FLEET UPDATE 2024-11-03

FLEET UPDATE 2024-11-03

“Live your life by a compass, not a clock.”

– Stephen Covey

LATEST NEWS

• Pictures Of The Week
• Photo Of The Year Nomination
• Ocean Posse Events & Gatherings
• Marina El Cid – Cancún 🇲🇽 Riviera Maya
• La Fortaleza & San Juan National Historic Site 🇵🇷 Puerto Rico
• Sailing ☯️ Philosophy
• Easter Island 🗿 Mooring
• Peer Support In Emergencies
• Manta Rays Majestic & Mysterious
• Placencia Yacht Club 🇧🇿 Belize
• Discovering Makatea 🇵🇫
• Meet The Fleet: SY One Piece
• South Pacific Possemerges With The Ocean Posse
• Resolutions For Mexican 🇲🇽 Foreign Boat TIP
• ⚠️ Emergency Communications
• Phifertex Takes Down The Temperature
• Media Partners

1) PICTURES OF THE WEEK

Going out for a sunset Dinghy raft up. … >>>

THE pre-season raft up in Western 🇵🇦 Panama .>>>

SV WANDERLUST crew: Yoda, Kristin, and Fabio…>>>

My favorite anchorage! Porto di Ponente. Swimming, paddleboarding and volcano🌋 in Milazzo 🇮🇹 Sicily….>>

Back to the slip in Buenaventura >>>

2) AWARD ENTRY OF THE WEEK

PHOTO OF THE YEAR NOMINATION

Shark swimming behind SV WANDERLUST. crystal clear water anchorage in Tahanea, French Polynesia … more >>>

SY WANDERLUST 🇺🇸 Kristin, Fabio, & dog Yoda – Seawind 1600

OCEAN POSSE AWARD CATEGORIES

• BIGGEST FISH CAUGHT*
• PICTURE OF THE YEAR
• YODA OF THE YEAR
• SPEEDY AWARD
• THE CAPTAIN RON AWARD
  sponsored by NOVAMAR
• COURAGE AWARD
• CLEAN OCEAN AWARD

• MOST UNWELCOME VISITOR
• HIGHEST WIND RECORDED
• SPIRIT OF EXPLORATION AWARD
  sponsored by PREDICT WIND
• GALLEY GOD(ESS)
• GOOD SAMARITAN
• BOAT YOGA POSE
• SANDCASTLE OF THE YEAR

FLOR DE CAÑA SPONSORS THE OCEAN POSSE

3) OCEAN POSSE EVENTS & GATHERINGS

HOW TO MAKE YOUR WAY TO BARRA DE NAVIDAD 🇲🇽 MX
24 Anchorages to get there from San Diego

4) MARINA EL CID – CANCÚN 🇲🇽 RIVIERA MAYA SPONSORS THE OCEAN POSSE

20°49.7766′ N 086°53.3816′ W

Marina El Cid is happy to support the OCEAN Posse with a 20% discount over our rates

https://elcidmarinas.com/destination/destination-cancun-riviera-maya/

• Floating concrete docks, built to rise with the tide
• Marina Slip Fees
• Dock carts, locker boxes, drinking water, 30, 50 & 100 amp power, TV cable, fire stations, and 24-hour security
• Diesel and gasoline fuel dock and pump out station
• Transient Port Captain check-in facilities are onsite; marina monitors VHF channel 16
• Inlet and marina depth is 9 to 12 feet (3 to 4.5 meters)
• Breakwater protects the moorage from north, east, and southeast winds, providing comfort and safety for the yachts

• Moderate rates for car, motorcycle, and bicycle rentals
• 24-hour taxi service
• Ice machines and bait & tackle shop
• Launching ramps
• Long-term parking facilities
• Snack bar
• Weather services
• E-mail service
• Laundromat
• Restrooms & showers
• Sportfishing
• Dive shop
• Snorkeling, sailing, day cruises, and ecological tours departing daily
• Marina updates on VHF Channel 16

Castillo San Felipe del Morro and Lighthouse 🇵🇷 Puerto Rico – not too shabby !

7) GOOD NAUTICAL

EASTER ISLAND 🗿 MOORING

Safe Approach to Hanga Roa

27° 8.6900′ S 109° 26.1300′ W

8) POSSE PERK

PEER SUPPORT IN EMERGENCIES
WITH ESCALATION PROCEDURES

The Ocean Posse has many benefits high among which is the: Peer support in emergencies with escalation procedures⚓

Traveling the world by ocean AND having mariners and ocean posse member on alert who you can trust is a huge plus. The Ocean Posse communicates on the daily with the Line App.

