Interesting that yachts are now doing overnight transits of the Panama Canal. In our Caribbean to Pacific Transit in 1985, we started at 10 AM and the advisor left our vessel at the Miraflores locks at about 9 PM. We ran down the Canal to the Balboa YC in the dark, without a advisor aboard and it was a difficult experience with the current behind us at about 4 knots, plus the boat speed of 7 knots. The bridge abutments of the bridges of the Americas were not lit and difficult to see. Fortunately I had reserved the last mooring bouy at the Balboa YC and found it in the dark, right by the canal edge. Our other transits (Pacific to Caribbean) had all started about dawn, and we were thru early enough to go on to Porto Bello that night to anchor, rather than stay at Cristobal. During our last transit we were told that if the boat's value was over one million dollars that a pilot, rather than an advisor was required. The situation in the canal changes year by year--and I suspect that restrictions are different now than 10 years ago. A month's back log will really impact a lot of boats. There are more pleasure craft transiting the canal every year. At some point a land transport becomes easier, faster and cheaper. We wish all of the vessels safe transit. Our personal preference is side tie to a Canal Commission tug--and least preference would be a wall tie. The tug tie requires little work on the part of the crew of the yacht--and the tug is handled by one man with a huge winch--the tug wall tied. When center tied, the largest vessel (in all cases we transited and center tied) it was our boat--had to keep the lines tight as we went up or down. Not too difficult if you don't get slack on the lines. At one point, one of the boats rafted to us, fouled our bow line, and there was some slack--scarry momenty until the line was brought tight. I thought we were going to break 3/4" lines. Because we had double bow windlasses and winches in the cockpit it made it much easier. Bob Austin