Nicaragua , Costa Rica Marina ?

[Misiu]

I am sailing down the Pacific Coast of Mexico and hope to be soon in Nicaragua or Costa Rica. I will need to leave the boat over there for about two months.
Do you have any recommendations, please?
I am in Puerto Vallarta at the moment, but would like to leave soon.
I may not make it to Nicaragua or farther and if that happens I'll be probably leaving the boat in Chahua Marina (Huatulco, Mexico)

[Capt.Don]

Misiu,
We vacationed in Costa Rica last summer. There's a new marina in Quepos that looks inviting. Site Plan | Marina Pez Vela I thought their prices were sky high (comparable to S. Calif before the recession), though that may have/be changed by now. Nice area to visit, with Manual Antonio state park nearby.
Don

[gillosaure]

We went to Marina Puesta del Sol in Nicaragua in 2009. Rates were very good and marina brand new. Marina Chahue in Huatulco was also a good option. In both we left the boat for one or two weeks. Costa Rica was very expensive. I know there was a new marina about to open end of 2008 near Playa del Coco but never went to it.

[Pete the Cat]

You might consider Barillas, El Salvador. They have very well protected moorings where many cruisers leave boats for extended periods for cheap and secure. As mentioned the new marina in Nicaragua may be good and so is the Marina in Huatulco--though the surge in the marina in Huatulco will work hell on your mooring lines if you are not there to handle the chafe--unless they have fixed that in the last two years since I was there.

[Misiu]

Thank you for your input. Pez Vela very expensive (over $900 for 30 ft). Puesta del Sol a bit less expensive (over $700). I am checking Barillas at the moment. Cheap and secure sounds good

[captchetco]

I have sailed extensively in the region. Barrias is OK, Bahia del Sol is better in el Salvador. Very pleasant marina with a limited number of slips, but low price. Mooring out with one of two locals who do a good job of monitoring the moorings is quite cheap.

I left my boat on the hard at San Juan del Sur Nicuragua for $3/day. In-out was $250. did a complete bottom job with local cooperative help at $8/day. Excellent mechanic available. Yard is in t he Navy base, and you can even leave your tools out overnight. Very inexpensive and friendly. Caveate: There are elections coming up hotly contested, and Ortega is trying to use Anti americanism as an issue. Locals were ignoring him when I was there last year, but who knows as the election gets close.

Marina in Gulfo de Papagayo in Costa Rica is beautiful, was nearly empty and way overpriced when I stayed there one night.

The Yacht club in Punta Arenas is a good place to work on the boat because of parts availability, but its kind of a depressing place, and about $600/mo

Quepos is ungodly high, and was empty when I was there Christmas.

Gulfito is a nice port; the marinas re very high ($100/night), but the anchorage is sound and there are two very good places to anchor with dinghy dock services. One is free (Samoa) The other is $5/day, but has a spirit of camaraderiamong the anchorers. Extreme rains during 5 month rainy season..complex check-in.

Panama City area has a multitude of monitored mooring fields at all kinds of prices. My favorite is Taboga Island Moorings; friendly, well monitored, excellent morrings $9/day. Left my boat there 2 months while traveling elsewhere. No problems at all.

[Misiu]

Originally Posted by captchetco

Panama City area has a multitude of monitored mooring fields at all kinds of prices. My favorite is Taboga Island Moorings; friendly, well monitored, excellent morrings $9/day. Left my boat there 2 months while traveling elsewhere. No problems at all.

Thank you for the great info!

I left my boat in Barillas and plan to continue down the coast most likely in October. I wanted to leave her in CR but it was too expensive (!?!)

How is the situation in Balboa YC in Panama City? Is it still free to anchor over there? I'll be going through the Canal and need to be in the city.

I plan to be in Taboga as well. I have never been on the Pacific side of Panama except Panama City and David.

What would you recommend for a short break (maybe a week or two) in the David area? I heard about a place in Boca Chica, but I am not sure if it is just for pangas. I may need to hop on the bus and go to Almirante (Bocas).

Hope to see you on my way down!

[captchetco]

Without thingking, I sent a reply on Gmail, so its up in cyberheaven someplace.

The Yacht club is not as it used to be. A mooring is $26/day for a 40ft boat, You must use their water taxis, but try and get one to come get you. Its right next to all the work on the canal expansion and the work boats come and go 24 hours a day. There is a big hydraulic dredge working adjacent to the mooring field; its a mess, at least until the canal work is complete.
Las Brisas, where I am now anchored is good and free, but no services at all, at any price.

Boca Chica is one of my all time best places in the whole world. It is a bit tricky to enter until you get to know it. Bauhaus and Sarana cruising guidew will get you in with no trouble. Sarana is newer and better, and cheaper. Get it off the net at "salesarana.com. Excellent info for all CA, and the waypoints to get to Boca Chica are accurate. You can follow it all the way to Pedrigal if you wish.

Once inside, BOca Chica has a large quiet beutiful lagoon. There is no theft there, town has basics, and David is only 45 minutes away and has everything, The town is incredibly friendly, and the locals will start greeting you the second time your there. Nothing is locked anywhere. Only the vegitable truck tries to charge gringos more than locals. Beer is $0.65 in the cantina.

There is a water taxi service that works from the anchorage to the area
hotels, the town, and nereby beaches. You can also have a water taxi come out and direct you in for about $10-15.
You can get wifi in the anchorage from your boat, but you have to make a deal to get the password, which changes. Actually there is more than one, but the strongest is the Boca Brava hotel.

Great Place! A shame to miss it. Many Islands and bays within a day sail, sccuba, snorkle and surf with a short Panga ride.

[Misiu]

Thank you Captchetco,
Las Brisas it is! I googled it and it looks like it is almost on Causeway.
I plan to stop somewhere in Panama and seems like Boca Chica is my preferred stop right now . I thought I have heard some time ago about new marina in David area but it still might be on the drawing board.
I already have Sarana's guide and enjoy is so far. We almost used their waypoints to enter Jaquilisco Bay (Barillas). We were not sure if we can get their pilot. The VHF was almost one way comms. I reported my position at the "meeting point" and heard static as an answer. I thought I heard something like "one hour" and sure enough there was a panga in 1 hour guiding us. I compared the waypoints from the Sarana's guide to the actual route we took following our pilot and they were pretty close. We heard from a cruiser in Huatulco about couple of boats attempting to enter the bay and, after getting closer to breakers, turning back.