PANAMA CITY ROOTS. TWO OCEANS. A guide by Fernando Yemail & Feeling Yachty

Yachty Guide · Panama

Panama boating templates & checklists

Fill-in worksheets for the paperwork-heavy parts of boating in Panama: the canal, clearance, buying and selling, ownership, charter operations and crew. Each one prints cleanly or downloads as a text file, and links to the guide that explains it.

Canal & cruising

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Panama Canal transit checklist for small boats

Printable Panama Canal handline checklist: ASEM steps, SIN, form 4614 payment, four 125-ft lines, fenders, line handlers, advisor meals, horn.

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Panama arrival clearance checklist (by boat)

Printable checklist for clearing into Panama by yacht: which office to see in what order, the documents to bring, copies, fees and receipts to keep.

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Panama cruising permit and zarpe document list

Printable list of what to bring for Panama's AMP cruising permit (permiso de navegación) and for domestic and international zarpes, with a log for each.

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San Blas (Guna Yala) cruising budget worksheet

Printable San Blas budget: Guna Congreso fee, island anchoring fees, Porvenir clearance, provisions and cash to carry, using cruiser-reported figures.

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Panama Canal line-handler briefing sheet

Printable canal line-handler briefing: four corners, 125-ft lines, fenders, positions 1–3, taking in going up, easing going down, safety, meals.

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Yacht provisioning list (Panama City sources)

Printable provisioning list for Panama: what to buy at PriceSmart, Riba Smith, El Rey, Super 99 and Mercado de Abastos, plus water, fuel and spares.

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Float plan for Panama, with local contacts

Printable float plan for boating in Panama: route, people aboard, check-ins, who to leave it with and who to call if overdue (911, SENAN, VHF 16).

Buying, selling & owning

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Boat buying checklist (Panama)

Printable Panama boat-buying checklist: AMP registration, Registro Público lien check, Aduanas import papers, ITBMS, survey, sea trial and insurance.

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Boat sea-trial checklist (Pacific and Caribbean)

Printable sea-trial checklist for Panama: tide window, afternoon chop, cold start, full-throttle temperatures, systems, and Pacific vs Caribbean notes.

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Boat sale closing and AMP transfer checklist

Printable closing checklist for a Panama boat sale: no-liens certificate, notarised compraventa, payment, AMP traspaso, tax status, insurance and handover.

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Boat ownership cost worksheet (Panama)

Printable yearly cost worksheet for owning a boat in Panama: slip, AMP fees, licences, insurance, bottom cleaning, haul-out, SNE fuel price, crew and CSS.

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Boat maintenance log for Panama's tropics

Printable boat maintenance log with tropical intervals for Panama: diver cleans, zincs, strainers, bilge pumps, batteries, haul-outs and AMP papers.

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Rainy-season boat prep checklist (Panama)

Printable rainy-season checklist for boats in Panama (May–Nov): covers, drains, bilge pumps, mould, lightning, lines, forecasts and a weekly check log.

Charter business

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Charter startup checklist (Panama)

Printable Panama charter startup checklist in licence order: company, aviso de operación, AMP boat and operating licence, ATP, captain, insurance, ITBMS.

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Charter licence and permit document list (Panama)

Printable list of every licence a Panama charter holds, by agency: MICI, DGI, ATP, AMP, Gente de Mar, ARAP, MiAmbiente, Guna Yala, ACP, with renewal dates.

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Charter agreement outline, English/Spanish (Panama)

Bilingual EN/ES clause outline for a crewed Panama charter booking, to review with a Panamanian lawyer. Spanish governs under Ley 45 de 2007, Art. 74.

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Captain engagement agreement outline (Panama)

Clause outline for engaging a charter captain in Panama: AMP licence grade, work permit, hours, pay, CSS, décimo, authority and incidents. Lawyer review.

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Guest safety briefing, English/Spanish (Panama)

Bilingual EN/ES safety briefing card for Panama boat trips: life jackets, person overboard, VHF 16 and 911, swimming, lightning, whales, alcohol.

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Vessel delivery and acceptance form (Panama)

Hand-over and acceptance form for a boat delivery to, from or through Panama: insurer approval, clearance, canal, condition, hours, fuel, keys.

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Vessel return inspection checklist (Panama charters)

Return inspection for a charter boat in Panama: tide at the dock, head count vs SENAN manifest, fuel, hours, hull, anchor, safety gear, damage.

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Owner monthly report for a managed boat (Panama)

Monthly report a Panama charter manager sends the owner: trips matched to SENAN manifests, gross and ITBMS, costs, maintenance, compliance, net.

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Boat incident report (Panama)

Printable boat incident report for Panama: position, tide, head count vs manifest, calls to VHF 16, 911, SENAN and the AMP, insurer, evidence.

Crew

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Yacht crew résumé template (English / Español)

Bilingual yacht crew CV (hoja de vida) for Panama: AMP licence and courses first, boats by base, skills, canal transits, languages. No ID numbers.

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Crew first-day orientation checklist (Panama)

First-day checklist for new yacht crew in Panama: AMP licence and contract checks, safety walk-through, VHF channels, tides, SENAN boardings.

Prefer the Florida versions? See Florida templates and Florida tools.

Fernando Yemail is the owner of Feeling Yachty and is not a lawyer. Yachty Guide provides general educational information and practical recommendations, not legal, tax, insurance or individualized professional advice. Panamanian rules depend on the vessel, flag, activity and location and can change. Confirm current requirements with the relevant authority (AMP, ACP, SENAN, ATP, ARAP, MiAmbiente, Migración or Aduanas) and consult a qualified professional in Panama about your situation. Full disclaimer.