?xjMsgID=84899