Because the Ocean Posse has members spanning multiple oceans from the South Pacific to the Atlantic and as far east presently as the Baltic Sea, someone is almost always ‘listening’ to help in the case of an emergency.

The Ocean Posse has escalation procedure recommendations as follows: ... more >>

9) MANTA RAYS MAJESTIC & MYSTERIOUS

10) PLACENCIA YACHT CLUB 🇧🇿 BELIZE
SPONSORS THE OCEAN POSSE

16° 30.5216′ N 088°21.7333′ W

SERVICES

• 6 slip depth of 8 – 10 feet
• Depth 8 to 10 feet
• Water (Drinking quality)
• 50amps electricity
• Washing Machine / Laundry
• Free WIFI
• Extensive Outdoor Area
• Sky bed
• Sofa and pick-nick tables
• Bathroom
• Outdoor shower
• Dog Friendly

11) DISCOVERING MAKATEA 🇵🇫
THE WORLD’S TALLEST ATOLL

12) MEET THE FLEET

13) SOUTH PACIFIC POSSE
MERGES WITH THE OCEAN POSSE

SOUTH PACIFIC POSSE
NOW PART OF THE
OCEAN POSSE

Over the next month, we’re simplifying everything: the South Pacific Posse website, communications, and perks are merging into the Ocean Posse. One Posse for all, all for one. This means no more logging into separate sections—everything, including South Pacific Posse benefits, will now be available to all Ocean Posse members.

Enjoy seamless access to perks without needing to sign up or pay extra. One low annual fee ( 299 till Dec 31 ) covers it all, wherever your adventure takes you, from the South Pacific to the Mediterranean. With over 100 marinas and a network of fellow yachts across the globe, you’ll always have support and camaraderie. And don’t worry, there are no hidden fees or upgrades—just one simple fee for access to the entire ocean of benefits. Check on oceanposse.com website under countries – South Pacific and watch tiny little ants add one country at a time to the South Pacific menu.

THE OCEAN POSSE IS FILLED WITH PERKS FOR YACHTS

✔️ Up-to-date and verified information by fellow yachts

✔️ Fact-focused communication – no unsolicited advice

✔️ Real savings at 100+ marinas with awesome discounts

✔️ Free vessel and fleet tracking courtesy of Predict Wind

✔️ Free Burgee for your vessel

✔️ Discounts with service providers and chandleries

✔️ Discounted and experienced Canal & clearing-in agents

✔️ 500 GB of satellite charts for OpenCPN (Mac/PC/Android)

✔️ West Marine Pro Discount – save on parts

✔️ Predict Wind Pro Discount – weather savings

✔️ Printable Reference Charts for emergency backup

✔️ Video Seminars on destinations from experts in the area

✔️ Weather routing by Marine Weather Center’s Chris Parker

✔️ Inclusive club– kids, single-handers, pets … all are welcome

✔️ Emergency peer support with escalation procedures

✔️ Free fleet updates via email

✔️ Fun awards you can win – such as the Captain Ron Award a.m.o.

✔️ Fun Award Categories for memorable achievements

✔️ 2500+ GOOD NAUTICAL Anchorage reports – free access

✔️ Weekly live calls via LINE.me every Monday

✔️ 24/7 LINE group channel for real-time discussions

✔️ Collective Knowledge from participant experience and knowledge

✔️ Be part of a fleet sensor network to aid others

✔️ You asked for it – No more “seasonality” – signups are all year long

✔️ Priority traffic coordination – by participants, for participants

✔️ Great Rum Parties in 3 continents and impromptu gatherings to celebrate –

14) LATEST RESOLUTION FOR MEXICAN 🇲🇽
FOREIGN BOAT TEMPORARY IMPORT PERMIT
FROM PRE-2005

15) SAFETY AND SECURITY

16) THE OCEAN POSSE FLEET IS TRACKING

Tracking the Ocean Posse … MORE >>

17) PHIFERTEX BRINGS ON THE SHADE &

TAKES DOWN THE TEMPERATURE

Heat gun reads 82 degrees Fahrenheit with the new window shade.

Heat Gun reads 135 degrees Fahrenheit without window shade.

