BajaNomad

Gonzaga bay area boat launches

TahoeTom - 3-15-2020 at 01:02 PM

Hi, I'm thinking of going to Gonzaga bay area in the end of April and was wondering if there are other boat launches besides Papa Fenandez' . I like that ramp and camp but wanted to camp somewhere new. Does Punta Final have a ramp? Amy other options or recommendations would be great. Thanks!

basautter - 3-16-2020 at 03:50 AM

There are a couple of dirt boat launches in the estuary behind Alfonsina's. They work well during a medium to high tide, but there is no real advantage over Papa Fernandez except you save a drive around the back bay.

del mar - 3-16-2020 at 11:42 AM

how about Sacrificio? close to PF reef, might catch the bar/restaurant open, let them launch and retrieve!

Marc - 3-16-2020 at 02:46 PM

Quote: Originally posted by del mar  
how about Sacrificio? close to PF reef, might catch the bar/restaurant open, let them launch and retrieve!


Yes & let them launch.

TahoeTom - 3-16-2020 at 03:04 PM

Thanks for the info guys. Is it safe to leave a boat on a buoy or is that a big no no... last I heard a panga was stolen down there but I didnt know if that was an odd occurrence or normal..

del mar - 3-16-2020 at 03:47 PM

Quote: Originally posted by TahoeTom  
Thanks for the info guys. Is it safe to leave a boat on a buoy or is that a big no no... last I heard a panga was stolen down there but I didnt know if that was an odd occurrence or normal..


west wind comes up in the middle of the night and your boats headed to the mainland, take it out!:coolup:

basautter - 3-16-2020 at 07:38 PM

Quote: Originally posted by TahoeTom  
Thanks for the info guys. Is it safe to leave a boat on a buoy or is that a big no no... last I heard a panga was stolen down there but I didnt know if that was an odd occurrence or normal..


I do every October, but....make sure you have a good anchor and lots of anchor line to account for tides and waves. I use a big treble hook made of rebar with three cinder blocks to add weight. A friend lost his boat during high tide last fall due to not having enough anchor line. Luckily we found it the next morning, three miles away on the El Sacrificio beach. Not sure about theft, but I do take the keys with me.

freediverbrian - 3-16-2020 at 09:52 PM

Quote: Originally posted by basautter  
Quote: Originally posted by TahoeTom  
Thanks for the info guys. Is it safe to leave a boat on a buoy or is that a big no no... last I heard a panga was stolen down there but I didnt know if that was an odd occurrence or normal..


I do every October, but....make sure you have a good anchor and lots of anchor line to account for tides and waves. I use a big treble hook made of rebar with three cinder blocks to add weight. A friend lost his boat during high tide last fall due to not having enough anchor line. Luckily we found it the next morning, three miles away on the El Sacrificio beach. Not sure about theft, but I do take the keys with me.









I would recommend a good anchor and lots of chain twice the length of the boat and scope. Skip the cinder blocks

TahoeTom - 3-17-2020 at 05:50 AM

Great info, thank you. I was planing on lots of chain and anchor line.

del mar - 3-18-2020 at 12:40 PM

Quote: Originally posted by TahoeTom  
Great info, thank you. I was planing on lots of chain and anchor line.


our boat just barely caught the tip of cactus point (where the ship wreck was) and it was blown off the beach!:lol:

basautter - 3-20-2020 at 05:34 AM

Quote: Originally posted by freediverbrian  
Quote: Originally posted by basautter  
Quote: Originally posted by TahoeTom  
Thanks for the info guys. Is it safe to leave a boat on a buoy or is that a big no no... last I heard a panga was stolen down there but I didnt know if that was an odd occurrence or normal..


I do every October, but....make sure you have a good anchor and lots of anchor line to account for tides and waves. I use a big treble hook made of rebar with three cinder blocks to add weight. A friend lost his boat during high tide last fall due to not having enough anchor line. Luckily we found it the next morning, three miles away on the El Sacrificio beach. Not sure about theft, but I do take the keys with me.









