How realistic is it to take a sail boat to panama??

Question

i wanna get a boat float out the mississippi river and go through the panama canal and dock it in panama city, and live there. too crazy of an idea or what?? how much money you think it'll cost all together??

Answer 1

How about going back and forth from the US and Panama. Work a few months then come back - make some more money the returning on the best of terms. You can enjoy the beautiful country as well as the rest of Latin America.

But the way, you will enjoy the first couple of months before the rain. It will rain every day during the rainy season. You will get sick and the bugs will eat you alive. You will ask for charity and finally come home with many stories and a deeper appreciation for many things.

How do I know this... I was raised there and know how it is. Now I sail here in San Francisco and work on my old boat to one day getting to the South Pacific.

Answer 2

It be fun. Be sure to understand gun laws should you want to take one, other countries are very different from America.

If you want to pass through the Panama Canal I give a link that may help. They charge by different criteria. My brother's boat is actually on record there, as it been through many times. But, prices change over the years.

http://www.pancanal.com/eng/index.html

Just for Trivia; The most expensive toll for canal passage to date was charged on May 30, 2006 to the container ship Maersk Dellys, which paid US$249,165.00 for passage (This may have changed by now). The least expensive toll was 36 cents to American adventurer Richard Halliburton who swam the canal in 1928 (This is probably a standing record). ;-)

Answer 3

Very Realistic, many People do that.  Now I know that most of the people that do this are proffesional sailors and they know when is a good time to do this.  Ive heard that it is a wonderful experience.  I do reccomend for you to find out when is the best time to do this.  I know that online there is a diary of someone that did this, you might want to check it out.

Answer 4

Do you have any experience with sailing? Or is this just a romantic idea? It's only realistic to the degree that you have the experience to actually do it.If you've never been sailing before, then it's entirely UNrealistic. If you have 5-10 years local sailing, it's much more feasible. Do you have a source of income to live on down there? Plan on getting a job once there? Do you know if they ALLOW a boat to be lived on in Panama? All sorts of things need to be planned before any realistic projection can be made.

The Gremlin Guy

Answer 5

It all depends on how you want to live. You can live in international waters tax free if you take your money with you. To live in Panama is risky business, lots of drugs circulating and if you are a gringo you are at risk. Do you speak Spanish without an American accent? Do you carry yourself well? Do you know any one there? What are the docking fees? Where is the nearest grocery markets? Can you live off the land and the sea? The cost of living there is low compared to USA and your money can go a long way there. Is your sailboat able to withstand hurricane and gale force winds? One can live there comfortably on less than 20000 a year. Getting a car and insurance is a problem there and if you aren't careful the bandits will come and get you and your sailboat and your car. There is that element there as well as everywhere else Passport is another thing you have to have in order.

Answer 6

its a realistic idea not sure its one that will make you happy.  no way to tell about the cost without knowing the boat.  dont go during hurricane season.