Another Year Another Recommission.

This season we have several large upgrade projects we are undertaking. Part of this involved bringing a great deal of the necessary parts back with us. We had 3 flights from Vancouver to Panama with 5 checked bags all carefully weighed out to be just under the 26 kilo limit for air travel, two carry on bags carefully weighed out to the 13 kilo limit and 2 personal items. We apologize to those behind us at the TSA check points.

It also meant we were well over the allowable dollar value of goods that can be brought into Panama. We decided rather than take a chance on any issues at Panama Customs we would hire a Customs Agent, declare all the goods and avoid any hassles with Customs. There is no duty on parts for a “ship in transit” but failure to declare can result in penalties, duties and delays so we thought we should play by the rules.

We made advance contact with Nelson our customs agent, provided him with our flight info and were told to have a list of all the items we were bringing in and copies of the receipts for said items. We were to make sure we declared the total dollar value and that they were parts for “ship in transit” on our customs documentation. He would meet us at the airport and complete the paperwork. The parts, all intermixed with our clothes inside our luggage, would have to travel from the airport directly to our boat in a “customs secured” vehicle and Nelson would drive us . $ 115 for the paperwork, $200 for the Customs vehicle and $120 for Nelson to transport us to the marina.

Our flight landed, we proceeded to the luggage carousel, collected all of our bags and headed to the Customs booth. We handed the agent our declaration document and passports and loaded all our bags on the x-ray machine. All 9 went through, our passports were returned and we were out the door and into the vehicle waiting area.

Barb and I looked at each other and asked if this was the way it was supposed to happen? That was too easy. A few minutes later a lady approached and identified herself as Nelson’s wife and took us to her car, and away we go. We get about 2 miles from the airport, she got a call from Nelson and he told her to pull over and wait. 20 minutes later another call from him to come back to the airport. Apparently, the customs agent had screwed up and not noticed our declaration and we need to come back for inspection. Then another phone call when we arrive at the airport for us to just to wait in the car parking area . More waiting, but somehow Nelson was able to convince customs that they do not need to inspect our bags despite not having any of our listed items or receipts. 30 minutes later Nelson arrives at the car park. We get into his car. He drives us, his wife drives our bags in “a customs secure vehicle” and we all get to the boat. We did everything we were told to do. We spent 2 1/2 hours waiting in cars and at the airport and I still have no idea what was supposed to have happened. But hey we got to the boat with all our stuff so its all good right? We have heard stories from other cruisers that they have had items seized and then were required to hire an agent, but more often than not, you breeze through without any problems. We just didn’t want any problems.

We have learned that it is best to take a hotel room at the marina for the first couple of days back at the boat. Its so much easier to restore some sort of semblance when we can bring our bags onboard one or two at a time and not have to deal with putting our bed back together right away.

The first order of business is to get the cockpit enclosure unpacked and up. Its still the rainy season here and its not unusual to have rain for at least a portion of every day. This gives us a dry cockpit and more space to work on projects. A place for everything and everything in its place. Yeah right!

It was three weeks of working on the boat “on the hard” but we are finally back in the water. I don’t know what it was about this time, but every job seemed to fight back. Here’s a small list of our out of the water chores:

  • Replaced all 8 of the through hull fittings. We decided to go with Marelon rather than bronze. Marelon are reinforced plastic units and are larger in size than bronze. This necessitated relocating 3 of them as the body of the valve would not fit where the old bronze ones were. Drill 3 new holes in the bottom of your boat and fill in 3 old ones. We had to remove toilets and cut holes in cupboards to access plumbing.
  • Replace the sail drive output shaft seals. The bolts on the zinc anodes stripped and had to be drilled out and our MaxProp propellers we missing some identifying marks required for the correct rebuild. That required several phone and video calls to the supplier PYI Inc. in Seattle to figure out how to rebuild without those marks. It was kind of like cracking a safe code.
  • Replace the rudder bushings. We advised the yard that we were going to do this, and they needed to stand our boat high enough that we could drop the rudders out the bottom of the boat. We expected to be set up higher but their solution was to send two workers over to dig a four-foot hole under each rudder so they could be lowered out. That was challenging trying to work under the boat and over the hole. We ended up hiring the yard rudder expert for this job.
  • Apply some anti fouling bottom paint and Prop Speed coating to the props and sail drives.
  • Added “bonus” one of the engines would not start. Mechanics are looking at it as we speak, and it looks like its an electronic control module. We launched with only one engine operational and got towed to our slip.
Out with the old through hull fittings
Digging the hole so we can drop the rudder
Some helping hands
Here is a series of boat yoga poses. This one is folded in the engine room
Head in cabinet
Around the corner and through the wall
My all time favorite, Head in bilge

We still need to do the lithium battery upgrade, finish the domestic water lines and get the engine working. We are getting new salon cushions made too with the material we brought with us. Margaritas and beaches will have to wait but boy are we looking forward to them.

Our ride from the boat yard to the Travel Lift
Launched with only one engine working so we got towed to our slip

On the plus side we have fun hanging out with our fellow cruisers comparing boat projects and sailing destinations. There are happy hours , cruiser’s potlucks, Wednesday is pizza night at the restaurant. Beers are $3 each or $1.75 at happy hour so its not all bad.

Pizza night with the crews from Ramble on Rose, Fortitude X and Deek’n Blews
Twice a week the veggie lady shows up. For sale fresh off the farm
Abandoned barracks in Fort Sherman is an interesting walk.
Full moon at the marina

Its 28-30C. everyday, it cools down to 25C at night. We are very much looking forward to the pool repair being finished.

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4 thoughts on “Another Year Another Recommission.

  1. Hi. Guys
    I just messaged your daughter as I haven’t heard anything. She says all is well , just very busy. Wow this is a lot of work. Great job Derick. Love the yoga poses. Glad you’re in the water.
    Look forward to pictures of the travel .
    Happy travels. Miss you guys

  2. Hey, just way too much fun…fixen stuff in exotic places! Great update. We are in a Saint Martin condo bound for Tortola where we will cruise with friends on their brand new 46 ft Beneteau. Headed back to Osa with Jaryd in late December with just a few (hopefully)boat jobs on the radar screen.
    Glen and Marilyn😎😎

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