Panama has only a handful of places to haul a yacht. On the Pacific side: Flamenco Marina's travelift and the Balboa Yacht Club railways on Amador, and Vista Mar's trailer haul-out at San Carlos. On the Caribbean side: Shelter Bay's 100-ton Travelift, Linton Bay's 160-tonne lift and Panamarina's yard. Bocas has smaller yards. Book early.
Panama's haul-out yards at a glance
| Yard | Where | How it lifts | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flamenco Marina shipyard | Amador, Panama City | Travelift: 100 t per ATP and the marina; Noonsite quotes 150 t | Hauls at high water only; most convenient on the Pacific side |
| Balboa Yacht Club | Amador, city end of the causeway | Two marine railways | Quick hauls and bottom jobs; reserve early, limited time out |
| Vista Mar Marina | San Carlos, about 1 h west | Hydraulic trailer on a ramp, at high tide | Beams to 40 ft (marina); no Travelift; dry storage |
| Shelter Bay Marina | Fort Sherman, Colón | 100-ton Travelift (Noonsite) | Enclosed refit space, long-term storage, outside contractors with approval |
| Linton Bay Marina | Puerto Lindo, near Portobelo | 160-tonne Travelift, beams to 39 ft | Large hard-stand; base for San Blas boats |
| Panamarina | Near Portobelo | Yard and dry storage; confirm lift | DIY work allowed; paint booth, mast work |
| Bocas Yacht Services | Near Almirante, Bocas del Toro | Haul-out up to 60 t (Noonsite) | The main Bocas option; Bocas Marina also lists a yard |
Capacities come from the yards' own sites and from Noonsite, a secondary source. Confirm your boat's weight, beam and draft with the yard before you book.
Pacific side: Amador and San Carlos
Flamenco Marina. The shipyard beside the Flamenco fuel dock is the most convenient lift for boats kept on Amador, with contractors for mechanical, electrical, fibreglass and bottom work. Sources disagree on the travelift's rating: ATP and the marina describe 100 tons, while Noonsite quotes 150. Treat it as 100 tons or more and confirm for your boat. It is also the most expensive option, so ask for a written short-haul quote.
Balboa Yacht Club. Noonsite reports two marine railways for a quick haul-out and bottom job on smaller boats. Demand is high and time out of the water is limited, so reserve early.
Vista Mar. The marina hauls with a hydraulic trailer on a ramp, worked at high tide, and says it can lift boats up to 40 ft wide. That makes it the usual Pacific-side answer for wide catamarans. Contractors can work on the hard, and there is dry storage.
On the Pacific side the tide range is 4 to 6 m. Flamenco hauls only at high water and Vista Mar works its ramp at high tide, so your haul date is set by the tide table as well as the yard's diary. Use the ACP Amador tide tables.
Caribbean side: Colón, Portobelo and Bocas
Shelter Bay. The yard at the canal's Caribbean entrance lists a 100-ton Travelift, a 5,000 sq ft enclosed refit space and secure storage for up to 120 vessels. It offers bottom prep and painting, blister repair and carpentry, with contractors for diesel, outboards, rigging, refrigeration and electrical work. You may bring your own specialists, subject to approval. Its Travelift schedule fills up in the dry season.
Linton Bay. The marina calls its 160-tonne Travelift the largest in Panama. It takes beams up to 39 ft and works from around 16,500 m² of hard standing.
Panamarina. A mooring-and-yard operation where you can do your own work or hire its team. Dry-stored boats have no power or water connected.
Bocas del Toro. Noonsite lists Bocas Yacht Services near Almirante, on the mainland, with haul-outs up to 60 tons. Bocas Marina also lists a yard; ask what lift is actually available. Red Frog and Marina Carenero have no yard. For bigger boats, Linton Bay or Shelter Bay is the answer.
