BajaNomad - Mainland or baja for my 29'

Mainland or baja for my 29'

Ford - 6-9-2008 at 11:12 PM

I am planning on towing a 29' center console with a 9' beam from Las Vegas to Cabo area. I have driven the Baja before in a Ford Expedition and was nearly blown off the road by trucks headed in the opposite direction. That is one narrow road with no shoulder. So I got the idea to maybe drive to Topolobampo and take the ferry to La Paz. It seems like it will cost just under a $1000 but maybe it is worth it if the road down the mainland is much better. Any thoughts?

[Edited on 6-10-2008 by Ford]

Terry28 - 6-10-2008 at 10:10 AM

I towed our boat al the way to Mulege and back 2 years ago...no problems, you just have to be careful when trucks pass to make sure you are completley on your side of the road. I have made the drive many, many times with ouy any problems. drive defensively...the truckers are very good at what they do and are used to other big rigs on the road...they don't want to get in an accident any more than you do...have a safe trip..take your time and you should be fine

Cypress - 6-10-2008 at 10:54 AM

Ford, A 29' center console.

What do you power it with?

Pescador - 6-10-2008 at 10:57 AM

If you want to get a professional opinion on this very issue look up Zack Taylor's book on Trailerboating to Baja. If you are towing a 9 ft beam then you may well have a little over 9 ft axle width which means that you and the ABC busses have about 4 inches of spare width if you are both on the highway at the same time in the narrower sections like Catavina area. I have driven the road with a cargo trailer and slide in camper on a Dodge truck for years but this year I did get a mirror clipped when a truck heading the other direction drifted just slightly towards my side of the road.
You will get contrasting opinions but the bottom line comes to your level of comfort. Obviously the semi drivers do this road all the time but you only need to drag one wheel off of the non existent shoulder to flip your whole rig.
The road from Nogales to Topo is mostly a 4 lane high speed highway which would make your job a lot easier, but don't forget it is a toll road and with that many axles you will pay per axle so it will be more expensive and the total length is what your cost on the ferry will be figured on. I have a good friend who is getting along in the years and they come to baja every year and stay at La Ventana and since they are pulling a three axle Airstream trailer they opt for using the ferry now for safety reasons.

Bob and Susan - 6-10-2008 at 01:07 PM

i think its too wide for baja

normal trailer boats are only 8 1/2 feet wide

you'll be sorry :saint:

you'd need a crew of cars to run as blockers

backninedan - 6-10-2008 at 01:41 PM

I would hate to tow a boat that size down here. I towed a much smaller boat when moving to Loreto and would not want to do it very often.

Skipjack Joe - 6-10-2008 at 02:12 PM

The trouble with having your vehicle or mirror clipped is that each driver will claim that the other one drifted into his lane. In my case a driver that was passing me still made that claim and there was nothing to say to disprove his account.

alex_baja2004_1.jpg - 27kB

Ford - 6-10-2008 at 09:20 PM

We power with dual 250's. Havent even put it in the water yet. Its coming on a truck from Florida. I'm leaning toward mainland but my brother is leaning toward baja and hes the one driving it :spingrin:

he said if he just gets behind a big rig and goes nice and slow! I dont remember any nice and slow moving big rigs to follow but maybe he'll get lucky. The cost to do mainland would be around a thousand bucks extra but the biggest problem is I think we would have a problem leaving the truck in baja because they will put that temporary import stickers on it and then we will have to return to nogales within 6 months if I understand that part correctly.....

Pescador - 6-11-2008 at 02:38 PM

You can turn in the import sticker for Sonora when you boad the ferry because at that point you are leaving Baja.
Be sure to tell me when you are doing Highway one in Baja Norte and I will be sure to cancel my trip for that day. I am sure that you can do it and slow is a good thing, but the road is very tight and you will be slowing down traffic as well as acting as a hazard for oncoming traffic. The best thing if you persist would be a flag car in front with flashing lights and a wide load placard.

805gregg - 6-14-2008 at 06:57 AM

Why tow it? Launch in San Carlos and go down to Cabo on the water. That would be much more fun and less stress.

Pescador - 6-14-2008 at 08:41 AM

Great idea Gregg, but the trailer does not tow well behind the boat. :spingrin:

Pompano - 6-14-2008 at 09:45 AM

Ford...you are going to give yourself ulcers towing that boat down the Baja Highway from the border to Cabo.

I have towed everything imaginable down the peninsular highway over the last 35 years.

