The boot, Inpound, or in Bond.

hello,
I am now in Panama, having just taken the buss. I am visiting some amily, and friends whoa re here, and getting afew essentials for the boat.

The boat, after the fiasco at the customs office, and the new laws they laid down, is sitting in Bond at Banana Bay Marina.
After hours and hours of trying to get a extention on my boat papers form the customs offcials it was just not going to happen. The are being really hard on all forgien boats, and it does not look like it is going to end soon. I was left with the options of leaving the country, or bonding the boat. If i could not do either, they would inpound the boat, and if i wanted it back I would have to pay two thirds thier assesed value to get it back. for my case that would be $20,000 more or less to get my boat back. I asked her if they would really do that, and kick me off the boat to start living on the side walk outside the customs office, her answer was ¨Yes¨. so no matter how desperate you are, do not count on gettng a break, not even if the boat is broke. I tried that one too, but would only be granted a fifteen day extention - not a day more.
I had to put the boat into Bond, but got a very clear understanding that if anything happend to my boat while she is in bond, that it would be fully made up to me with new items. In other words, if my boat sinks, or somehting is stolen - I get a new boat, or a new piece. with that I have a feeling of complete ease while traveling away form the boat.

when I return, and remove the boat from bond, I will have to sail away imidatly, and not return for a minimum of six moths, if my memory serves me right.

so thats the way of the Banana Republic as of late- real friendly.

Cheers,
Josh
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