Read it and weep.... This is from a friend of mine who keeps an H28.5, on a trailer, in San Carlos, Mexico:
"See there....the bug has bitten you. San Carlos is sort of an unbelievable place. Some compare it to what you would see and experience in Europe and the Mediterranean, the Greek Isles. Perhaps better, in some ways. I heard someone say sailing here is much like Lake Erie, as an inland sea with the conditions, both good and bad, about equal. Yes it is an expat community, however it caters to people from all over the world. I think the key is the Marina San Carlos: I attach pics of the launch of the Caliente and another 40' sailboat. The Grossmans had that hydraulic lift specifically design for launching boats to 75' in length from a shallow ramp. We have multimillion dollar sailing and motor yachts here from all over the world. Marina San Carlos is a world class Marina.
The season is all parts of the year except the months of June - September, when it is much too hot and humid, almost unbearable, however some of us diehards go anyway and tough it out. This is the time you spend in the water, snorkeling, diving and sleeping under the A/C. Not much wind, except the land/sea cycles. Late Summer is T-Storm season, especially afternoons, so you want to take care at that time of year.
My boat was trailered from CO by the former owner. He put it up for sale in San Carlos and I found it on Craig's list after about a year o f searching the net. At the time I could tell you where every h28.5 was in the country for sale. The 270's too. I even tried to buy one in VA and have a trailer made for it, but this was getting too expensive. Right next to me in the dry storage is a brand new, Beneteau 31 on a custom made triple axle aluminum trailer. I have heard that some doctor owns it. I think it is out on the 'Sea" cruising now, because all I see lately is the empty trailer. You would not believe how many boats are on trailers here.
So the name of the game is to get a boat on a trailer, so you don't have to deal with slip fees and bottom jobs. If the boat is big, it goes on the hard on jackstands. Bottom jobs are brutal, because warms waters breed 4 X that nasty growth. My dry storage fees are: $62.50 per month, with a month free for advance payment for one year. It is a secure area. There are probably 400 - 600 boats in the storage at different times, another 300 - 400 on the water at moorings or slips. There are 2 marinas.
The best free place to learn about San Carlos is the following website: http://www.sancarlosmexico.com/ There are many links to other really good sites. The forums, expecially the sailor's forum are expecially interesting. You can read accounts of cruises throughout the Sea, the west coast of Mexico, both sides of Baja, South America and other points of interest. If you want further difinitive info, get Gerry Cunniham's Cruising Guides to the Sea of Cortez. They are unbelievably detailed accounts of a lifetime of cruising and documenting life at sea on the Sea of Cortez. No sailor would leave the shore, here, without them. ( Also Charlie's Charts, tho not as good.)
Currently, the exchange rate for Pesos is as high as 14.50 to one Dollar. Some things in Mexico are bargains: especially labor, rent and food. Owning a boat in Mexico is about half of that in the USA. Because of the real estate depression, real estate now is at an all time low. A 1.5 Mil condo on the waterfornt in San Diego costs $400K and is probably newer and better. The one thing you do not ever forget is that Mexico is a 3rd. world country with archaic methods and laws. It can sometimes drive you crazy!!
There is a very active Yacht Brokerage, Sea of Cortez Yachts. Go on their website. All of his boats are listed on Yachworld. The other day I met a guy from Switzerland who bought his 65' trawler here. "
"See there....the bug has bitten you. San Carlos is sort of an unbelievable place. Some compare it to what you would see and experience in Europe and the Mediterranean, the Greek Isles. Perhaps better, in some ways. I heard someone say sailing here is much like Lake Erie, as an inland sea with the conditions, both good and bad, about equal. Yes it is an expat community, however it caters to people from all over the world. I think the key is the Marina San Carlos: I attach pics of the launch of the Caliente and another 40' sailboat. The Grossmans had that hydraulic lift specifically design for launching boats to 75' in length from a shallow ramp. We have multimillion dollar sailing and motor yachts here from all over the world. Marina San Carlos is a world class Marina.
The season is all parts of the year except the months of June - September, when it is much too hot and humid, almost unbearable, however some of us diehards go anyway and tough it out. This is the time you spend in the water, snorkeling, diving and sleeping under the A/C. Not much wind, except the land/sea cycles. Late Summer is T-Storm season, especially afternoons, so you want to take care at that time of year.
My boat was trailered from CO by the former owner. He put it up for sale in San Carlos and I found it on Craig's list after about a year o f searching the net. At the time I could tell you where every h28.5 was in the country for sale. The 270's too. I even tried to buy one in VA and have a trailer made for it, but this was getting too expensive. Right next to me in the dry storage is a brand new, Beneteau 31 on a custom made triple axle aluminum trailer. I have heard that some doctor owns it. I think it is out on the 'Sea" cruising now, because all I see lately is the empty trailer. You would not believe how many boats are on trailers here.
So the name of the game is to get a boat on a trailer, so you don't have to deal with slip fees and bottom jobs. If the boat is big, it goes on the hard on jackstands. Bottom jobs are brutal, because warms waters breed 4 X that nasty growth. My dry storage fees are: $62.50 per month, with a month free for advance payment for one year. It is a secure area. There are probably 400 - 600 boats in the storage at different times, another 300 - 400 on the water at moorings or slips. There are 2 marinas.
The best free place to learn about San Carlos is the following website: http://www.sancarlosmexico.com/ There are many links to other really good sites. The forums, expecially the sailor's forum are expecially interesting. You can read accounts of cruises throughout the Sea, the west coast of Mexico, both sides of Baja, South America and other points of interest. If you want further difinitive info, get Gerry Cunniham's Cruising Guides to the Sea of Cortez. They are unbelievably detailed accounts of a lifetime of cruising and documenting life at sea on the Sea of Cortez. No sailor would leave the shore, here, without them. ( Also Charlie's Charts, tho not as good.)
Currently, the exchange rate for Pesos is as high as 14.50 to one Dollar. Some things in Mexico are bargains: especially labor, rent and food. Owning a boat in Mexico is about half of that in the USA. Because of the real estate depression, real estate now is at an all time low. A 1.5 Mil condo on the waterfornt in San Diego costs $400K and is probably newer and better. The one thing you do not ever forget is that Mexico is a 3rd. world country with archaic methods and laws. It can sometimes drive you crazy!!
There is a very active Yacht Brokerage, Sea of Cortez Yachts. Go on their website. All of his boats are listed on Yachworld. The other day I met a guy from Switzerland who bought his 65' trawler here. "
in midland, tx usa
