This weekend I learned one of the reasons that yachting is not growing as quickly in Mexico as it could. As I mentioned in a previous post the second annual Latin American Boat Show is under way here in La Cruz. So on Saturday morning I decided to go check out some motor yachts. No I'm not veering off to the "dark side." This boat show only has one sailboat that I will discuss in a moment. To my surprise I found out that at this boat show the boats are for the most part.... OFF LIMITS! That's right. You can't tour the bloody boats. Hellloooo Mr. Yacht Broker!!!! The reason people attend boat shows is to see the boats. The story I got is that the owners of these yachts were on board and did not want to be interrupted while entertaining their friends. It might be possible to come back after 5:30pm and visit a boat. I met some nice people from Canada who really regretted spending 150 pesos on a ticket that only allowed them to visit the vendor booths, many of which were for condominium developments.

I realize that very few people are qualified buyers for an 85' Azimut, or even for the 68 footer. Visiting a large yacht can be inspirational for some people. And perhaps while that big yacht may remain a dream, they may be inspired to buy a smaller vessel or charter a large one for a special event. When I was a young lad I remember getting on a Hawkfarm 28 at a boat show. I was enthralled with that Wylie design although I really had no idea of what I was looking at. I never bought a Hawkfarm but I have owned 12 or 13 other sailboats ranging in size from 10 to 48 feet. By not letting people on the boats the brokers are unwittingly promoting a snobbish and exclusionary air around boating. Boat shows left an indelible impression on me as a youngster. I can still recall walking in the main entrance, seeing the Oscar Meyer boat, and hearing "Up, Up, and Away" being played over and over again. If Mexican businesses want to grow yachting and boating they need to take a queue from their neighbors to the north and Europe and let people step foot on the boats.

The sole sailboat at the show is a beauty. She is a 2001 Catana 472 named Moon and the Stars. She looks to be in great shape and is ready for all sorts of adventures. Jean liked her quite a bit as well; describing the boat as the nicest cat she has been on so far. Moon and the Stars is listed by Yachtfinders/Windseakers in San Diego. I had the pleasure of spending some time with Ron Gullan, the listing broker, who aside from being a knowledgeable and experienced sailor, is a genuinely nice guy. Ron also had the best giveaway at the entire boat show - cookies! Thanks for that packet of Oreos Ron! Moon and the Stars is berthed here in La Cruz so if anyone is in the market for a vessel of that caliber I would be happy to poke my camera in the nooks and crannies and do a bit of a pre-inspection before you fly down.

Comments [0]

We decided to finally make a long overdue trip to Mega, a large grocery/department store on the outskirts of Bucerias, which is a 20 minute bus ride. There are different ways to shop here in Mexico. Some towns like San Blas, have charming municipal markets. In La Cruz it is mostly smaller stores so you usually end up hitting three or four places to get your shopping done. We enjoy shopping at smaller stores but sometimes we are out of so much it's time to hit a larger store.

We walked from the marina to the bus stop. As usual we waited no more than a few minutes for a bus. In Mexico many people do not own cars so the bus service is frequent. Some days riding the bus is like riding a bus anywhere else. Today it was not. About halfway two men, one dressed like a combination of mime and clown, the other more clownish, boarded the bus. The mime/clown guy addressed the passengers in a rapid fire voice and was hard to understand. He was loud. Then he started playing a guitar. He did not play well. He was doing some comedy shtick and his sidekick spoke equally loud. He was equally hard to understand. They solicited donations. I wondered if he offered to stop playing if people gave him money. That would have been worth a few pesos.

When we arrived at Mega we stopped by our chiropractor, who is conveniently located in the store. There was a hole in the schedule and Jean and I got adjusted by Dr. Dennis Brittain, a fellow American cruiser who has proven valuable to our well being. After the adjustments, we stopped for lunch at a little taco place in the complex where the equivalent of around $3 USD gets lunch for two. We order a four taco special and split it.

Mega has a combination of imported groceries and domestically produced ones. We stick with the local brands with few exceptions. We filled both our large back packs and a few canvas bags. The bill came to around $80. As you can see there are a lot of groceries including some steaks and chicken. One expensive item at around $6 was a large bottle of Bacdyn which we can use to disinfect any suspicious fruit or veggies or even our water. Food safety has improved immensely in recent years. Even a head of lettuce from the local tienda is labeled as being irrigated with uncontaminated water. Still some people occasionally experience a case of "turista." Jean and I have fared well down here. Our diet is healthier and neither of us has really got sick with the exception of a few days of an undetermined stomach. I don't keep track of how often I need an Immodium or other over the counter medication but I am fairly confident it is less frequent than when we lived in the bay area. I would say the same thing about our time in Thailand. In general living in the third world has advantages when it comes to eating. Much of the meat and produce is local. In the states everything seems to get trucked to central warehouses and then distributed. There are more preservatives used in food in the states. We have to buy food more often in Mexico because things are so fresh and preservatives are not used.

