USA -California MEXICO - Pacific GUATEMALA - Pacific EL SALVADOR HONDURAS- Pacific NICARAGUA - Pacific COSTA RICA - Pacific ECUADOR - GALAPAGOS PANAMA COLOMBIA JAMAICA CAYMAN ISLANDS BELIZE CUBA TURKS AND CAICOS DOMINICAN REPUBLIC BAHAMAS USA Florida

ABOUT

This “set your own schedule” rally which sails between California and the East Coast via the Panama Canal in Central American, Pacific and Western Caribbean waters. Join like-minded cruisers, adventurers and explorers while creating life-long friendships, experiencing new countries and cultures, enjoying the sense of security that safety in numbers afford and most of all having FUN while saving money.With hundreds of engaged yachts from 21 flag states and fellow mariners you’ll make stories that will last a lifetime. Participants collect and disseminate the latest information, 500+ anchorages and enjoy pre-negotiated discounts in 60+ marinas in 17 countries. This is one of the largest rallies in the world and hundreds of vessels participating every season in this 5,500 nm journey via Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Galapagos, Ecuador, Panama, Colombia, Jamaica, Roatan Bay of Islands, Rio Dulce, Belize, Yucatan Peninsula, Cuba, Turks and Caicos, Bahamas and the East Coast.

OUR MISSION

  • Make traveling in central America and the Caribbean easier, transparent and better informed.
  • Generate group buying power with discounts in marinas and with service providers
  • Document and pass on relevant information to help  fellow participants in a timely manner
  • Reduce risk, identify risks, document risks
  • Allow for flexibility and reduce pressures due to schedules

OUR HISTORY

The Panama Posse was founded in May of 2017 at the Marina and Isla Navidad Resort in Barra de Navidad, MX.
15 cruising couples and a motor vessel  milling about the lush resort and pool had their hands up interested in heading south towards Panama. AIYA, RAVEN, BULA, LIQUID, XENIA, RESPITE, MAGIC, AVANT ( chimed in from Chiapas) , GEORGIA, CROSSROADS, SHEARWATER, DAD’S DREAM SANS FRONTIERES and EASY are just a few vessels who helped shape the camaraderie and voice of the Panama Posse.

 

One of the 5 pools in Barra de Navidad, MX

Captain Dietmar and his wife Suzanne who had just returned from an 7 1/2 year excursion to the the South Pacific decided to organize their desire into what is now known as the PANAMA POSSE. Later on Chris, Monica on SEA GLUB, Walt & Jeariene on Knot Right and Rob and Debra on Avant helped focus the activities and feedback to the Panama Posse Organization and with the help of many volunteers and participants season one grew to 83 vessels. Season two grew to 123 vessels and the Panama Posse created a partnership with over 15 supporting marinas and the 501(c)3 non-profit group GoodNautical. The rest is history

 

 

OUR RULES

 YOUR VESSEL – YOUR CREW – YOUR RESPONSIBILITY
WE OPERATE UNDER INTERNATIONAL MARITIME LAW
 FOLLOW EACH Country’s OFFICIAL RULES

 

 

 

OUR VALUES

SHARING OF FACTS AND VALIDATED INFORMATION
QUALITY SERVICE PROVIDERS
SEEK DISCOUNTS AND SPECIAL DEALS
TRANSPARENCY AND CONSISTENCY
AUTHENTICITY
ADAPTABILITY
LIFE LONG LEARNING
BUILDING TRUSTED FRIENDSHIPS
adventures and explorers welcome
FOLLOW THE GESTALT THEORY – SHARE EXPERIENCES NOT OPINIONS
BE PART OF THE PANAMA POSSE AND MAKE US PROUD
PAY IT FORWARD

 

 

LEAD FROM THE FRONT

Captain Dietmar Petutschnig is a life long proponent of the
gestalt theory for transferring nautical knowledge >>
provide experiences, mistakes and first hand account to
participants and allow fellow mariners to arrive at their own conclusion to plan and
execute their own expeditions with better information and decision making tools.