I would recommend a good anchor and lots of chain twice the length of the boat and scope. Skip the cinder blocks


Do you use the chain for weight or as the anchor line? Using it for weight would be more convenient than a rebar treble with cinder blocks, although that technique works well and is employed by some of the locals.

anchors/chain

chatolj - 3-20-2020 at 05:54 PM

The rebar grappling hook style is great for rocky areas when you are on the boat. The rebar straightens out when stuck using the boat to pull on it. Not the best idea to be used in sand. For overnight anchoring, an anchor designed to plow/dig into the sand is better. A long length of chain keeps the anchor flat on the sea bottom. Without the chain, the rocking of the boat will pull the anchor up and dislodge it from the sand. Like said before, " boat length x 2 = minimum chain length. Plenty of scope of rode. That being said, I have left my rigs on the hook overnight for years but would never even consider it now days. Too much meth and you know who. Have fun, be safe!!!!!

Pacifico - 3-22-2020 at 10:53 AM

Quote: Originally posted by chatolj  
The rebar grappling hook style is great for rocky areas when you are on the boat. The rebar straightens out when stuck using the boat to pull on it. Not the best idea to be used in sand. For overnight anchoring, an anchor designed to plow/dig into the sand is better. A long length of chain keeps the anchor flat on the sea bottom. Without the chain, the rocking of the boat will pull the anchor up and dislodge it from the sand. Like said before, " boat length x 2 = minimum chain length. Plenty of scope of rode. That being said, I have left my rigs on the hook overnight for years but would never even consider it now days. Too much meth and you know who. Have fun, be safe!!!!!


I like the idea of the rebar type anchor for a cheap anchor that you can straighten out and retrieve if stuck. I've almost lost expensive anchors because they were stuck and took a long time to retrieve them. However, I don't think I would rely on one for anything other than short term anchoring while staying with the boat.

As far as chain length, 2x is a bit overkill due to weight/cost for most boats IMHO. I've seen a couple rules of thumb: 1 foot of chain per 1 foot of boat, and 1/2 foot of chain per 1 foot of boat. Just for cost savings and weight, I would stick with 1/2 foot of chain per foot of boat length with 8' minimum. Scope of rode is most important when anchoring, yet it seems like lots of people don't get enough scope.

Don Pisto - 3-22-2020 at 11:21 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Pacifico  
Quote: Originally posted by chatolj  
The rebar grappling hook style is great for rocky areas when you are on the boat. The rebar straightens out when stuck using the boat to pull on it. Not the best idea to be used in sand. For overnight anchoring, an anchor designed to plow/dig into the sand is better. A long length of chain keeps the anchor flat on the sea bottom. Without the chain, the rocking of the boat will pull the anchor up and dislodge it from the sand. Like said before, " boat length x 2 = minimum chain length. Plenty of scope of rode. That being said, I have left my rigs on the hook overnight for years but would never even consider it now days. Too much meth and you know who. Have fun, be safe!!!!!


I like the idea of the rebar type anchor for a cheap anchor that you can straighten out and retrieve if stuck. I've almost lost expensive anchors because they were stuck and took a long time to retrieve them. However, I don't think I would rely on one for anything other than short term anchoring while staying with the boat.

As far as chain length, 2x is a bit overkill due to weight/cost for most boats IMHO. I've seen a couple rules of thumb: 1 foot of chain per 1 foot of boat, and 1/2 foot of chain per 1 foot of boat. Just for cost savings and weight, I would stick with 1/2 foot of chain per foot of boat length with 8' minimum. Scope of rode is most important when anchoring, yet it seems like lots of people don't get enough scope.


good point but two things....how much do you love your boat and you can have a mile of rode out there but without a stern anchor she's gone when those hellatious desert winds come up in the night, pull her out and get a good nights sleep....jmho of course

BajaParrothead - 3-22-2020 at 12:24 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Pacifico  
Quote: Originally posted by chatolj  
The rebar grappling hook style is great for rocky areas when you are on the boat. The rebar straightens out when stuck using the boat to pull on it. Not the best idea to be used in sand. For overnight anchoring, an anchor designed to plow/dig into the sand is better. A long length of chain keeps the anchor flat on the sea bottom. Without the chain, the rocking of the boat will pull the anchor up and dislodge it from the sand. Like said before, " boat length x 2 = minimum chain length. Plenty of scope of rode. That being said, I have left my rigs on the hook overnight for years but would never even consider it now days. Too much meth and you know who. Have fun, be safe!!!!!

