Sailing east thru Panama Canal

[CarstenWL]

@ AaaSkypilot: You saw the info on noonsite?

Procedures for Transiting the Panama Canal —

Regards,

Carsten

[CarinaPDX]

Originally Posted by Hudson Force

It's likely that no one has responded to your post that has any real knowledge.

I hate to criticize a moderator, but this is simply wrong. I for one did a Pacific to Caribbean transit 20 years ago and have posted about it, and I would be surprised if other posters didn't also have personal knowledge: that is a cheap shot.

IMHO the reasons that more info was not forthcoming was 1) the question posed was so general that the answer would fill a large tome, and 2) netiquette calls for searching a forum first before starting a new thread, and this was clearly not done and also would clearly have answered many of the OP's questions. It is unreasonable to expect members to continue to re-post their knowledge for every new member. Even with very long threads it is appropriate to read from the OP to the end before posting - something that is often ignored here - and only then posting any questions.

The advice given to the OP was correct: search for relevant threads first, read them in their entirety, and then post. By appending a post to an existing thread the subscribers (those who have cared to weigh in on the topic earlier) will become aware of the question, with a high probability of a useful response, with less duplication of effort by contributors. A search for "Panama Canal" will return literally pages of threads; there is even a "Panama Canal" tag.

I'm sorry if this sounds rude - it is certainly not intended that way. It is simply how forums work, or at least should work. I am on several forums of a very technical nature where starting a new thread when others already exist on the topic will garner very pointed responses about making it harder for others to find the active thread, not searching first (often quite nasty on that), and just generally being lazy or a noob. I like that we are usually not that way here, but that does not mean there isn't a need to learn and practice netiquette. And telling someone to "search first" should be considered helpful in that regard, and not offensive unless couched in rude terms.

Greg

[model 10]

Originally Posted by Hudson Force

Aaskypilot, I did make an earlier statement about the direction of passage through the canal, but not anything of value for you. I have been through the canal twice, but never with any responsibilty for the passage and once over fifty years ago.

I do expect that there are old posts that you could search, but usually people with knowledge are willing to provide information. It's likely that no one has responded to your post that has any real knowledge.

Please be patient with any comments from those who claim you are "wasting their time". No one needs to spend time on posts that they are not interested in. Wishing you success! - Hudson Force

We don't see it the same way. If someone is actually going to sail to Panama and not just think about it, they will put a little more effort into their questions about going through the canal. How you came up with the idea that those who responded had not been through the canal is a puzzle.

[markpierce]

The time I passed from the Pacific to the Atlantic Oceans using the Canal, it was from south to north, if not in a northwestern direction.

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by CarinaPDX

Post #2 has it right: there are several threads on the Canal that are chock full of info - best to start there and then come back for questions instead of starting from scratch.

From LA the trip to Panama should be done in the winter, beginning in November at the earliest and arriving in Costa Rica no later than the end of the 3rd week of May (beginning of hurricane season). Personally I arrived in CR right then and stayed the 3 months allowed (great stop) before moving on to Panama and the Caribbean for the winter season. Of course it is quite possible to start out after Thanksgiving and be through the canal with time to find a home for the hurricane season in the Caribbean. There are several good alternatives, so it really depends on your preferences.

Greg

Greg, This is an exception among the list of posts that have not provided any expertise for the OP and I should have not said that "no one" has likely had any real knowledge.

Beyond this, there is little advice here to benefit the OP. Certainly post #2 identified the real need and benefit that comes with searches, but any further criticizing of a new member for asking less defined questions is undesirable. I would hope that our members would not gather in attacking members with less experience.

If anyone else has experience that is worthwhile to the OP then, they could make note of that by sharing their wisdom. Otherwise, the point about searches was made early.

[SVNeko]

Originally Posted by Hudson Force

I do expect that there are old posts that you could search, but usually people with knowledge are willing to provide information. It's likely that no one has responded to your post that has any real knowledge.