Dietmar                               
>> Founder and leader of the Panama Posse  fleet (sized 27’ – 225’)
>> Proven explorer with both personal and business experience across 55 nations
>> 50,000 nm
>> Fellow Yacht owner
>> RYA Yachtmaster Ocean 200t
>> US Coast Guard 100t Captain licenses
>> 6 Seasons of Panama Posse successful concluded with over 1,000 unique vessels in the fleet

 

GROWING FACTS
’17      15 VESSELS, 3 Marinas
’18     83  VESSELS,  7 MARINAS
’19   123  VESSELS, 12 MARINAS
’20   178  VESSELS, 16 MARINAS
’21   213 VESSELS, 40 MARINAS
’22   318 Vessels
, 65 MARINAS
’23   330 VESSELS, 75 MARINAS

 

THE OCEAN POSSE COUNCIL

This is the board that steers the Panama Posse in the right direction striking a careful balance between all stakeholders

 

 

CARINTHIA suzanneSuzanne SV CARINTHIA

 

Crossroads - StanStan MV CROSSROADS

 

AVANT RobRob AVANT

 

SEA GLUB Chris   SEAGLUB

 

Brent Advertising Partners

Don  Enjoy

Jacques Captain

 

Threats, RISKS and Vessel Safety

Van  – Resident Knuckledragger

van

With the  aparent demise of Covid 19 we continue to monitor  quarantine
guidelines and best practices for vessels, marinas and service providers – please review them here.

WILDERNESS SELF RESCUE AND HEALTH

HO’OKIPA Lucky Lucky Chucky – MV HO’OKIPA
MAISON DE SANTE Nicole Nicole – MAISON DE SANTE

 

 

THE PANAMA POSSE SEASONS IN BURGEES

The First Burgee – designed with the slogan “We sail where the coconuts grow” in mind

 FLUFFY DESCRIPTION FOR ARTICLES

Why join the Panamá Posse ?

The reason to join are as varied as a sailor’s dreams to navigate from California via the coast of Mexico to the Caribbean. Traveling along central America’s favorite anchorages in Costa Rica and the Islas Perlas in Panama.

Witness an astonishing bio diversity from your own yacht. See sunsets and awe-inspiring vistas which will take your breath away.

Make lifelong friendships with fellow seafarers who have discovered the kinship of fellow journeymen on this route which provides unlimited adventure.

Underway in coastal waters the Panama Posse creates a new sailing experience where you enjoy countless dolphins pods, whales and mobula rays jumping. This Route features over 2,000 island to explore for a new generation of sailors and cruisers. Discover magical yacht anchorages under the tropical stars. Consider this a most unique sailing adventure culminating in the the amazing canal crossing itself one of the seven modern wonders of the world.

Panama Posse Sponsorship marinas are plentiful reasonable priced and offer a special discount to the Fleet and offer service to aid a yacht’s maintenance, fuel, water, laundry services or provide a well needed break for shore excursions. Vetted local tour operators have these a planned out and will include provisioning runs to stock up your vessel at the end of these excursions.

 

ON THE SUBJECT OF FAITH
HEAR,

Neptune, ruler of the sea profound,Whose liquid grasp begirts the solid ground;Who, at the bottom of the stormy main,Dark and deep-bosom’d, hold’st thy wat’ry reign;Thy fist the brazen trident bears,And ocean’s utmost bound, thy will reveres:Thee I invoke, whose steeds the foam divide,From whose dark locks thesalty waters glide;Whose voice loud founding thro’ the roaring deep,Drives all its billows, in a raging heap;When fiercely riding thro’ the boiling sea,Thy hoarse command the trembling waves obey.’Tis thine, cærulian dæmon, to surveyWell pleas’d the monsters of the ocean play,Confirm earth’s basis, and with prosp’rous galesWaft ships along, and swell the spacious sails;Add gentle Peace, and fair-hair’d Health beside,And pour abundance with a rising tide.

COMMUNITY GUIDELINES >>

tritons