Sampson Boat Covideo

The Panama Canal, part 1 - “a close call”

February 28, 2026 · 18 min · 325K views · Panama City

Sailboat Tally Ho navigates Panama Canal lock with cruise ship

What this video covers

Leo Goolden and his crew transit the Panama Canal aboard the 50-foot gaff-rigged cutter Tally Ho, navigating from the Pacific Ocean toward the Caribbean Sea.0:13 To manage the transit, the crew hires an agent to handle paperwork and provide mandatory 100-foot mooring lines and fenders.7:25 The vessel requires four line handlers and a canal advisor, who guides the boat through the locks.8:06 During the approach to the first lock, the vessel experiences a close call when strong outflow currents catch the bow, causing the boat to turn toward the lock wall.15:02 Because the boat lacks a bow thruster and features a long keel, Goolden struggles to regain control until the mooring lines are secured to the bollards.16:11 The transit requires precise coordination between the crew and lock workers to manage the heavy monkey's fist heaving lines and maintain the boat's position against turbulence and shifting water levels.

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