Smaller boats: lifts, ramps and trailers
Trailerable boats have more choice. Ocean Reef Marina has a drive-on lift for small boats only. Pedregal in Chiriquí has a ramp and dry storage for boats to about 30 ft. The Club de Yates y Pesca's lift and ramp status is not published, so ask the club. Public ramps around the city are in Panama City boat ramps and fuel docks, and storage options are compared in Panama City marinas and boat storage.
What to ask before you book
No yard publishes a full tariff, so get every price in writing. Ask:
- The lift price for your length and weight, including pressure wash and blocking.
- The daily rate on the hard, and what counts as a day.
- Whether power and water reach your boat on the hard.
- Whether you can do your own work, bring outside contractors or sleep aboard.
- What the yard's rules are for sanding, painting and waste disposal.
- Whether the yard's insurance covers the lift, and what your own policy needs.
Commercial marine service providers operate under a licence from the AMP's Dirección General de Puertos e Industrias Marítimas Auxiliares (DGPIMA). AMP publishes the list of licensed services on its site.
Plan the work itself with bottom growth and antifouling, corrosion checks and choosing a yard. The Florida haul-out guide covers the work in more detail.
Your practical starting checklist
- Note your boat's weight, beam and draft from the builder's specifications.
- Shortlist yards whose lift takes your weight and beam on your coast.
- Ask each yard for a written quote for the lift, wash, blocking and days on the hard.
- On the Pacific side, fix the haul date against the ACP tide tables.
- Book the dry-season slot weeks or months ahead.
- Record the work, parts and invoices in your maintenance log.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I haul out near Panama City?
Flamenco Marina's shipyard and the Balboa Yacht Club railways on Amador, or Vista Mar at San Carlos, about an hour west. Many owners also go to Shelter Bay or Linton Bay on the Caribbean side.
Where can I haul out a wide catamaran in Panama?
Vista Mar's trailer haul-out takes beams to 40 ft, according to the marina, and Linton Bay's 160-tonne Travelift takes beams to 39 ft. Confirm with the yard for your boat.
Why can I only haul out at high tide on the Pacific side?
The Pacific tide ranges 4 to 6 m, so ramps and lift wells only have enough water around high tide. Fix the date with the yard and the tide table together.
How much does a haul-out cost in Panama?
Yards do not publish full tariffs. Ask for a written quote covering the lift, pressure wash, blocking, days on the hard and any outside contractors.
¿Dónde hay un varadero en Panamá?
En el Pacífico, Marina Flamenco y el Balboa Yacht Club en Amador, y Vista Mar en San Carlos. En el Caribe, Shelter Bay, Linton Bay y Panamarina. En Bocas del Toro hay varaderos más pequeños cerca de Almirante.
En español: varadero en Panamá
Panamá tiene pocos varaderos para yates. En el Pacífico: el astillero de Marina Flamenco y las rampas de varado del Balboa Yacht Club en Amador, y el remolque hidráulico de Vista Mar en San Carlos. En el Caribe: el Travelift de Shelter Bay en Colón, el de 160 toneladas de Linton Bay y el patio de Panamarina. En el Pacífico se vara solo con marea alta. Pida una cotización por escrito y reserve con tiempo para la estación seca.
The next question to answer
The pillar guide for heat, growth and rain. Read Boat maintenance in Panama's tropics.
Every Panama maintenance guide in one place. Read Maintenance in the tropics.
Antifouling choices and cleaning intervals. Read Bottom growth in warm water.
Same topic in Florida: coming from the US? Compare One moment, please....
Official resources
Use the relevant Panamanian authority for current requirements and fees. These resources are the next place to check; a practical recommendation is not an agency determination.
- Noonsite (secondary): Balboa boatyards (Flamenco travelift, Balboa Yacht Club railways) ↗
- Shelter Bay Marina: boat yard ↗
- Linton Bay Marina ↗
- Vista Mar Marina ↗
- Noonsite (secondary): Bocas del Toro docking and yards ↗
- AMP: Puertos e Industrias Marítimas Auxiliares (DGPIMA) ↗