I don’t know about your weekend, but mine was lovely.
I had a nice dinner Saturday night with some friends that are watching another friends house. It was a bit strange opening a refrigerator for a beer, using a “normal” bathroom, and sitting around a table having dinner with nice thin wine glasses. I tried for so long to keep nice wine glasses on the boat but it just doesn’t work. BBQ pork ribs, YUMMY :)
I have a friend coming to Panama in three weeks and is interested in the possibility of buying a piece of beach front property. As you guys know I’m not a”land” person. But if I had to live on land I’d need to be on the beach. I have been speaking to a realtor and yesterday he came by to bring me and some other friends on an excursion down Costa Arriba. As it turns out I have other friends interested in property in the area and they came with me. I tailed along on the motorcycle as it seemed a good day for a long ride in the country.
I’ve never seen the coast between here and the San Blas but it is wonderful. We looked at 4 properties, only two of which were cool. Real estate here is a bit interesting. Their is still a lot of ROP (Right Of Possession) properties for sale. In America we had a lot of this (ROP (homestead)) a few generations back. Right Of Possession is basically like when American pioneers went west and just built land where they pleased. Eventually that land turned into title, and some pretty rich land owners were the result. However buying ROP property is cheaper than buying titled land , it can be a bit risky. Most of my cruiser friends here in the area all bought ROP years back and are all either in possession of a title, or in the process of getting one now. Their risk paid off.
Anyway, I saw a really awesome beach front house (ROP) for $145k, and a brilliant beach front lot (titled) for $125k.
If I had money I would buy all the beach front lots (8 available). The land is about three hours from Panama city. Most of the trip is a beautiful country coastal drive, and the beach property is behind a locked gate (strange for the area) and about a 10 minute drive down a dirt road to the beach. Panama is booming and I really think it would be a good investment, not to mention the fact it would be a beautiful place to live & build a home. One guy from Michigan has built a HUGE (monstrosity) home down the beach, and a few other houses (more tasteful) are going up. Back in the day I would have been able to build my dream (retirement) home for about $200k (with land) If I knew about Panama. I never would have found what I wanted in the states. Not only because beach front is so expensive in the U.S. , but truthfully I wouldn’t want to be surrounded by the $$$ environment. Most of the people on coast Arriba are poor fisherman.
It was such a nice beach we all walked and listened to the surf for a while.
Anyway back to work, work, work!
I need to go to the city in a few days to return my Makita sander which wont grip a piece of hook & loop paper anymore, really frustrating. I also need to find a black filler for my hatch cover, I’m thinking black 5200 if I can find it.
It wont be all that long that the aft deck (cockpit back) of Splendid will be done:)
Hope everyone has a good week.
Peace from Panama.
– alex
Wow your web is a bit messed up. Pics won’t load and black text on a blue background.
Alex, I remember being in the BVIs looking up at the expensive vacation villas and happily thinking, “Most of those people would rather be in my shoes on this sailboat.” Keep up the work. Its going to pay off. It already has my friend. Peace.
Hi Alex,
Glad to know you’re doin well.
I got a question, the property prices are in US Dollars, or Balboas ? because they seem too pricey for me, I know it is beachfront but it is about 3 Hrs. from the capital.
I am originally from Portugal, and my wife is from the Philippines, and a beachfront lot 3 hours from Manila would cost about 20,000 USD. I know how far from the states manila is, but I am just curious
Thanks, Keep well.
Luis in Toronto
No offense Alex, but Panama is in a lot higher demand by Americans than the Phillipines. Also, I think the balboa/dollar is 1:1. could be wrong…
Spotty Dogs,
Your right, Panama is in a lot higher demand. Someone in the states coould be at the beach front property here in about 5 hours, it would take a bit longer to get o the Philippines. There is also a Johns Hopkins hospital and better infrastructure, and many other things Americans are looking for in a country of residence. The Panama economy is also booming. Panama city is putting in a subway system, they just bought all new buses, not to mention the new (wider) canal project. I’m also a fan of looking a the beach from the water as opposed to the land. I get the world beaches a my back door as opposed to just one, kind of cool :)
Man are we having some weather. I almost had a heart attack in the middle of the night from a crack of thunder that shook Splendid, no working outside today. Just natural showers on deck.