This is not true at all. Here is a post where we provided quite a bit of detailed information, along with other posters. It just didn't merit reposting when it, and loads of other info, is so easily found.
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...on-125008.html

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by SVNeko

This is not true at all. Here is a post where we provided quite a bit of detailed information, along with other posters. It just didn't merit reposting when it, and loads of other info, is so easily found.
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...on-125008.html

This is great information for the OP and posting the link is the sharing of knowledge that is so helpful and doesn't require reposting. It is true that people, like yourselves with experience, are very helpful.

[Nagivator]

Panama Canal fees from the ACP as of August 2015:
For recreational vessels up to 50' LOA, the transit toll is $800, the TVI Inspection Charge is $54 (same for all LOAs), the Security Charge is $130 (same for all LOAs), the Buffer Fee is $891 (same for all LOAs).

For 50 to 80 'LOA, the transit fee is $1,300. Add the 'same as' fees above.
For 80 to 100' LOA, the transit fee is $2,000. Add the 'same as' fees above.
For 100' LOA and up, the transit fee is $3,200. Add the 'same as' fees above.

We were just adding this pricing structure to the Transiting the Panama Canal chapter in our nautical guidebook Cruising Ports: the Central American Route.
This doesn't include paying your line handlers, agent fees, rented gear, etc.
But I hope it helps you estimate some of the official costs involved. The Panama Canal remains one of the world's best short cuts.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by CarinaPDX

I hate to criticize a moderator, but this is simply wrong. I for one did a Pacific to Caribbean transit 20 years ago and have posted about it, and I would be surprised if other posters didn't also have personal knowledge: that is a cheap shot.

IMHO the reasons that more info was not forthcoming was 1) the question posed was so general that the answer would fill a large tome, and 2) netiquette calls for searching a forum first before starting a new thread, and this was clearly not done and also would clearly have answered many of the OP's questions. It is unreasonable to expect members to continue to re-post their knowledge for every new member. Even with very long threads it is appropriate to read from the OP to the end before posting - something that is often ignored here - and only then posting any questions.

The advice given to the OP was correct: search for relevant threads first, read them in their entirety, and then post. By appending a post to an existing thread the subscribers (those who have cared to weigh in on the topic earlier) will become aware of the question, with a high probability of a useful response, with less duplication of effort by contributors. A search for "Panama Canal" will return literally pages of threads; there is even a "Panama Canal" tag.

I'm sorry if this sounds rude - it is certainly not intended that way. It is simply how forums work, or at least should work. I am on several forums of a very technical nature where starting a new thread when others already exist on the topic will garner very pointed responses about making it harder for others to find the active thread, not searching first (often quite nasty on that), and just generally being lazy or a noob. I like that we are usually not that way here, but that does not mean there isn't a need to learn and practice netiquette. And telling someone to "search first" should be considered helpful in that regard, and not offensive unless couched in rude terms.

Greg

+1. Except for the hate to critisize a mod part, not an appropriate comment for a mod IMHO.

I have also transited the canal, just last year, so not only inappropriate, but verifiable incorrect in at least our two cases.

[model 10]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

+1. Except for the hate to critisize a mod part, not an appropriate comment for a mod IMHO.

I have also transited the canal, just last year, so not only inappropriate, but verifiable incorrect in at least our two cases.

Friends back in the US actually caught us on the video cams in the Pacific side locks.

[Hudson Force]

Some people have expressed offense with my earlier post quoted below in it's entirety. I apologize to those that misunderstood my intent and I'd like to clarify my intentions.

Originally Posted by Hudson Force

Aaskypilot, I did make an earlier statement about the direction of passage through the canal, but not anything of value for you. I have been through the canal twice, but never with any responsibilty for the passage and once over fifty years ago.

I do expect that there are old posts that you could search, but usually people with knowledge are willing to provide information. It's likely that no one has responded to your post that has any real knowledge.

Please be patient with any comments from those who claim you are "wasting their time". No one needs to spend time on posts that they are not interested in. Wishing you success! - Hudson Force

There are four points I wanted to express here:

1- I did not post good advice because I don't have valuable experience.
2- Most people with valuable experience post good advice.
3- Most who post without advice do not have valuable experience.
4- We should not harangue new members that ask questions that have been asked before.

I stand by these four points and I see why my poor phrasing could have been offensive to some.