18) MEDIA PARTNERS

LATITUDES AND ATTITUDES

OCEAN POSSE HAS A SPECIAL SUBSCRIPTION DEAL >>
TO GET YOUR DEAL FOLLOW THIS LINK >>

19) SPONSORSHIP MARINAS
WITH OCEAN POSSE DISCOUNTS

🇺🇸 Safe Harbor Ventura Isle, Ventura
🇺🇸 Vintage Marina, Oxnard
🇺🇸 Safe Harbor South Bay San Diego
🇲🇽 ECV MARINA – Ensenada
🇲🇽 IGY Marina Cabo – San Lucas
🇲🇽 Marina Puerto Escondido
🇲🇽 Marina Palmira – Topolobampo
🇲🇽 Marina y Club de Yates Isla Cortes
🇲🇽 Marina el Cid – Mazatlan
🇲🇽 Marina Vallarta – Puerto Vallarta
🇲🇽 Marina Puerto de La Navidad
🇲🇽 Marina Ixtapa – Ixtapa
🇲🇽 Vicente’s Moorings – Acapulco
🇲🇽 Marina Chiapas – Chiapas
🇲🇽 Marina Makax – Isla Mujeres
🇲🇽 Marina V&V – Quintana Roo
🇲🇽 Marina El Cid – Cancún
🇬🇹 Marina Pez Vela – Guatemala
🇸🇻 Marina Bahia del Sol – El Salvador
🇸🇻 La Palma Moorings – Bahia del Sol
🇳🇮 Marina Puesta del Sol – Nicaragua
🇨🇷 Marina Papagayo – Costa Rica
🇨🇷 Marina Flamingo- Costa Rica
🇨🇷 Marina Bahia Golfito – Costa Rica
🇨🇷 Banana Bay Marina – Costa Rica
🇨🇷 Flamingo Marina – Costa Rica
🇪🇨 Marina Puerto Amistad – Ecuador
🇵🇦 Buenaventura Marina – Panama
🇵🇦 Vista Mar Marina – Panama
🇵🇦 Flamenco Marina – Panama
🇵🇦 La Playita Marina – Panama
🇵🇦 Shelter Bay Marina – Panama
🇵🇦 Bocas Marina – Panama
🇵🇦 Solarte Marina – Panama
🇵🇦 Linton Bay Marina – Panama
🇵🇦 Turtle Cay Marina – Panama
🇵🇦 IGY Red Frog Marina – Panama

🇨🇴 ClubNautico Cartagena – Colombia
🇨🇴 Club de Pesca Marina – Cartagena
🇨🇴 Marina Puerto Velero – Colombia
🇨🇴 IGY Marina Santa Marta – Colombia
🇨🇴 Manzanillo Marina Club – Colombia
🇯🇲 Royal Jamaica Yacht Club
🇯🇲 Errol Flynn Marina – Jamaica
🇯🇲 Montego Bay Yacht Club – Jamaica
🇰🇾 Barcadere Marina – Cayman Islands
🇭🇳 Barefoot Cay Marina – Roatan – HN
🇭🇳 Fantasy Island Marina – Roatan – HN
🇭🇳 Jonesville Point Marina -Roatan HN
🇬🇹 Marina Nana Juana Resort – GT
🇧🇿 Thunderbirds Marine – Placencia
🇧🇿 Placencia Yacht Club – Belize
🇧🇿 Hakim Marina & Boatyard – Belize
🇺🇸 Marathon Marina Florida
🇺🇸 Pier 66 Hotel & Marina Florida
🇺🇸 Titusville Marina – Florida
🇺🇸 Port 32 Marinas – Jacksonville, FL
🇺🇸 Oasis Marinas at Fernandina Harbor
🇺🇸 Morningstar Marinas Golden Isles St.
🇺🇸 Windmill Harbour Marina Hilton Head
🇺🇸 Coffee Bluff Marina – Savannah
🇺🇸 Hazzard Marine – Gerogetown, NC
🇺🇸 Holden Beach – Town Dock, NC
🇺🇸 Portside Marina – Morehead City,
🇺🇸 TideawaterYachtMarina Portsmouth
🇺🇸 Ocean Yacht Marina, Portsmouth
🇺🇸 York River Yacht Haven – VI
🇺🇸 Yorktown Riverwalk Landing VI
🇺🇸 Regatta Point Marina – Deltaville VI
🇺🇸 Regent Point Marina Topping VI

