Casa de Tortugas - Stories
Our Boat
Because we are on an island, we need a boat to get around. We could have purchased a used boat and hoped for the best but that really wouldn't have saved us much money and we wouldn't be able to get exactly what we wanted. So we worked with a local boat builder to get exactly what we wanted.
The boat design is called a panga, which is an open hull design. Some have built-in seats but we opted for drop-in seats to give us more flexibility. Think of this as a pickup truck for the water.
The boat is 6 feet wide and 25 feet long. In this video you can see it just before the control console is installed.
Update February 3, 2024: We picked up our boat from Rukel in Almirante. Because we have never driven this type of boat nor have we driven on the open ocean, we felt that it would be safest to hire a boat captain to come with us. Ariel is a captain we have trusted on several previous trips when we needed a boat. At Rukel, Ariel helped us put the finishing touches on the boat before taking us to get gas and give us guidance as we each took turns getting the feel of the boat. We are very happy with how our boat turned out.
Update February 20, 2024: Our canopy and motor cover have been installed. The boat is complete now. These items were created by Leo in Almirante specifically for our boat. The canopy can be purchased off the shelf, but they are not custom fit when you do that. We wanted the front of the boat to be uncovered for when we haul things or if we go fishing. This will make standing in the open and casting easier. The mid sized canopy also reduces the wind drag on the boat while being big enough to provide good sun and rain protection. The front seat doesn't get the full protection but we won't be hauling people often anyway. The cover helps protect the motor from the elements and minor dings when docked. We decided to put our names on our cover so people can easily associate the boat with the people that own it.
Not to say that we won't make more tweaks in the future, but these are all the major items we are needed in order for us to be comfortable out on the water.
People you can contact if you need a boat:
Ronny
+507-6837-0505
Built our boat hull and mounted the console. Created our seats and the wood flooring. Painted the main interior and exterior colors.
Rukel S.A.
+507-6926-0428
Outfitted our boat with the motor and all other items needed in order to get registered. Helped coordinate moving the boat from Ronny and putting it in the water. Also performs all our services on the motor.
Jose
+507-6477-0135
Painted the name, flag and registration numbering.
Ariel
+507-6467-5885
Boat captain with a lot of experience. Great for taking you where you need to go or helping you with your boat. He also runs a taxi service with several boats to help you get around.
Leo
+507-6502-4042
Boat canopy, motor cover and seat cushions. Speaks little English but does great work.
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