If possible, I always try for a 7-1 scope on the rode, but when it gets over 25' deep, that's a tough formula to stick with.

I like the idea of the rebar type anchor for a cheap anchor that you can straighten out and retrieve if stuck. I've almost lost expensive anchors because they were stuck and took a long time to retrieve them. However, I don't think I would rely on one for anything other than short term anchoring while staying with the boat.

As far as chain length, 2x is a bit overkill due to weight/cost for most boats IMHO. I've seen a couple rules of thumb: 1 foot of chain per 1 foot of boat, and 1/2 foot of chain per 1 foot of boat. Just for cost savings and weight, I would stick with 1/2 foot of chain per foot of boat length with 8' minimum. Scope of rode is most important when anchoring, yet it seems like lots of people don't get enough scope.

Pacifico - 3-22-2020 at 12:33 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Don Pisto  
Quote: Originally posted by Pacifico  
Quote: Originally posted by chatolj  
The rebar grappling hook style is great for rocky areas when you are on the boat. The rebar straightens out when stuck using the boat to pull on it. Not the best idea to be used in sand. For overnight anchoring, an anchor designed to plow/dig into the sand is better. A long length of chain keeps the anchor flat on the sea bottom. Without the chain, the rocking of the boat will pull the anchor up and dislodge it from the sand. Like said before, " boat length x 2 = minimum chain length. Plenty of scope of rode. That being said, I have left my rigs on the hook overnight for years but would never even consider it now days. Too much meth and you know who. Have fun, be safe!!!!!


I like the idea of the rebar type anchor for a cheap anchor that you can straighten out and retrieve if stuck. I've almost lost expensive anchors because they were stuck and took a long time to retrieve them. However, I don't think I would rely on one for anything other than short term anchoring while staying with the boat.

As far as chain length, 2x is a bit overkill due to weight/cost for most boats IMHO. I've seen a couple rules of thumb: 1 foot of chain per 1 foot of boat, and 1/2 foot of chain per 1 foot of boat. Just for cost savings and weight, I would stick with 1/2 foot of chain per foot of boat length with 8' minimum. Scope of rode is most important when anchoring, yet it seems like lots of people don't get enough scope.


good point but two things....how much do you love your boat and you can have a mile of rode out there but without a stern anchor she's gone when those hellatious desert winds come up in the night, pull her out and get a good nights sleep....jmho of course


I agree... I would always throw a stern anchor if I was leaving the boat in the water overnight. A lot more comfort having 2 anchors! Wind changes have taken many peoples boats!

Pacifico - 3-22-2020 at 12:44 PM

Quote: Originally posted by BajaParrothead  
Quote: Originally posted by Pacifico  
Quote: Originally posted by chatolj  
The rebar grappling hook style is great for rocky areas when you are on the boat. The rebar straightens out when stuck using the boat to pull on it. Not the best idea to be used in sand. For overnight anchoring, an anchor designed to plow/dig into the sand is better. A long length of chain keeps the anchor flat on the sea bottom. Without the chain, the rocking of the boat will pull the anchor up and dislodge it from the sand. Like said before, " boat length x 2 = minimum chain length. Plenty of scope of rode. That being said, I have left my rigs on the hook overnight for years but would never even consider it now days. Too much meth and you know who. Have fun, be safe!!!!!

If possible, I always try for a 7-1 scope on the rode, but when it gets over 25' deep, that's a tough formula to stick with.


Very true... I am just amazed at how many people drop the hook and the second it hits the bottom, they tie it off. :lol::lol::lol:

chatolj - 3-22-2020 at 07:54 PM

After helping to recover two different skiffs that blew away in the night, the common denominator was short chain lengths. The anchor will not hold unless it lays flat on the bottom. The more wind and waves the more a boat lifts the chain. Also, be careful of the extreme tidal swings in the upper Cortez. As stated, lots of scope. 2:1 chain /boat ratio is a bit of an overkill yes, but your rig will be there if the wind really starts blowing. Saludos!!

freediverbrian - 3-22-2020 at 09:12 PM

The 2x chain to boat length that I recommend earlier in this thread is over kill for a lunch hook, Anchoring while fishing or swimming. But for overnight it's not. I sleep very well knowing my boat is on a trailer.