Hi

[timcat 27]

Hi I’m tim , new here and wanting to know whatever I can about sailing through the Panama Canal from San Diego
How safe ? Looking to sell my house,
Buy a pacific sea craft and cruise, any comments would b cool

[Joh.Ghurt]

Yes, you can cross the Panama canal on a sailboat as long as it makes 5 knots speed under engine. Costs about $2000 and you need 4 line-handlers on board in addition to the helmsman. usually on the first day you go up through the locks to lake Gatun and on the second day you go down on the other side.

If you want to buy a boat in the wrong ocean, add those costs and consider if you don't get a similar deal in the correct ocean.

[skipmac]

Hi Tim and welcome to the forum,

Second the comments from Joh.Gurt. Unless you have a unique or special boat OR you really want to make the trip from CA to Panama it makes a LOT more sense to just buy a boat on the east coast.

Additional comments.

- It's 3000 miles from CA to Panama so a very long haul.
- Once you reach the Caribbean side of the canal you will be downwind from every except going north up the coast of Central America (dangerous in areas due to high pirate activity). Downwind means a very long, very rough sail to get out of Panama and over to the eastern or northern Caribbean. Also have to get around Venezuela which might be the most dangerous coastline in the Americas.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Tim.
You've received good advice, from the previous contributors.