Balboa : Profile

Clearance

Flamenco Signal Station should be contacted on VHF Channels 12 or 16 upon arrival at the sea buoy.

Yachts are sometimes boarded by authorities prior to anchoring at one of the Yacht Clubs or Marinas. If this is the case, you will be advised by the Flamenco Signal Station.

Clearance and Immigration procedures are completed ashore at their respective offices.

If intending to transit the Canal, see here for the correct procedure to follow once clearing-in to Panama has been completed.

The service of agents are available for both clearance and/or canal transits if yachts are prepared to pay for the service and don't want to do the paperwork etc. themselves. See agents for more details.

Last updated February 2009.

Match Shipping Management
Tel:+507-232-6447 / +507-232-8924
Match Shipping Management Noonsite Page, www.matchship.com, info@matchship.com
Agents for canal transit.

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Docking

The Pacific Ocean entrance channel to the Canal is protected on the east by a breakwater called "The Causeway" that extends south two miles from Balboa on the mainland to four interconnected islands, Naos, Perico, Flamenco and Culebra.

Moorings/Marinas
Balboa Yacht Club is south of Balboa commercial Port and close to the Bridge of the Americas (on left side just after passing the bridge when outward bound). The Club continues to offer swing moorings to visitors and provides a 24 hour launch service, negating the need to use your own tender. Prices are reasonable by Panama standards though capacity is limited. There is a slipway and some services.

Further out along the causeway past the Balboa Yacht Club is the Flamenco Marina. It has very few buoys but the floating piers now have many slips. Although mostly occupied by local boats, there is some pier space available for visitors. This marina suffers from surge and is expensive, however there are Customs and Immigration offices on site which is convenient.

Directly across from Flamenco Marina is the new 40 berth marina at La Playita, slightly cheaper and considerably friendlier. They are however usually full, but worth a try.

There is also a marina at the Miramar Inter-Continental in Panama City, but it is tidal and has severe draft restrictions. Berths may also be available at neighbouring Club de Pesca, however this is really a members only facility. This area continues to silt up at a rate faster then the dredge can handle and there are 4 sewage outlets directly into this marina.

Anchoring
After a period of restriction, yachts have again been able to anchor on the west side of The Causeway between Perico and Flamenco when the wind was blowing out of the east, or on the east side of The Causeway when the wind is out of the south or west (see details below).

Anchorage Options:
East of The Causeway, north of Isla Perico. This anchorage tends to be used during the rainy season due to frequent southerly or southwesterly winds.

The Las Brisa de Amador anchorage can be quite rough during the dry season (N & NE Trade winds) and boats frequently drag their anchors here, however it does have the advantage of a govt. owned shower block and dinghy dock, currently free to yachtsmen. This landing is closer to the anchorage than the landing at Flamenco Marina.

A better anchorage is at the Mi Playita anchorage and Balboa Yacht Club west of the Causeway. Both anchorages have proximity to good restaurants, average chandleries etc.

West side of The Causeway, north of Isla Flamenco, west of Isla Perico and south of Isla Naos/Isla Culebra (La Playita Anchorage). In the normal sailing season this is a comfortable anchorage, although open to the south and subject to wash from the many passing vessels.

Both the dinghy docks at Mi Playita and Brisas de Amador can be considered "public" and can be used by anyone, but both installations are privately owned.

Neither of the docks are specifically for dinghys but are also used for small commercial vessels and the launches servicing the commercial vessels at the Balboa Anchorage (Canal traffic) as well as passenger services to the nearby Taboga Island. At time the docks are quite busy and congested.

The security around the docks is quite good, but not perfect!! There are facilities for water and diesel at both docks but they are not always available. Yachts must check in advance if they can obtain delivery.

At Mi Playita the charge for using their facilities is:-

Dinghy Fees: US$ 30,00 per week, US$ 100,00 month
For yachts only at the anchorage for 1 or 2 days the charge of US$ 5,00 per day can be negociated.

Last updated May 2011.

Balboa Yacht Club
Amador Causeway, Panama City, (next to Country Inn & Suites Hotel / Fridays Restaurant)
Tel:+507 228 5794, VHF Channel 6
bycmarina@cwpanama.net
Position 8°56.09N, 79°33.28W. The clubhouse is now rebuilt and offers good facilities to visiting yachtsmen. The fee for obtaining a temporary mooring ball is $0.65 per foot per day. If you remain more than 6 months the fee is reduced. There is also a slipway, showers, laundry, WiFi, fuel, restaurant and bar and 24hr water taxi service. You can get diesel at the dock but call ahead. If you purchase fuel you can usually fill your water tanks at no additional charge.

Flamenco Marina
Isla Flamenco, Calizada de Amador, Apdo 6464 Zone 5, Republic de Panama
Tel:507-314-0665, VHF Channel 10
marina@fuerteamador.com
Opening Hours: 08:00-18:00
There are only twelve slips at this point at $2.50 a foot per day; the moorings are 50 cents a foot per day. Water, fuel, WiFi, dinghy landing, 150 ton travelift. The marina office is situated near the fuel Pontoon.

La Playita Marina
Tel:(+507)3141730
laplayita@siwireless.com
Manager: Carmen Garcia de Paredes. 40 berth marina (nearly always full). 36 berths are permanently occupied and the remaining 4 are available for transient occupation.

Miramar Inter-Continental hotel
Plaza Miramar, Avenida Balboa, Panama City
Tel:(507) 214 1000, Fax:(507) 214 1002
Berthing and fuel available here, but draft restrictions due to the tide. Located right in city centre.

Yacht Clubs

Located at the entrance of the Canal on the east side of the channel, is the Balboa Yacht Club in Balboa Harbour (see full details in docking). Care must be taken to enter and turn right at buoy 14.5. Turning sooner will run you aground. It can be rolly here, but is a good place to be when arranging for an advisor to board your boat for the Canal transit. It is also a safe place to leave your boat if you travel.

Balboa Yacht Club [see above]