-31' long X 11.5' wide flybridge boat (had placard/flaggers/blockers)
-30' horse trailer - wide fendered
-30' travel trailer
-28' cargo trailer
-2 26' sailboats
-32' 5th Wheel w/18' boat behind
-21' boat/trlr - behind large wide-body motorhome
-caged mother-in-law + shedding cat, fishtailing. :rolleyes:

I managed to make all these trips without mishap. But I have tons of experience on the Baja Road and know the dangers very well... having driven it since it was completed in 1973/74. Believe me, with that wide boat, it will tax you to the max.

Would I do it for the first time today?...coming from Las Vegas? NO.

The traffic is 10 times busier nowadays...sleepy semi-drivers and caravans alone will turn your hair white. There is a certain grade near Sta. Rosalia that will max out your braking/stopping ability. The many stretches of narrow roadway with no shoulder will most likely cause you grief. There will areas of potholes where you will ruin tires while avoiding oncoming traffic. Topes (speed bumps) appear suddenly and will cause damage to undercarriages and axles...or throw you off the road.

I would not care to read your future trip report about an accident or worse.

My opinion is....Unless you have done this trip many times and know what you are getting into, I would take the ferry. $1000 seems very reasonable comparatively, and besides, the ferry trip is very pleasant and an adventure in itself.

Whatever you decide...buena suerte...good luck and let us know how things went for you.

edit to add:

This is part of what I am doing this summer Up North..towing again.. but the road sometimes turns into a logging trail.

[Edited on 6-14-2008 by Pompano]

-.jpg - 34kB

Bruce R Leech - 6-14-2008 at 10:00 AM

why not boat across to BCS?

mtgoat666 - 6-15-2008 at 01:42 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ford
I am planning on towing a 29' center console with a 9' beam from Las Vegas to Cabo area. I have driven the Baja before in a Ford Expedition and was nearly blown off the road by trucks headed in the opposite direction. That is one narrow road with no shoulder. So I got the idea to maybe drive to Topolobampo and take the ferry to La Paz. It seems like it will cost just under a $1000 but maybe it is worth it if the road down the mainland is much better. Any thoughts?

[Edited on 6-10-2008 by Ford]

don't drive that wide pig load by yourself, you will regret it.
hire a transporter for boat and trailer.
boat across, and buy a trailer when you get there (or hire someone to transport trailer).
buy or rent a boat in cabo and don't worry about any of the transporting.

Ford - 6-15-2008 at 10:20 PM

I have now heard from a couple people that we can turn in the sticker at the ferry. Problem solved! (yea right this is mexico) we will expect problems and carry a couple lawers in our pocket (20's and 50's). I just felt it is not worth the risk to do that baja road. If there was even an 8" dirt shoulder on the road I would do it. But the 2' to 5' drop off right at the edge of the pavement with semi trucks headed toward you doing about 100 miles an hour with some driver that has taken some "magic pills" that they tell me allow them to make the trip from LA to cabo without stopping, was just way too nerve racking!!!!
Pompano is that legal? Your F'ing nuts! I like your style!
I will post an update upon completion!
Funny someone suggested towing the trailer in the water. My brother actually brought that up and we thought through the pipe dream for a few minutes. It would be an adventure!

alibi - 6-15-2008 at 10:45 PM

We have a 29' with a 9'6" beam ,,,,we would not tow it down baja side...we just can't do the stress...we are towing on the 23rd of june done the mainland side out of Nogales..this will be our second trip down the 4 lane highway...the crossing from san carlos to santa roselia is a piece of cake...great fishing and you are never out of site of land...the San Carlos Marina ...makes most marinas here in the US seem 3rd world,...

Pompano - 6-16-2008 at 05:56 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ford

Pompano is that legal? Your F'ing nuts! I like your style!
I will post an update upon completion!

Heck yes, Ford, all perfectly legal. As long as you double-tow where it's allowed. :rolleyes:

I live half the year in places where it is normal practice to double-tow. See photo where I am passing the tow rig. Here a list of state towing regs to keep you out of trouble with John Law:
http://www.hitchemup.com/statetowinglaws.htm

Before doing this on the open road, though, I'd advise practising in a big open lot somewhere, using some cones for a course. Backing up a double-tow can be especially embarrassing without experience. Of course, being raised on a ranch with hay wagons and joke-pulling older brothers gives you an edge.

Good luck with the tow..and the trip.

[Edited on 6-16-2008 by Pompano]

1Montana road trip.jpg - 33kB

Ford - 6-16-2008 at 08:43 AM

Pompano, You really good give info. I was thinking man how the heck do you back that thing up? I drive a f-350 crew cab and often tow a 18' dump trailer and that thing can be a little tough backing up (i thought because of the long wheel base) but I know know that should be a piece of cake compared to your rig!