Planned Trip

 

 

 

 

Actual Trip

 

 

 

Leg Synopsis

· PR—Panama

We got off to a rocky start battling several mechanical problems including a leaky muffler, torn headsail, broken mast light, leaky water pump, leaky heat exchanger boot, leaky hydraulic steering hose, etc.  Once we got underway the sailing was mostly uneventful. although exciting.  Most of the time with wind was blowing between 20 and 30 knots and the seas were 10-20 feet.  We were going close to down wind most of the time so the ride was pretty comfortable.  We did have a incident where the boat got spun sideways and hit with a wave.  This caused it to lift up on one side, much higher than anything we had felt before.  We also got “pooped” a couple of times when a wave broke over the transom and dumped a healthy quantity of water into the cockpit which subsequently went into the cabin and down the stairs.  We figured out how to keep the cabin door closed with a bungee cord after that one.  Of course then it never happened again.  We arrived in Panama at 4am amidst 20 or so big ships.  We got a slip at the x marina and enjoyed a few days of burgers, showers and clean laundry while waiting to enter the canal.  We were originally told by our agent that we should be able to enter the canal on Friday and do a one day trip.  We ended up getting admitted on Saturday afternoon and scheduled for a two day trip.  This was the most nerve wracking part of the voyage for Sean as we were rafted up with a 40 foot French monohull on our starboard side.  Sean had to drive for both boats in the locks of the canal which left very little margin for error.  Several times we almost put our “big French fender” against the concrete.  In the end no damage occurred and Sean got pretty good a driving two boats at slow speed.

· Panama—Costa Rica

· Costa Rica—Acapulco

· Acapulco—Cabo

· Cabo—Ensenada

Relax. 

     Go Fast.

          Have Fun.

Keef.com

PR to Mexico June 13—July 18, 2007