Blue Water Rally transits the Panama Canal

by Peter Seymour on 26 Jan 2008 One of the highlights of the Blue Water Rally voyage around the world is always the transit of the Panama Canal. The transition from the Caribbean to the Pacific and the doors (really the lockgates) closing behind them signifies that Rally crews have really begun to “sail the dream”. Since Christmas Blue Water Rally yachts have cruised through the Caribbean and for the last few days have been in the San Blas Islands of Panama, where they have met the Kuna Indians and navigated for the first time amongst coral atolls.

For the Blue Water Rally this will be their 7th transit of the Panama Canal and planning for this year has been on-going for some time with close cooperation between the organisers and the ACP (Panama Canal Authority). The fleet of 30 Blue Water Rally yachts arrived in Panama on 24 January and will complete their admeasurement process on 26 January. A major advantage of the Blue Water Rally is the presence of their experienced Support Team, who are in Panama to assist Rally crews and to minimise delays. Transit and pilotage fees have also been paid a considerable time in advance.

Watching the transits “live”
Transits will be made in 2 groups of 15 yachts each subdivided into rafts of 3. These are scheduled to take place on 27/28 January and 29/30 January, with each group making an overnight stop in Gatun Lake en route to the Pacific. Sail-World visitors may wish to watch the transits of the Panama Canal webcams by visiting the Blue Water Rally website (www.bluewaterrallies.com) for further details of timings. The Canal Authority has webcams sited on the Gatun Locks and at the Miraflores Locks (the last set of locks) where Rally yachts enter the Pacific. Along the way it may also be possible to see them pass under the magnificent new Centennial Bridge about halfway through.

The website also carries a detailed explanation and photographs of the transit process, which is summarised below.

Transiting the Canal
The Canal is one of the engineering marvels of the 20th century. It is 50 miles long and consists of lakes linked by the Chagres River. A stretch of 8 miles through a gorge known as the Gaillard Cut is the exception. The locks are 1,000 feet long and 110 feet wide and a ship that fills the lock completely is known as a Panamax. A ship is raised (or lowered) 85 feet above sea level during the transit.

Each raft of 3 yachts in the 15-yacht group will be pre-planned and form up and tie up together as they approach a lock. As with commercial ships each yacht must carry a pilot or, more accurately, a Transit Advisor. Additionally, there must be 4 “line-handlers”, plus the skipper, on board each yacht, even if they are in a raft of 3. Under the instructions of the Transit Advisor the raft motors into the lock and the Canal staff on each side of the lock will throw “messenger lines” from the shore to the outer yachts. The Panama warps are then heaved ashore by the Canal staff, who walk forward along the lock side until the raft is in the correct position. Once the Transit Advisor is satisfied, warps are tied to bollards on the wall and lines are secured on board.

Line-handlers on board the rafts will adjust their warps as the locks are filled (or emptied). The process is repeated at the Gatun (the “up” locks) and Pedro Miguel and Miraflores (the “down” locks).
Instead of line-handlers on board large commercial vessels have the services of a “mule” each side fore and aft, which keeps the ship positioned safely in the lock whilst it fills or empties.