Crew Wanted: Rio Dulce to Panama Canal and Mexico

[PaulSommers]

I am looking for one crew member to join me and a friend on a voyage from Rio Dulce to the Panama Canal and then north to Chiapas or Mazatlan, Mexico. I anticipate leaving Rio Dulce late in January 2015, and have to reach a final destination with affordable haulout by end of April 2015. That means Marina Chiapas or a couple of options in Mazatlan. The boat is a Ganley 30 "Snowbird" with a single Hasler McLeod junk sail. I have sailed Dragon's Wing from Nova Scotia where she was built (steel hull welded in a shipyard; the first owner competed the interior and rig; the major modification since then was a new Yanmar halfway down the east coast of the US; new topside paint is being applied in Rio Dulce). The boat has both an autopilot and a wind vane to ease the steering duties. Two good sea berths will have to be shared if there are three crew on board, so one of the two sea berths will be used by one of two crew members when not on watch. No refrigeration – just ice boxes, but I don’t anticipate many passages over 5 days between ports. I would consider crew interested in either leg (Rio Dulce to Canal, or Canal to Mexico, Canal Transit included in either case). I will pay boat expenses; I expect crew to share in food costs, get themselves to and from the boat, and stand watches equally with the other two people on the boat. I would consider crew with reasonable prior sailing experience. Reasonably laid back non-smokers are welcome to contact me sometime soon. The two friends going with me (one southbound and one northbound) are fellow gringos living in Costa Rica; both have substantial prior cruising/sailing experience, as do I. So if you are looking for sea miles, junk sailing experience, or just a Central American cruise, please let me know by PM.

[Oliver YS]

Hello Paul,
I am serious, a non-smoker and hold RYA YM Offshore.
Would be glad to help you out during the canal passage as an extra man. I am based in Panama City and this is a non commercial offer. I want to do this to gain more experience with canal passages.
You can contact me by phone or mail: +507 6602 0498, olle4@hotmail.com