Looking for some help; double axle extendable trailer tongue 23' sailboat 2.25' draft pulled by Suburban 4 x 4, would like to know the usable boat
launches on Pacific and Gulf side. Has any one used the launch at Cerritos Beach by Pescadero? Looking for all usable spots small preferred, calm
conditions a preference. Driving from north to south ending up on west coast Todos Santos where boat will live. Seems like west coast has little to
none listed but maybe usable...?
The issue as I see it is the trailer not the Suburban, do not want to drag the trailer through sand in 4 x 4 too often!bajaguy - 1-5-2015 at 09:11 AM
How far north on the Pacific side??monoloco - 1-5-2015 at 09:26 AM
It might get a bit tricky launching a sailboat at Los Cerritos if there are any sets, especially coming back in. You would need to be able to maintain
enough hull speed to stay on the back side of the wave, otherwise the following wave would catch you and you'd run a very high risk of broaching. It
is also very difficult to float a boat on to a trailer without marinating your vehicle in salt water. Ideally, you need to be able to get a boat on to
the trailer after beaching it. I have been launching boats from that beach for about 30 years and have seen first hand all the things that can go
wrong.
[Edited on 1-5-2015 by monoloco]bajabushflyer - 1-5-2015 at 12:55 PM
Not interested in going in the water till Bahia De Los Angeles gulf side or
Punta Santa Rosalia on the Pacific side. Would like to go in by Scamons Lagoon as well. Not too worried about pilferers but would like to hear if
anyone has had break ins leaving their rig by beach. Do have locks on all linkages to trailer so I was thinking it is a good enough deterrent to try
another one. Suburban is a 1999 w bad looking hood (paint gone!)so I was going to leave it that way!
As for the set in Cerritos beach, was there, early mooring best time to go in and out, was thinking of mooring close to shore and staying aboard,
swell permitting. The shoal draft is 2.25' but 5.6' (O'day 23 not a McGregor)with board down so it does well in the ocean. My concern is it looked
like the slope of the launch was shallow at best and it did not appear that tide would change the slope of the area under trailer wheels but I could
be wrong. As for marinating my Suburban, want to avoid ruining a good truck think the extendable tongue would help IF the slope of launch is
acceptable. Tongue extends 12 feet. Coming back on trailer was thinking of guiding w 2 people to the point of using winch on trailer
Interested in East Cape area as well. There was a fancy place east of Ventana which was a great launch spot, forget name of it at end of road, plenty
of security guards here and there as big fancy houses litter the cove. Anyone use this, saw several fishing boats waiting the blow out when there was
a big Norther in town.
Was also thinking of dropping at Cabo and sailing up to Santos as plan B, which I think would be a blast especially going through the "lots of fish"
zone on the way. Was going to bring a engine block to set a mooring that was dip tanked clean from a old car my son killed! Like the idea of using
Cerritos as it is the calmest for the area and has a good spot to store in Pescadero when I go north. My plan is to be in Pescadero area for most of
my time.
Anyone using the Santos airport and can report scenario as well?
Thanks in advance!monoloco - 1-5-2015 at 01:07 PM
There is very little slope to the beach at Los Cerritos. You may be able to pull off launching it on a very calm day but if a big swell comes up your
boat will be stuck on the mooring so you may want to drop that engine block a couple of hundred meters outside.David K - 1-5-2015 at 01:11 PM
Welcome to Baja Nomad!
Just so we are on the same page with locations:
Todos Santos ?
Punta Santa Rosalillita ?
The area around Scammon's Lagoon (Laguna OJO DE LIEBRE) and Guerrero Negro lagoons may be dangerous with sand bars as well as migrating gray whales. bajabushflyer - 1-5-2015 at 03:44 PM
Plan was to drop mooring in the area of Cerritos beach not necessary to do it adjacent, do not mind coming to shore w a dinghy and have to go a bit,
key is safe mooring that is comfortable. In 20-40 feet of water is fine, but at 10 feet is optimum. I realize this is and may not apply/be usable all
year. When I get the mooring in, do not mind sharing.
My question is how deep is the water 30-40 ft from the upper edge of water(critical launch detail, less than 2.75'; not good, 3.5' is very good)? Does
this vary with low/high tide or pretty even slope of bottom...? I did not check that when I was there 2 months ago and I am kicking myself for not
doing so!
Is there a plan B to get out of water north; possibly but not for a lot of miles or south; before Cabo.
Thank you for the greeting!
As for the destinations, Todos Santos and yes Punta Santa Rosalillita. Use to go there when there was a truck that came once a week with supplies,
landed on the many airstrips that were part of the "airport", were giant clams there as I recall, are they as plentiful?
