…until yesterday’s arrival in the bay of Portobelo.

When I reduced speed to look for a good spot to drop the anchor, i heard a rattling noise from the PRT engine, the engine & saildrive which was repaired. I was shocked and the happy day was gone.

I checked in more detail were the noise comes from and found it comes from the area where the engine is connected to the saildrive. Exactly the area where repair work was done.

I called the technician, and got the advice to sail to Linton Bay Marina. (I’m currently on my way to this marina.) There he will have a look tomorrow. I hope he really comes tomorrow, Sunday. Please keep fingers crossed!

After final preparations in the morning I left the mooring C-dock No 10 berth at Shelter Bay Marina to move to the fuel station.

Fuel station is boat, which provides diesel fuel and oil for commercial vessel and if needed for yachts as well.

Refueling had to be done carefully as the nozzle to be put into MaRe ‘s tank has no automatic switch off mechanism. Thus careful listening is needed. I made it without spilling diesel. Luckily!

It was interesting to see how many papers with several duplicates and printouts were needed to pay a simple refilling Waste of paper due to inefficient workflows.

At 14:20 I had permission from Cristobal station to cross the traffic separation scheme at the entrance to the Panama canal. I had to wait for 2 ships to pass before we could cross. For the Matilde Schulte, Singapore, I needed make a circle and pass behind her stern.

Then we used the autopilot in TRACK mode and MaRe follows the WPT laid out for the route.

Destination of the day, the bay of Portobello, which should be reached at around 1800 h.

Sailing not possible as we have the wind around 20 – 30 deg on the nose from PRT. I hope for tomorrow. Wind forecast for the day and tomorrow was no wind or max 5 KN. Wind decided not to make the forecast correct.

At 1400, as planned, the traveler lift arrived to move MaRe back into her natural element, the sea.

The last 3 weeks I worked 12h/d to get her ready for the splash.

Just before 1400 everything was prepared. The last thing to do was the coppercoat activation at the hull areas where MaRe was lying at while at the hard. Victor, the traveler lift driver, lifted MaRe up so I quickly could activate the 8 remaining spots at the hull.

Engines started, as normal, just perfectly. I moved MaRe into Shelter Bay Marina for the next 2 days. Then I will cast the lines and head to San Blas archipelago.

Currently I test run the genset using the washing machine and the hot water boiler. Perfect again.

I’m exhausted but happy!

During the last days I worked 12 h per day on the boat. Additionally i needed to get the rub rail sealed with sikaflex, a work which I asked Robi to do it. He is a nice and honest guy but needs to get pushed a bit to do things according to my schedule.

I also have to say, that rain “stole” me quite some days.

Now, the hulls are ready for the splash.

I planned to get MaRe back into water tomorrow, Monday. However i couldn’t get MaRe cleaned today. I have to work hard to get fully cleaned tomorrow.

Please keep fingers crossed.

Yesterday morning, with good weather, I started very early in the morning the patching.

Work went very smooth and in 2 – 3 h 5 layers were applied. From that moment for 48 h no rain might hit the coppercoat because for that time coppercoat is water-soluble.

Murphy’s law hit. An hour later it started raining. The rain protection I prepared worked. It rained for about 2 h and since then no water from sky anymore. It looks like it will be fine for the next 30 h. Keep fingers crossed!

Yesterday Robi finished the fiberglass & gel coat work at both stems. This was necessary because I will replace the rub rails. Old holes need to be closed and the surface need to be made smooth with gel coat.
Today we pre-attached the rub rails. For this work 4 hands are needed and Robi had good expressive in such work.

The black rub rail gives a nice contrast to the white hull.

On Monday we fill the holes for the screw with marine adhesive sealant and fix it finally. This includes also the work to get a smooth corner madev of marine adhesive sealant. It will prevent dirt getting under the rub rails.

We could not yet attach the rubber of the sail drive due to rain.

Weather forecast did not match at all the reality today.

Hope now that I can start coppercoat patching on Tuesday/Wednesday. All the time spent for rain protection of the small areas to be patched was really good. No chance to rely on a weather forecast which days 2 days no rain.

As announced the technician came on Thursday, 6-Oct-2206 to reconnect the saildrive to the PRT engine. Yesterday the work was completed.

Only the rubber to close reduce the opening around the saildrive and the GRP protection for the rubber could not be fixed because the hull was wet from yesterday’s all day heavy rain. It will be done today.

Then, the coppercoat patching & activation, the mounting of the new rub rail needs to be done and MaRe can splash back into the water.

Keep fingers crossed for 2 days without rain.

Got yesterday an email that all parts arrived and technician will come to MaRe on Thursday. Thus next week splash into the water.

As I got already several questions about the influence of a hurricane in Panama, here the situation in Panama.

Panama is sufficiently SW in the Caribbean Sea to not get hit by hurricanes. This is the reason why we left Cuba already in the first May days and sailed to Panama. I will stay here beyond the end of the current hurricane season.

…although I’m pretty angry about Wikus’ father who makes the communication and schedule for his son. Wikus it’s the technician who started to repair my saildrive and PRT engines power train.

Today I sent another mail with an inquiry on when Wikus will complete the work on my boat…

I wondering what will be tomorrow’s answer.

Wish me please the needed patience and a smiling face.

I just have to be nice because Wikus took my saildrive with him for doing some work at his workshop. Otherwise I would give the work immediately to Gary Nichols and his team.

Tomorrow, another half a day trip to Colon to do some errands. The free shuttle bus to Colon is the best thing of Shelter Bay Marina. Without this bus, I wonder how many boats will skip this marina.