I went to Panama city yesterday and bought a Price Smart (Cosco) card. You get two for the price of one and I split it with a buddy ($15 each). I don’t buy so much there but olive oil, nuts, dried fruit, and so on. hey have 6v batteries (Ever ready) like to the Trojan T-105 for $99.00. About half the price of the Trojan. Has anyone out there used these? I’m about three years on my batteries and will swap them out before I take off from Panama. I’d actually like to increase the size of my bank to 6, or 8 6v bats from 4.
Cheers.
Alex: I just did my back hatch and one of the 3 forward ones and everybody I talked to worldwide said a product called Silkaflex (anyway that’s the way it’s pronounced.) was the best for hatches.
So I bought 3 tubes, in black. Great stuff. Sealed it all off, no leaks and I’d be able to take the hatch out if needed. You know how 5200 is. It’s doesn’t flex and if you need to pop it out again, you’ll have to cut it out.
Anyway, I don’t know the availability of the stuff down there, but I recommend it.
Your site looks good from my view, but I’m on a MAC and everything looks good.
Take care mate and we’ll catch up.
Capt. Paul
s/v Panacea
P.S. I did take out a very nice couple from GA that booked by finding me on your site. It was a GREAT Dry Tortuga run for 5 days. Had a ball with ’em. Thanks.
Capt Paul
I’m really glad, there are not many caps I’d recomend for a charter, your one of them. Hope you find a supreme.
Alex,
Thanks for the advice on the anchor, I will keep it for now. I do have another question; I am trying to leave Florida and one of the things that is holding me back is that I have three dinghies behind my boat. They are; a beat-up Avon 10ft hard-bottom inflatable, a Carolina Skiff J12 jr, and a Carolina Skiff J12. Which one would you keep? I was thinking of re-painting the Avon with SRC, which would turn it like new. What would you recommend?
Charlie,
Sorry, I don’t know much abut the Carolina skiff or painting a deflatable with SRC. Can you row a Carolina skiff?
I know Avon makes a really good boat, and aside from an achilles. its the only inflatable I would own. That being said an inflatable is the most expensive piece of equipment on a cruising boat and I will be building a good nesting, rowing, and sailing dink as sn as I have he means & time. I’m ging to build either a CLC eastport pram, or a passage maker.
http://www.clcboats.com/shop/boats/wooden-sailboat-kits/eastport-pram/eastport-nesting-dinghy.html
http://www.clcboats.com/shop/boats/wooden-sailboat-kits/passagemaker/passagemaker-take-apart-dinghy-wooden-boat-kit.html
I’m leaning towards the larger passage maker.
I’ve heard Carolina skiff makes a great boat but if you cant row it it I wouldn’t touch it with a 10 foot oar.
Cheers
Alex,
You can row both skiffs. The Jr is much more manageable and it’s pretty good with a 6hp; of which I got three engines. The only problem is that they are flat on the bottom and have no skeg. Add to that that you have to watch them during rain, while the inflatable could be full of water and not sink. the other consideration is that I would have to tow either skiff, while the inflatable could fit on deck. Towing would take away speed from the sailboat.
I was also thinking of making a mold of a friend’s rowing dinghy. His does not sink, and it’s really fast and small.
Regards,
Charlie
If you can’t put the dink on deck I wouldn’t bring it. Towing a dink full time isint such a good idea. My buddy lost his fatty knees that way.
Alex,
I use 6v Sam’s Club batteries in my boat and they are made by Interstate and are about $65 so it sounds about like what you are talking about. I put them in as an experiment two years ago to see if they would last and their specific gravity still test like they are new batteries.
Of course mine are pretty gently used with a day sail or two a week and about a dozen overnights a year.
Also very easy for me to stop at the store to pick up distilled water which they need about every other month.
I have really enjoyed the capacity of the golf cart batteries though.
Really enjoy our site, take care, Dan.
…oops sorry, “your site” .. not our site…
Dan.
hey dan….it is our site, but don’t let alex know…..he is just the moderator.
Hey Alex and friends,
I have a charging question. How would you regulate 300 watts solar, KISS wind generator, and a propeller shaft generator on a boat with a 450 amp hour house battery bank? Does each item need its own regulator. I would guess that if one is charging it may turn off other regulators. Appreciate the input.
Ken,
Seattle
DaN I like the idea it’s “our” website :)
Ken, personally I would seperate controllers. I have differant sized solar banks and use seperate controllers on them. I don’t know anything about a shaft generator but I’m betting it does not put out enough 12v to require a controller.
Any other thoughts please bring them