We would love to hear questions or receive topic requests. What would you like to hear about?

Comments [0]

For going to and from shore we use a 10 foot Porta-Bote (not misspelled, just a brand name) as our tender. The Porta-Bote folds up flat and can be stored along the rail in a manner similar to a surfboard. While cruising the tender (aka dinghy) is a lifeline of sorts, serving as the only way to get people and provisions to and from the boat while anchored. It is also a wonderful platform for exploring places like the estuary in San Blas where we went places that we could never take our boat.

Usually the Porta-Bote is powered by a two horsepower outboard engine. If I forget to add gasoline it is powered by me with oars that are always kept onboard. For occasions where we want to travel a distance we have an eight horsepower outboard. We rarely use the larger engine as the little two horse is easy to handle, unlikely to be stolen, and keeps the boat moving surprisingly well. The Porta-Bote outperforms the inflatable boats because of a more efficient hull shape and lighter weight. It is fairly indestructible and requires less power than an inflatable.

This afternoon I was in the Porta-Bote making a run to the La Cruz marina. I saw the Port Captain's skiff entering the marina channel as I paralleled the channel 100 or so feet away. As I entered the marina I was quite surprised to see one of the port captain's staff signaling me to stop. The port captain is a government official responsible for....well the port I suppose. He keeps track of the comings and goings of all vessels and makes decisions like when the port should be closed due to weather. In Mexico we are required to check in with the port captain when we arrive and when we leave. Sometimes it can be done over the radio. In any case I was mystified when I was signaled to stop. I was not doing anything unusual or illegal, just the usual run to shore.

As the skiff approached me I smiled and said "Buenos Tardes" (good afternoon). The port captain introduced himself and explained that he would like some help spreading a message to other cruisers in the anchorage. On the 11th there will be a helicopter rescue demonstration as part of the festivities kicking off the Latin America Boat Show that is taking place here in La Cruz. Boats in the anchorage would have to be in a certain area. This show is a pretty big event and there is a lot of activity going on as final preparations are made. Check it out here -


Your text to link...

Comments [0]

From our vantage point in the anchorage we have an excellent view of the start and finish line for some of the racing that is happening right now in Banderas Bay. For those of you not following the sailing scene here in lovely tropical Mexico you can read about the excitement at http://nauticalextravaganza.com/

My first involvement with sailmaking was working for Banks Sails in Tampa, Florida in the mid 1990's. At that point of my life I lived, ate, and breathed sailboat racing. After moving back to the west coast and getting my airline career going I drifted away from racing. My ex-wife Kathy and I lived aboard a 39 footer and my interests shifted more to cruising. Besides, Kathy was not a big fan of "racing the house", which was understandable. Being here in warm water where the required attire for racing is minimal, I find myself thinking it would be pretty damn fun to get back into the game. Unfortunately I have a case of tennis elbow which is limiting my sailing. Dr. Dennis Brittan, an American chiropractor with a practice in Bucerias, has been helping a great deal with treatment. All of that aside, I am enjoying the rush of energy and excitement brought to our marina by a fleet of racers, some high tech maxis, and other more mundane racer-cruisers.

Some time ago our good friend Jamie Gifford of S/V Totem penned an article for 48 North describing the benefits of racing for the cruising crowd. As with everything I have read from Jamie, his analysis was spot on. I second his opinion that more cruisers need to get out and race their boats or crew for someone who is racing. Racing in close quarters requires good boat handling and proper sail trim is rewarded with better boat speed. Although cruisers may not be as obsessed with speed like their racing brethren, passage times will improve and autopilot wear will decrease with good trim and sail balance.

Some events I have seen this week have prompted me to offer another view of the connection between racers and cruisers. Racers have a lot to learn from the cruising community. While visiting with our friends on a neighboring boat in the anchorage, one of the racers ran hard aground in the channel leading to the Riviera Nayarit Marina here in La Cruz. We jumped into a dinghy to see if we could be of assistance. There was no surprise on our part that the yacht had grounded. The tide was a negative 1.0 and the racer draws 11 feet. What really surprised me was that noone on the boat knew the state of the tide. The crew was hanging on the end of the boom trying to induce heel and reduce draft while a panga strained trying to pull the boat clear. The yacht was well stuck and I could only imagine the scrapes and other mostly cosmetic damage happening to the keel. I suggested to the skipper that he simply wait for the tide to rise and float him off gently. I also offered to help set an anchor to keep things stable until the boat was floating. They chose to continue having the panga try to pull them clear which was a rather slow and tortuous process. I did not have a watch on but I am pretty sure that it was well over an hour before the boat was maneuvering on her own accord. Undoubtedly the rising tide had played a larger role than the high output outboard on the panga. With a rising tide and no waves to speak of I think my plan would have resulted in less damage and strain on the graceful racer. I also noted the engine running during the episode. Many diesels will have compromised lubrication and engine wear if run while the boat is considerably heeled.