🇩🇲 MARINE CENTER – DOMINICA
🇰🇳 PORT ZANTE – ST KITTS & NEVIS
🇻🇮 ST. CROIX YACHT CLUB – USVI
🇻🇮 GREEN CAY MARINA
🇵🇷 MARINA PESCADERIA – PUERTO RICO
🇨🇺 Marina Marlin Nautica Cayo Largo – CUBA
🇹🇨 South Bank Marina – Turks & Caico
🇧🇸 Romora Bay Marina – Bahamas
🇧🇸 Elizabeth on the Bay Marina
🇧🇸 Blue Marlin Cove Resort & Marina
🇧🇸 Great Harbour Cay Marina – Bahamas
🇩🇴 Marina Puerto Bahia – DR
🇩🇴 Ocean World Marina – DR

🇧🇲 PIER 44 MARINA – BERMUDA
🇧🇲 CAROLINE BAY MARINA – BERMUDA
🇵🇹 MARINA FUNCHA – MADEIRA
🇵🇹 MARINA DE CASCAIS – PORTUGAL
🇬🇮 OCEAN VILLAGE – GIBRALTAR
🇨🇻 MARINA MINDELO – CAPE VERDE
🇪🇸 MARINA DEL ODIEL – SPAIN
🇪🇸 ALCAIDESA MARINA – SPAIN
🇪🇸 PUERTO SOTOGRANDE – SPAIN
🇪🇸 IGY MÁLAGA MARINA – SPAIN
🇪🇸 YACHT PORT CARTAGENA – SPAIN

Check this map for an Ocean Posse friendly marina near you

20) OCEAN POSSE SPONSORS

• ABERNATHY – PANAMA
• BELIZE TOURISM BOARD
• BOAT HOW TO
• CABRALES BOAT YARD
• CENTENARIO CONSULTING – PANAMA CANAL
• CHRIS PARKER – MARINE WEATHER CENTER
• DELTA MIKE MARINE SUPPLY PANAMA
• DIGITAL YACHT
• DOWNWIND MARINE
• EL JOBO DIST. COSTA RICA
• FOUNTAINE PAJOT
• FLOR DE CAÑA
• HAKIM MARINA AND BOAT YARD
• HERTZ RENTAL CARS MEXICO
• HOME DEPOT PRO MEXICO
• LATITUDES AND ATTITUDES
• MARINA PAPAGAYO
• NOVAMAR YACHT INSURANCE
• PANAMA YACHT BROKER
• PREDICT WIND
• SAFE HARBOR SOUTH BAY MARINA EVENT CENTER
• SAN DIEGO MARINE EXCHANGE
• SEVENSTAR YACHT TRANSPORT
• SHAFT SHARK
• SUN POWERED YACHTS
• WAYPOINT YACHT SERVICES
• WIKUS MARINE AUTO
• WESTMARINE PRO
• YACHT AGENTS GALAPAGOS

A true tale of an insurance agent who goes above and beyond, turning an ordinary day at the office into an extraordinary adventure to ensure their clients’ needs are met.

One evening in late December, I received a scratchy ship to shore phone call from a Panamanian freighter telling me they had responded to a Mayday call from the captain of a 55’ sailboat that we insured near Guadalupe Island, Mexico. The ship captain handed the radio mic to our client who told me that he and his family and crew abandoned ship due to bad weather. They had blown out all their sails, fuel filters were fouled, and batteries dead so the boat was completely disabled. His wife and daughter were terrified, and the captain and crew were exhausted. The transfer of the captain and crew from the yacht to the freighter was harrowing, but luckily no one was injured.

The yacht owner informed me he had already contacted a salvage company to recover the yacht, so I contacted the salvor to inquire about the cost of the vessel recovery. I thought the quote was exorbitant as the yacht’s EPIRB was deployed so the sailboat’s location was not in question. In my view, this was a straightforward vessel recovery and 300-mile tow back to the U.S. I thought we were being taken advantage of. I contacted the insurance company and several good friends to see if we could organize the recovery ourselves to save some money.

One friend loaned us his recently restored Bertram 31, one friend loaned us some fuel drums (the Bertram did not have the fuel capacity to make the round trip) , another friend opened the fuel dock on Christmas Eve to fill our tanks, and found three other friends ready to jump onboard as crew and to hopefully MacGyver the boat back into operation so we wouldn’t have to tow her all the way back to Newport Beach, CA. So on Christmas Eve the insurance company marine department manager gave us the green light to recover the boat ourselves. We advised the salvage company that we would not require their services and they agreed to stand down. As we left Newport Harbor late on Christmas Eve for a planned arrival the following day, we heard the salvage company on the VHF radio asking the US Coast Guard for the most recent position of the yacht. They had lied to us and were already on their way from San Diego to claim salvage rights!

