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djsteve
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| Joined: | Mon Mar 20th, 2006 |
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Posted: Mon Mar 20th, 2006 11:09 pm |
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If you had June 1st, 2006 through July 3rd, 2006 to go on a sailing adventure would you:
a) Sail to Cabo and back to San Diego.
b) Sail to Cabo/San Carlos/Mazatlan leave boat and fly back.
I am leaning toward leaving the boat in Cabo or San Carlos or even Mulege (I could drive to it in Mulege). I could be back down in a month or two for 3 weeks to sail it back with a more experienced crew. How much would it cost to leave it? Where would be a good place to leave it? Could I sell it down there or is it a better idea to bring it back?
I am buying either a Catalina 30 or 34 to sail this Mexico trip. My crew will consist of two to three other novice sailors (one male and two hot girls or maybe all male and we'll chase girls in Cabo...see I've got a lot to think about!).
I am a fairly novice sailor, I've had a Cal 25 in Dana Point for the last year. I've sailed to Catalina many times and from Long Beach to Dana Point, etc. I am currently getting into racing and will sail in the Newport to Ensenada Race in April. I am getting as much experience as possible to prepare for the June Mexico trip.
Thank you!
Steve S.
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JZ
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Posted: Tue Mar 21st, 2006 04:05 am |
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1. Experience
First suggestion would be to make sure you have one very experienced person for any trip down the coast of Baja. A couple trips out to Catalina is no where near the practice you will need for this. The size boat you are talking about is on the small-ish size for such a trip. You will be on your own, there is no coast guard and the anchorages are few and far between. Your best bet would be to join the Baja HA HA. They do a trip every year in late October from SD to Cabo. Lots of boats make the trip.
2. Weather
June marks the beginning of hurricane season. You'll possibly be sailing right into a huricane that time of year. Hurricanes are fairly common off of Cabo. Although, hurricane season doesn't normally get into full swing until August/September. But still it is a risk. Weather is also an issue for you in the Sea of Cortez. There your challeges in June/July will be a) complete lack of wind for long stretches, b) very hot and very humid, and c) threat of Chubasco (thunderstorms or strong squalls).
3. Baja Bash
Sailing down the coast of Baja is one thing, sailing back up it is quite another. It is referred to as the Baja Bash. The prevailing wind on the Pacific is from the North or North-West. Going up the coast you'll have to sail over 1,000 miles into the wind and swell. Just think about that! If you make it to San Carlos, they have facilities to transport your boat by truck back to San Diego.
4. Storage
There is no real storage in Mulege. Mulege has minimal boating facilities. Santa Rosalia, about 40 miles north of Mulege, has a tiny marina (16 slips or so) and a few more facilities. San Carlos has two very large US style marinas and several very secure land based storage facilities. The boating community in San Carlos is very large, with probably over a 1,000 boats.
5. Entertainment
Based on your post, you will probably be bored to tears in Mulege or Santa Rosalia. The night life is very good in Maztalan and quite good in San Carlos/Guaymas. You can either bring the chicas with you, or you'll have no problem finding them here or in Mazatlan.
6. Recommendations
Wait until October. Sail down to Cabo as part of the Baja HA HA. Continue on to San Carlos. Leave the boat there. Return for trips back down to San Carlos. You might never want to take the boat back (the town is that fun and the cruising is that good). But if you do, I'd recommend either just selling it in San Carlos or paying to have it transported back.
Hey, but this advice comes from someone who didn't even know how to set an anchor properly when we came up with the crazy idea/dream of launching in San Felipe, cruising down the coast of Baja, and trying to make it all the way to San Carlos. In January of all times! Well we made it to Santa Rosalia before I figured out how dumb an idea it was and how unprepared we were. I ended up riding in a little Mexican pick-up for like 14 hours back up Mex 1 to get my truck trailer, and then another 12 hours back down. It is no fun towing a 30' boat in Baja, I can tell you that. The funny thing is that I posted some questions on a message board just like you did here. But the replies suggesting to proceed with caution didn't come until we had already shoved off!
But we weren't totally deterred. We came back a year and a half later, at the proper time of year, with a more experienced crew, and the proper gear. This time we made it the 500 miles from San Felipe to San Carlos, and my boat has never left since!
Last edited on Tue Mar 21st, 2006 03:24 pm by JZ
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djsteve
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Posted: Tue Mar 21st, 2006 05:22 am |
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| Thanks for the advice!
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