Sandbars are always a concern, would obviously plan on tide working with me that against me, w/ a 2.25' draft hope I can see what is in store before I
drive up on it.
While we are on the subject any reports of Los Brailles,Gulf side or other East cape launches.shari - 1-6-2015 at 07:55 AM
No boats except permitted whale watching pangas are allowed in Scammon's Lagoon (Ojo de Liebre). You might be able to launch in La Bocana as it is
calm there in the estuary. You could launch here in Bahia Asuncion at a high tide where the pangas launch at the point too.woody with a view - 1-6-2015 at 08:05 AM
Rosalillita is doable next to the harbor on the south side of the jetties. BIG clams.....bajabushflyer - 1-6-2015 at 09:53 AM
Thank you both, very good info. Still looking for someone who can get wet at Cerritos beach and let me know depth 30-40 feet out and East Cape spots.
Peterwoody with a view - 1-6-2015 at 11:08 AM
just guessing but 30-40' out at Cerritos MIGHT be 6 feet deep?Alan - 1-6-2015 at 03:59 PM
There was a pretty good book out a few years back by Zak Thomas on Trailerboating in Baja. It must be out of print now because prices for it on
Amazon are astronomical.Tioloco - 1-6-2015 at 05:42 PM
X2 on the book by Zach Thomas.
Awesome informational book on launch spots.Jack Swords - 1-7-2015 at 01:51 PM
Sure do not see Cerritos as a mooring spot. Launching can be possible with a flat bottomed boat and quick reactions. There is a harbor called
algodones just south of Punta Lobos and a bit north of Cerritos that was used for offloading sugar cane and has the base of the pier still there.
Much calmer and protected from nw winds. Used to ride my motorcycle in on the old road to go diving. I suspect your boat is more reasonably moored
on the SOC.David K - 1-7-2015 at 05:56 PM
There was a pretty good book out a few years back by Zak Thomas on Trailerboating in Baja. It must be out of print now because prices for it on
Amazon are astronomical.
Zack is a Baja Nomad: 'ZThomas' but last post was in 2009 (he had a new baby that kept him north for the time).
There was a pretty good book out a few years back by Zak Thomas on Trailerboating in Baja. It must be out of print now because prices for it on
Amazon are astronomical.
[Edited on 1-9-2015 by David K]Pompano - 1-7-2015 at 06:17 PM
This is a good post from 2008 about Zack's book, "The Angler's Guide to Trailer Boating Baja". Good info about roads, launches, fishing, etc. It's
one of my favorite books in my library and a good read.
I haven't seen a sailboat launched in the area around the Los Barriles area but tin boats are launched from trailers by hand and by car, pangas are
launched by truck, run up on shore and retrieved by tow rope. Cruisers are launched and retrieved by chains and Cats. Some of the launch areas are
quite steep and the rocks or shore break are tricky. There is a marina development at La Ribera, but I don't know much about it. I have helped to
launch a small catamaran when the tide is up. Any bigger sailboats that moor outside of the Palmas de Cortez Hotel seem to have launched from areas La
Paz, Loreto and Cabo.
Weather & water warm up and NE winds begin to die down around the end of February.
Thank you all who have had some good feedback lately. The place south of Lobos is a big bay private beach with public road access, @ 59km marker...?
Very quiet but I am not sure the swell was less than Cerritos, but a real Bay for sure, slope was less than at Cerritos.
For the Barrilles side, saw a bunch of flying bridge sports fisherman boats in water with big trailers close by and figures they are launching st the
hotel launch...?
Will try to get Zach's book no doubt priceless for an endeavor of what I propose to do!David K - 1-9-2015 at 04:31 PM
Just an fyi, Jen Kramer contacted me today that Discover Baja has sold out of Zack's book. Jack Swords - 1-9-2015 at 05:47 PM
The bay you refer to is just south of puerto algodones.. There is not part of a pier there, it is not a deep water port. Check a chart, just S of
Punto Lobos is a small harbor, used in the past for onloading and off loading vessels. Sailing these waters for over 16 years, I would suggest you
launch and leave your boat at anchor or in a marina in La Paz. The new road gives fast access from Pescadero or Todos Santos to La Paz. You will be
much happier.windgrrl - 1-9-2015 at 08:28 PM
For the Barrilles side, saw a bunch of flying bridge sports fisherman boats in water with big trailers close by and figures they are launching st the
hotel launch...?
Yup...that's what they use the big Cats for at Verdugo's and the Palmas de Cortez. Someone please correct this if I am missing something...I am not a
fisher.
