An excited Bryan Ortiz-Soto had just returned home aboard his Riviera 505 SUV, Melanina, when Experience Magazine caught up with him following one of the largest boating festivals in the world, Xmas In July.
Around the world, Riviera representatives go to extraordinary lengths to ensure owners experience excellence at every part of their Riviera journey – a fact that Gerald Gomez from AlphaBlue Marine in Panama personally appreciates.
“Riviera is a luxury yacht and at AlphaBlue Marine, we’re in the luxury business and offer a matching service,” says Gerald, Dealer Principal.
Although the Riviera 5400 Sport Yacht Platinum Edition was destined for a home port in the Pacific, Panama’s first 5400 was unloaded on the Atlantic side in the Caribbean Sea, where Gerald took personal responsibility for ensuring its delivery. “At this time, carriers cannot unload recreational boats in the Pacific ports of Panama,” he explains.
“The majority of shipping carriers arrive at Panama’s most important port, the Manzanillo International Terminal (MIT) on the Atlantic side, and recreational vessels must cross the canal independently if their final destination is the Pacific.”
The 5400 arrived at MIT late at night on 31 March. She was unloaded, reviewed and taken to a temporary marina nearby, with the crossing booked for 3 April. However, as sailors know, plans are written in the sand at low tide. For over a year, Panama has experienced its driest period on record, and to operate its lock systems, the Panama Canal uses around seven billion litres of water daily from Lake Gatún, a rain-fed reservoir.
(Left) Dealer Principal Gerald Gomez of AlphaBlue Marine in Panama (Right) Panama City is located at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, in the province of Panama.
The Panama Canal has three new bigger locks for Panamax and New Panamax vessels – and is an engineering marvel.
“When you’re on a vessel under 60 feet, you need to travel across the canal with another larger carrier. But during this water shortage, instead of the average 40 carriers per day, only 18 carriers were allowed to cross. So, they scheduled us for the end of April. Imagine waiting a month.”
Luckily, Gerald was able to pull a few strings, and a week later, on 7 April, they set off. “We left the marina at 1400 hours for the start of the canal where we waited for the captain from the canal company to join us. So, including the AlphaBlue crew, we had two captains and six mariners; the canal crew knew everything, and it was really interesting,” Gerald says.
The crew started their navigation to the first lock. “You have to cross five locks in total – two on the Atlantic side and three on the Pacific side. On the Atlantic side, you’re pulling water in to go up, and on the Pacific side, the locks drain, and you go down. The lock walls are huge, so you feel really, really low. The water comes in very quickly to raise you in about 20 minutes.
“You have all your fenders out and you’re keeping the boat in position. It could have been stressful, but with the captains onboard, it was a more relaxed experience. They know the process extremely well, with more than 30 years working on the canal. The canal has three new bigger locks for Panamax and New Panamax vessels, but we did cross one of the original canals that’s more than 100 years old – fantastic! It’s an engineering marvel, really monumental.
“After the first lock, we entered a huge artificial lake that was built by the U.S. to get to the next lock; it looks natural though – it’s immense, like an ocean. In that first lake, we went full throttle at 30 knots and took 10 minutes to cross. So, we left the big ship behind and then partnered up with different ships for the next locks. The Pacific side’s two locks are smaller, and the lakes are smaller as well.”
(Left) Yachts anchoring under the Bridge of the Americas in Balboa at the exit of the Panama Canal Panama. (Right) Luxury hotels and condo towers in the Punta Pacifica and the Ocean Reef Marina and islands in Panama city.
After an exhausting but exhilarating day, the crew arrived at Ocean Reef Marina in the Pacific Ocean at 0100 hours. “The owners live close to the marina, so we left them a message on their door, ‘When you wake up, look out’, since they can see their slip from their apartment. They were extremely happy.
“The outside of the 5400 has a navy-blue hull with white, which looks amazing. Together with the client, we’d selected great materials and finishes. The interior looks fantastic too – everything blends and looks sophisticated and elegant. Now everyone goes to the slip to check out the Riviera.”
The maiden delivery was an opportunity for Gerald to test the 5400 in varying conditions.
Enjoy the Riviera 5400 Sport Yacht Platinum Edition profile film.
“I am impressed by how easy it is to drive and handle, it’s so manageable with the two joysticks. Getting into the marina and slip is something easily done, much easier than similar-sized boats. The navigation is excellent – it’s seaworthy and stable.
“You can go fast, and it responds quickly. This is perfect for our area where, to get to the islands people love, you need a very good and comfortable boat so you arrive fresh and ready to enjoy the weekend.”
Gerald is referring to the famed archipelago De Las Perlas, boasting thousands of islands with stunning landscapes, pristine beaches, fishing, rainforests and waterfalls. The indigenous translation of Panama is ‘abundance of fish,’ and Gerald claims that since fishing hasn’t really caught on in the area compared to neighbouring countries, there is truth in the translation still. “The ocean is full of fish like red snapper and tuna. It can be a lot of fun.”
For Gerald and AlphaBlue Marine, the journey was more than just a delivery, it was a learning experience and a celebration of luxury and engineering prowess.
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