Leaving from San Diego, the salvage boat had a 60-mile advantage and 1 hour head start. We calculated an increase in speed from 15 to 25 knots was necessary to arrive onsite first. We left the harbor with full fuel tanks and 4 full 55 gallon fuel drums, but the increase in speed killed the fuel economy and would only leave us with about 30 minutes of search time before we had to break for shore to San Quintin, Mexico and refuel. Fortunately, we arrived first.

We came upon the sailboat with tattered sails rolling wildly in 10’ beam seas, and her interior in complete disarray. Books, clothes, and Christmas presents strewn all over, like a ghost ship, with a story to tell. We transferred fuel from the sailboat (which luckily had 300 gallons of fuel aboard) using the sailboat’s spinnaker pole to hoist the four 55-gallon fuel drums and boom them over to the cockpit of the Bertram. Maneuvering the Bertram under the drums and lowering them into the cockpit without the boats hitting each other as the two boats rolled in the swell was like wrestling a greased manatee, but it worked.

Two of us aboard the Bertram stood by, just in case we had to tow the sailboat boat back to California, while the other two crew got busy on the sailboat replacing fuel filters, securing the sails, and generally cleaning things up on deck and down below. An hour later, the sailboat’s engine was running, and both the sailboat and the Bertram motored for Newport Beach. The irony of this story is while motoring north at 0200, the VHF radio on the sailboat crackled. The salvage boat had broken down on its way, which is why they were nowhere to be found when we arrived on site. They were disabled and dead in the water about 10 miles from the sailboat’s current position.

My friends called the salvage boat on the VHF, gave them their position, and offered the salvage boat a free tow back to San Diego, which was refused. The salvage company had already sent another boat to tow them back to San Diego.

The story ends with our client arriving from Panama the following week to find his boat back in her slip, all cleaned up and ready to go. The exercise saved the insurance company about $50,000 so it was a nice Christmas present for everyone. The moral of the story; offshore cruising is not all palm trees and mai tais. It requires us to recognize the reality of self sufficiency, preparation, and even a dose of good luck sometimes.

Yacht insurance claims are often due to two or three things going wrong in a row, not just one. I know most people ready this already know this, but being prepared and anticipating the next problem and how to solve it, will help reduce the chance of Murphy’s Law playing itself out on your boat. The money in the cruising insurance premium pool is paid by everyone. Reducing the frequency and severity of insurance losses whenever possible benefits all those that keep the premium level in the pool high enough to pay out the losses when they do occur.

Craig Chamberlain

President

NOVAMAR INSURANCE GROUP

21) VIDEO OF WEEK

Lithium Batteries swelling up and one couple’s way of dealing with it…

22) THE PANAMA CANAL

One of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World

The Panama Canal is designated as one of the “Seven Wonders of the Modern World and a Monument of the Millennium” by the American Society of Civil Engineers.

The earth and rubble removed between Colon and Balboa was enough to bury Manhattan to a depth of 12 feet. It connects the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean across the Isthmus of Panama, via 6 locks facilitating international maritime trade. The maximum vessel dimensions are:

• 15.2 m /49.8 ft draft
• 51.25 m / 168 ft width
• 366 m / 1201 ft length
• 57.91 m / 190 ft height ( 205′ possible at MLW )

  https://oceanposse.com/panama-canal/

Each Maritime Area in the ocean posse features printable and digital satellite charts to help you with your route planning

23) STRATEGIC PARTNERS

• SSCA
• Park Avenue Villas – San Juan del Sur – Nicaragua
• Coconutz – Playa Cocos – Costa Rica
• Advertising Partners – Summerlin, LV – USA
• Safe-Esteem.com – Delaware

Sunset off the west coast of the Americas

MISSION

• Make global yacht traveling easier, transparent and better informed
• Generate group buying power with discounts in marinas and service providers
• Document & pass on relevant information to help fellow yacht owners in a timely manner
• Reduce risk, identify risks, document risks for yacht owners & operators
• Allow for flexibility and reduce pressures due to schedules

The Portuguese fortification of Mazagan, now part of the city of El Jadida, 50 nm southwest of Casablanca, was built as a fortified colony on the Atlantic coast in the early 16th century. The fortification with its bastions and ramparts is an early example of Renaissance military design. The surviving Portuguese buildings include the cistern and the Church of the Assumption, built in the Manueline style of late Gothic architecture. The Portuguese City of Mazagan – one of the early settlements of the Portuguese explorers in West Africa on the route to India – is an outstanding example of the interchange of influences between European and Moroccan cultures, well reflected in architecture, technology, and town planning.