Make sure your boat meets the minimum standards for a canal crossing. Its engine must be able to go at least four knots. You are also required to have four line handlers on board and four 125-foot warps that are at least an inch in diameter. You can hire temporary line handlers through the Panama Canal Yacht Club, and they also have warps that you can rent for the passage. Any boat transiting the Canal is also required to have a horn, an anchor, a toilet and drinking water.
Photocopy as many of your documents in advance of your crossing as you possibly can. You need copies of your passports, your ships papers, a crew list if you have one and any other document about your trip short of your luggage packing list.
Contact the Panama Canal Yacht Club when you arrive. They are the best source of information regarding current fees, what offices you need to visit to get the necessary approvals and other local information. Plus, they also have a nice bar where you can relax and socialize with other nautical types.
Pay your crossing fees at the Bank of Panama. At minimum, you will pay the crossing fee and a "buffer" fee to reimburse the Canal Zone if you damage the locks or need to be towed. You may also get charged fees for taking longer than a day to cross, a mooring fee for Lake Gatun and various other fees depending on how long it is likely to take you to complete your crossing.
Wait a few days for an official inspector to examine your boat. Chances are very good that he or she will find something wrong and require you to sign a disclaimer prior to entering the canal.
Prepare your boat for crossing the Canal and enjoy an expensive, but memorable trip.
