I send again the same message I post for another friend....again same argument
Hi,
I am trying to post (quite difficult...!) the report of my last trip with my big bike from Panama to Cartagena (the same trip opposite direction!) with leonardo on his vessel ZAO. I took his boat because was the only available and with reluctance because two bad reports. But I cannot understand why, because actually I had an excellent trip. Zao is a very strong safe and roomy sail vessel. ok it is not painted, but it is not the paint who tooke make safe and comfortably over 250 nautical miles. Leonardo is a special person, sure a strong carachter but full of knowledge, excellent sea men, with an extraordinary culture (he was an high energy phisicist) and, very important and not usual, no drogue, no alchool. I am sure to strongly recomand you for your trip and your bike.
fritz

the Stahlratte is HUGE and has great cabins below I mean great
I've taken both boats in the last 2 years and for me who gets seasick the Stahlratte was the answer....
had a great Wahoo feast though on Guido's boat ! Caught one the 3rd day out.
Get well

Peter who runs Golden Eagle was a great trip... quite luxurious and US$375 as well. Can do bookings thru Hostel Wunderbar which is run by Guido... but dont stay there... Thats all we say.

Great cruise though.

I can back up waht Julie says, I just arrived in Cartegena on the Golden Eagle, boat and skipper was great, but as he and I are both Aussies, I would say that

HW is not a nice place to stay, you may be3 better off at the aircon cabins next door, and save yourselves some money, contact the skipper direct and pay hime direct, he gets the extra money and not the agent.

Cheers
TS

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www.travellingstrom.com

DITTO to that TS. HW is awful... and Peter was great - Aussie n all.
We made him well aware of his link with HW not being a good one.. but yeah.. anyway..

Cheers !!
Bunny

Hi,

I just came back from a sailing trip with the Zao and captain Leonardo.
First the good things: We arrived in Panama on time and San Blas is amazing!

But there are a few things that anybody should know before getting on the Zao. The Zao is not in a good condition. It's dirty and the security items have been checked last time 1998 (You could see that on the label at the EPIRB). We had no autopilot and the GPS wasn't working properly. So we had to make 2h-shifts and navigate with only a compass. We arrived in San Blas, but I don't want would have happened if we there would have been a storm or any other problems. The anchor is also to light for the boat and Leonardo knows that. But he doesn't want to buy a new heavier one. But that is really dangerous because one time we were anchoring but the current drove us into an other ship. We saw it and could prevent any damage, but if that would have happened at night...
Leonardo is also not a good captain. Without GPS he couldn't find the islands we wanted to go (San Blas consist of nearly 400 islands), so that we had to drive around for one hour and he really lost the orientation. And that in an area he says he traveled more than 150 times... He also mixed up the fuel with the water tank and filled water in it. Thanks god that we had good wind conditions and didn't need the engine.
One other thing is that he is a really strange character. If he likes you then you won't probably have any problems, but if not it will be an horror trip for you. I had no problems with him but I saw how he treated a old German couple. He even wanted to kick them out of there room, so that there would have to sleep outside on the deck (both being over 60 years old!). He finally didn't do it, but only because it was starting to rain... He also pointed out that he hates to work with backpackers, but he has to because of the money. Sometimes you feel that this is the only thing he interested in!
We also weren't allowed to take any showers during the five days because we had to safe water. No problem with that, but his "girlfriend" took a shower every day and even he took one. The food was OK, but we had to cook be ourselves. We all paid 350$ for the trip and between 250 and 350 for a motorbike. That's a lot if you think of that one guy even had to sleep on the floor because there was no bed for him. All in all if you compare that to the service of other boats that are sailing between Cartagena and San Blas than its really a bad deal.

So if you have a choice then don't go with Leonardo! If you don't have a choice then try to talk with him about the price...

One ting that also really annoyed me, but that is now my personal opinion and has nothing to do with the trip itself, is his poor "girlfriend". She only 17 and pregnant and Leonardo is 62!!! He was kissing and touching her all the time and everybody could see that she didn't enjoy that at all. She is really a child and Leonardo in my view a sick pervert!...

Cheers,
Mathias

Ive just been reading a horror story on A few more Miles...

¨Living on this floating wreck for a week cannot be truly understood by merely reading about the numerous disgusting and unsafe elements. The sum of this experience is far worse than I can relate.

Charles concludes by saying;

¨Check every detail of the boat before you depart, run a criminal background and maritime license check on the captain, and make sure you see the boat before you pay anything.

Great story! Ive been staying at the Mamallena Hostel in Panama City and they book many sail boats for backpackers and bikers. Stewart the owner is Australian and is friends with the Golden Eagle and others.

I would certainly recommend allowing the time to pass through the San Blass, just dont get stuck there.
Adam

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