YACHT CARE: HURRICANE SEASON IN PORT IS A GREAT TIME FOR BRIGHTWORK
Last July, SV WHIRLWIND pulled into Vista Mar Marina in Panama and promptly began tackling some much needed boat maintenance.ย Cruising season was so full with the fun of sailing to new ports, dinghying up estuaries, snorkeling with colorful fish, hiking ashore, exploring coastlines, taking in the sunset, eating tacos, and making new friends.ย These activities and more regularly took precedence over certain (dare I say: more grueling) boat maintenance projects.ย During the 'off' season jobs like sanding and recoating the brightwork, re-plugging the teak decks finally got attention they were due.ย And when the projects were complete, the gruel was forgotten because the brightwork looked beautiful and the decks stopped leaking.
WHAT PROJECTS ARE YOU WORKING ON IN PORT OR UNDERWAY?
Share your successes and your head scratchers, projects in port, on the hook, and quick fixes underway.
Send your pictures and stories to Maurisa at editor@panamaposse.com or share with the posse directly in the line ap.
Inspire one another.ย
While we may be spread across oceans and distant shores...we are not alone...and we are all on boats.
FULLY EQUIPPED CRUISING SAILBOAT READY TO GO
Fully equipped cruising sailboat ready to go!
This is your chance to buy a fully equipped cruising boat, ready to take you on your next adventure.
Priced to sell, Bohemia is a comfortable, spacious and well-maintained sailing boat.
We have invested a lot of time and effort into getting her set up just right for extended, remote cruising. She is fully self-sufficient and well located to whisk you away on adventures in the Caribbean or further afield.
This generation of Beneteaus has an excellent and time-earned reputation for build quality and interior finish. BOHEMIA is sturdy enough to take you across oceans but also well located for island hopping and exploring the Caribbean. Check out her travels so far atย http://www.youtube.com/sailingbohemia
Currently stored safely on the hard outside the hurricane belt in Aruba, she is set up for long term off-grid cruising with reliable equipment and loaded with extras. BOHEMIA is the sought after two cabin ownerโs layout which offers a thoughtful and spacious interior with a large galley, queen sized master cabin, salon, head, standing shower and ample lazarette storage rarely seen on boats of this size. Coupled with the equipment and upgrades we have added, BOHEMIA really punches above her weight for a 36 ft boat.
Unfortunately a health issue forces this unforeseen sale. We have reduced to the price to factor in flight and accommodation costs for the buyer. There are two cans of Petit Trinidad bottom paint onboard ready for applying before launch. There is also a replacement PSS shaft seal hose ready for replacement in keeping with the recommended maintenance schedule.
Some of the extensive inventory and upgrades include:
- All new standing rigging and chainplates (2019)
- New 8.3ft APEX Hyperlon tender and Mercury 9.9HP lightweight 2-stroke engine (2023)
- 540Ah BattleBorn lithium batteries, Victron 3000w Multiplus inverter/charger
- Precision Sails in mast furling mainsail new 2023, Doyle asymmetrical spinnaker and custom bowsprit, 100% Doyle jib, 140% Neilpryde genoa, extendable whisker pole mast mounted
- Viking Rescyou 4 person liferaft, serviced December 2022
- Starlink high speed satellite internet, converted to DC power for efficiency
- Efficient and reliable Spectra Cape Horn Extreme watermaker (18 gal / 68 l per hour)
- Battle Born LiFEPO4 lithium house battery bank (540ah 12v)
- Iridium Go sat phone and external antenna
- 675W total solar capacity, 3x MPPT chargers
- 210 amp Leece Neville IdlePro alternator with external Balmar regulator for fast house bank top-up
- 3000W Victron Multiplus inverter/charger (120v USA)
- Second below-deck redundant Raymarine autopilot and drive fitted for 5 minute failover underway
- Microwave and induction cooktop plus regular USA propane system and Force 10 stove
- 5kw diesel hydronic heater with radiator and forced air heating for cosy nights in cooler climates, plus heat exchanger for hot water showers
- Second 20 gal below deck diesel tank with separate Racor filter/water separator
- Diesel vacuum gauge and fuel transfer pump/polishing system can be used on both tanks
- Vesper Watchmate 8000XB AIS transceiver with Wifi and anchor alarm
- 230 ft galvanised anchor chain (2023)
- Sailrite LZF sailmakersโ sewing machine with Monster balance wheel
- 5 micron carbon filters installed for filling tanks from dock and for taking water from tanks
- Reliable oversized Spade 44 lbs primary anchor and Fortress FX-37 backup/stern anchor and rode
- Extensive spares, tools and supplies
- 6x Caframo 12v DC cabin fans throughout
- 2x ROC inflatable SUP paddleboards (2023)
MEET THE FLEET: SV BETHANIA Wolfgang & Paulina
SV Bethania coming through the Panama Canal flying their Chilean Flag
We are Wolfgang Schulze & Paulina Troncoso.
Wolfgang began sailing when he was 12-13 years old.ย 5 years later we met and I soon started to sail with him.ย We had our first sailboat after we married: an old wooden 32 ft.ย Our second boat was a Morgan 38ft sloop.ย We sailed from Florida to Chilean Patagonia. We sailed 15 years along the Chilean coast.ย Then we decided to sail out of Chile and started from Valparaiso to Galapagos, through de Canal, Cartagena de Indias, San Andres, Providencia, Roatan, Rio dulce, Riviera Maya Mexico, Guatemala, USA, Bahamas Turcs and Caicos, Dominican Republic and BVI.ย We loved this boat and all the places we went.ย Unfortunately our lovely boat sank in hurricane Irma in St Maarten on 2017.ย We began our new adventure rebuilding a Irwin 54 ft monohull sloop for 18 months in St Peterburg, Florida.
We named this vessel Bethania.
Aboard Bethania, we recently crossed the Panama Canal with our friend, Marco.ย We went out the the Perlas Archipelago to prepare for our ocean Crossing.ย The journey from Isla Contadora to Hiva Oa, in the Marquesan islands of French Polynesia took us 32 days without any problems. We really enjoyed every day; every day was different. The wind , the sea, the sky were different. Not one of us wanted to get to the islands; we were so happy and relaxed.ย We had sailed long before, but never such a long distance.
left to right: Marco, Pauline, & Wolfgang: Their Chilean flag signed and their Pacific Crossing Complete.
