Panama Delay

On Sunday at 1445 we set off from Shelter Bay Marina for the Flats. Joe, Louis and Perry were our line handlers. At 1545 two other boats, “Last Stall” ( a sixty two foot fishing sports boat, owned by a Texan Millionaire) and “Zenitude” (a forty two foot cat, owned by Oscar and Gabriella {friends}) received their advisers and set off for Gatun Locks. At 1615 our Adviser turned up and said we had to be at the lock by 1700. We set off at top speed and just managed to arrive in time to raft up to “Last Stall” with “Zenitude” lashed to the other side. “Last Stall” has twin 1400 HP engines, so it would control our raft. We pulled in behind a ship called “Seaboard Reliance” Monrovia. Everything went well and we passed through the three locks and attached to a buoy in Gatun Lake, where we spent a quiet, but hot night.

At 0550 the new adviser arrived and told us we had to be at the Pedro Miguel Lock, 27.4 nautical miles away, at 1000. This is an average of nearly seven knots, “Sal Darago’s” top speed at 3100 revs per minute. We arrived at the lock at 1004. “Last Stall” overtook us in the last couple of miles, but the large catamaran was a long way behind. The lock operators decided to let a big ship come up through the locks, so we were told to wait for over an hour. We rafted up as before and all went well through the remaining three locks. Kathy was brilliant helping with the lines and producing food for the six persons aboard “SD”.

We waved madly at the internet cameras and hoped someone saw us. At about 1300 we passed clear of the locks and our second Adviser was picked up by a Pilot boat. Everyone set to tidying up the four 125 foot lines and one of the tidied lines knocked a Dorade ventilator cowling overboard. Jeremy reacted instantly slamming the engine into reverse and thus smashing the gearbox to propeller shaft flexible coupling. SAL DARAGO WAS DISABLED. We had no power. Fortunately we were rescued by “Zenitude” and taken to Balboa Yacht Club to pick up a mooring. Our request for a mooring was denied by Balboa YC and we were sent to the harbour mouth to an anchorage at La Playita. “Zenitude” continued to pull us alongside despite wicked wakes from vessels speeding closely past us. We dropped anchor and here we remain, disabled in a tidal “river” – not quite as fast as Knott End, but a couple of knots at mid tide.

The part which is shredded is a Vetus flexible coupling and is unobtainable in Panama. We are trying to have one manufactured. However, we think the propeller shaft itself may be bent and the gearbox may not be happy either. If either of these is the case then SD must be lifted out of the water for some serious repairs.

We are in the Pacific and Kathy and I are well. The dinghy gives us access to a marina dinghy dock ($30 per week) and we are hiring Frederico, a taxi driver ($10 per hour) to help us try to sort out “Sal Darago”. IF we had broken down in the canal, we would have lost our $891 refundable deposit. “Always look on the bright side of life tee tum tee teee.”

Our mobile phones still will not pick up a signal. And we can’t get WiFi out on the anchorage, but we are the boat which is out the farthest – have you ever tried steering a catamaran with a big old Westerly attached through an anchorage?
HASTA LUEGO BABY.