Many of the racers have wisely chosen to anchor rather than enter the marina. It complicates their routine a bit as they have to rely on pangas to shuttle the crew, sails needing repair, and supplies back and forth to the marina. Worse yet, their spot at the bar may already be taken by a slower but shallower draft boat that simply docked. Being out here in the anchorage allows them to not worry about the state of the tide. For some of the crews anchoring is obviously not a familiar routine. We watched one racer spend a great deal of time attempting to anchor before finally setting the hook successfully. In fairness to the racers the boats are not set up at all for anchoring. Unlike cruising boats which carry substantial anchors and rodes, which for us are heavy chain, the racing crowd favors lightweight aluminum anchors and a mostly rope rode. The anchor has to be carried up from a storage spot that is low and near amidships, typically the bilge or a locker under a settee. A boat anchored with a rope rode will swing differently than those of us anchored with chain. The racers have courteously anchored a safe distance away from the cruisers from what we've seen. I noticed one large race boat that leaves navigation lights on at night in addition to their masthead anchor light. It is confusing as the boat appears to be underway but understandable since their masthead anchor light is so high that it is unlikely to be noticed. My recommendation would be some cheap solar garden lights hung from a lifeline rather than running the navigation lights. The regulations governing anchor lights are a bit non-specific, calling for an all around white light to be displayed from a "position where it may be best seen." That is a consideration for us cruisers as well. Is the masthead really the best place for an anchor light? In a crowded anchorage like La Cruz we run the masthead anchor light and a Davis Mini-Mega Amp light strung above the main boom. In addition to making the boat more visible to a passing panga, it gives us a better target when heading home at night.

Comments [1]

While prepping for the storm that never materialized last week, the zipper on our rather tired mizzen cover finally gave up the ghost with teeth popping off everywhere. Not a good time for that to happen, but a good reminder that we need to be a little more proactive in attending to our less glamorous boat tasks.

So, I drug out my 1960's era Singer household sewing machine, and eyeing the new, rather heavy V92 sail thread Dave's folks delivered on their recent visit hoped it would handle the load. I was pleased to find that it had enough muscle to go handle the entire project, although it was pretty maxed out and complained occasionally.

After peeling off the remnants of the old zipper I installed a nice shiny new zipper we'd traded a square yard of No-see'um mesh for. Using seam stick made the task much, much easier and I am now a convert (seam stick is double-sided tape made specifically for fabrics). I have never sewn without pins before! It is quite a revolution.

While I was ripping out the old zipper I really got a good look at the cover. Yikes! Nearly every seam was gone, the thread having deteriorated over the years. All that was holding parts of it together were the little dimples the thread had made when it passed through the fabric. It's a good thing that the original construction was solid, with double stitching on all seams, or it would have long ago literally fallen to pieces.

After installing the new zipper, re-sewing all the seams and putting the cover back in place I just had to stand back and bask in the glory - one boat project done! That was until I wandered up to the main cover to look at its front closure, which needs an extension because it no longer closes since we got our new sail. Lo and behold, a close examination of that cover also revealed some seams starting to dissolve. I thought I had some time, as that cover is only three years old. This will be my boat project for tomorrow.

Exit Strategy has a huge table with a large leaf so there is plenty of space to spread out. I just have to plan a bit more so I have everything within reach because it's kind of a drag to keep sliding in and out. Most interesting is the constant rocking back and forth as I sew. But, the scenery is grand so I can't think of a place I'd rather work.

Comments [1]

Above: Diana and Jim Jesse, Behan and Jamie Gifford and the kids aboard s/v Totem

We were delighted today to be hailed on the VHF by Jim Jesse of m/v Nalu. Jim and his wife Diana were Marina Village Gate 11 neighbor of ours, and they've been sailing for the last few weeks with the Gifford family aboard s/v Totem. We got to know the Totem crew when they were guests on Gate 11 on their way to Mexico last year.

They were just arriving in La Cruz from points south and wanted to get together. After the folks on Totem grabbed some much-needed sleep, Dave and I joined them for a sundowner that lasted long past sundown and into dinner time (which was yummy!). We finally brought out a gallon jug of wine that we've been hauling around since another Gate 11 resident gave us before we left. We couldn't think of a better time to enjoy it.

We've made lots of new friends since we've been in Mexico, and it was wonderful to catch up with old friends. Jim and Diana, a remarkable couple, have been cruising since the 60's, having somewhere around 135k nautical miles under their belts. They were pioneers in the cruising movement and we feel truly lucky to know them. The Gifford family is no less remarkable, cruising with three charming children ranging in age from 5 to 10. The kids are absolutely awesome, and are great examples of what magic can happen when parents become totally committed to offering their children life learning experiences.

Comments [1]