Join us in Bocas del Toro
When can I come?
The following dates are somewhat flexible, we may be able to accommodate other requests. See below to express your interest.
| Week | |
|---|---|
| 10th - 17th June 2023 | Reserved |
| 17th June - 24th June 2023 | Available |
| 24th June - 1st July 2023 | Reserved |
| 1st July - 8th July 2023 | Reserved |
| 7th October - 14th October 2023 | Reserved |
| 14th October - 21st October 2023 | Available |
| 21st October - 28th October 2023 | Reserved |
| 28th October - 4th November 2023 | Available |
What does it cost?
This is a paid crew position: We'll be asking for a contribution to cover our costs for the week, including your food and drink on board, as well as Pedro’s famous cocktail hour(s) at sunset.
| One person | Two people |
|---|---|
| $2100 | $3800 |
A $1000 deposit is needed to secure the booking, with the remainder due 1 week before arrival. In the extremely unlikely event that we need to change or cancel, we will refund in full.
What's included?
Your 7 days onboard includes the full gamut of First Mate's jokes, the master cabin of Bohemia, full running costs for the week and your food and drink while onboard.
Bohemia is a beautiful 2001 Beneteau Oceanis 361 owners' version with 2 cabins, a large saloon & galley and spacious head and shower. You can read more about Bohemia here.
In case it wasn't already obvious, you're going to have a blast with us, and we can't wait to welcome you on board!
What's not included?
- Flights and ground transport: Air Panama fly four direct flights daily from Panama City (Allbrook airport) to Bocas del Toro for approx $150 p/p.
- Food and drink away from the boat
- The First Mate has a package of 'premium' jokes which are less likely to offend or cause facial disfigurement, these can be purchased at time of booking
Join us!
Choose from learning to sail, improving your anchoring, boat maintenance or cocktail skills. Or simply get away from it all and relax for the week, with the First Mate waiting on you hand and foot (good luck with that last one!). Four years of full-time cruising has taught us a lot; with some of those lessons coming the hard way.
We want to offer you the chance to experience first hand how we manage, move and live on the boat on a daily basis. We feel that this week will give you a unique opportunity to learn all of these skills and more in a way that you simply can't pick up from sailing school. Let us show you the ropes!
About Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a Beneteau Oceanis 361, built in South Carolina, USA in 2001. We bought her in May 2017 in Alameda, California. Having originally bought her as an occasional weekend cruiser, we have carried out many major upgrades to transform her into a comfortable year-round cruiser.
Bohemia is the ‘owner’s’ version of the 361; which means it has a two-cabin layout, a large galley, large aft berth, and lazarette locker on the port side (where the third cabin would otherwise have been). For a relatively small boat, we feel that she punches above her weight in terms of interior layout and comfort. It's hard to find a more spacious galley and head with a full stand-up shower even among larger boats.
Despite the relatively spacious interior, Bohemia has a modest freeboard. This combined with her light weight and modern fin-keeled design allow her to sail well. We can often average over 6 knots on passage and can point as high as about 37 degrees to windward.
Among the many modifications and upgrades over the years, here are some of the more noteworthy and/or life-changing in terms of comfort:
- Power: 540Ah BattleBorn lithium-ion phosphate batteries, 3KW Victron inverter/charger, 675w solar capacity, 210A high output alternator
- Safety: Viking 4 person offshore liferaft, EPIRB beacon, PLB, 3x smoke detectors and CO alarm, gas vapor alarm and remote shutoff, new standing rigging 2019, all thru-hulls replaced 2019, backup navigation lights and countless spares
- Comfort: Spectra 18 US gal/hr low power DC watermaker, carbon block filters on all drinking water. Bimini cockpit shade, new saloon upholstery 2019 (Made by the First Mate's own fair hand!), wall mounted TV and Raspberry Pi entertainment system, all electric cooking as a backup/addition to propane.
- Sailing & anchoring: Asymmetrical cruising spinnaker, mast mounted whisker pole and rigging, Spade 55lbs anchor with 200 ft 5/16 chain, Ocean Signal masthead trilight/anchor light, 9.9HP outboard and lightweight 8.5ft aluminium dinghy
Amenities
Satellite internet
High speed satellite internet onboard. Tease friends from paradise or disconnect.
Showers
Inside full-height shower stall & outside showers.
Towels
Fresh towels on arrival.
Dinghy
New 8ft tender with 10hp motor for excursions.
Kitchen
Not that you'll need to use it... Breakfast, lunch & dinner provided throughout.
Snorkeling gear
At least two sets of snorkeling gear (fins, mask, snorkel) available on board.
Fishing gear
Trolling and spearfishing equipment on board.
Water maker
Almost unlimited fresh water for drinking and showers.
Power
Large batteries & solar provide all the power to charge devices.
Entertainment
Bluetooth sound system and music library, TV.
Double queen bed
Fit for two queens! Owner's double aft berth.
Games
Selection of board and card games available.
Safety gear
PFDs, life raft, extinguishers, smoke and CO alarms.
Electric head
No furious hand pumping! Push button operation.
About us
Peter & Tom
Peter and Tom are a gay couple who quit their jobs and set out to sail the world back in 2019. They first sailed together on their honeymoon in 2015. Tom had never sailed before but luckily Peter was a natural sea dog, dutifully taking the helm, repeating the mantra that the guy in the Mauritius beach hut left us with “Just keep your back to the wind and you’ll be fine!” He still swears by this technique today.
Fast forward one year later and the happy couple’s wanderlust - and Tom’s job - saw them move to California, where the beautiful San Francisco Bay stretched out in front of them. Convinced there may be more useful tricks they could add to their repertoire while keeping their backs to the wind, they set about taking sailing lessons with their local American Sailing Association (ASA) school and were hooked in no time.
The details are hazy, but somehow they managed to convince themselves that buying their beloved Bohemia (a Beneteau Oceanis 361) and teaching themselves ‘the rest of sailing’ would be the cheaper option compared to completing the remaining ASA courses and exams!
Peter and Tom’s love of sailing grew with their frequent weekend escapes around the Bay and nearby Pacific Coast aboard Bohemia. No matter what stresses the work week had in store, they quickly melted away once we were bobbing around on the water.
As they continued to cruise, far from being sated, the wanderlust just grew stronger, and the pair set their thoughts to the crazy notion of cruising long term and taking little Bohemia to distant shores and warmer waters. After years of boat work, upgrades (and no small amount of learning to sail the hard way!), they set off under the Golden Gate Bridge in 2019, giving up the land life for good.
Since then they have sailed over 5500 nautical miles, eaten their body weight in tacos and spent over a year exploring the wild and remote Sea of Cortez, encountering whale sharks and sea turtles among the beautiful desert surroundings. They cruised the challenging and treacherous Central American coastline before crossing the Panama Canal in early 2022. The Caribbean is their new home, and they are busy plotting ways to explore as many, different countries, palm-lined beaches and palapa bars as possible in the years ahead!
