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murray
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moving a hobie cat from ensenada to s. felipe??
Hi all. My girlfriend and I are hoping to sail a little 16' beach catamaran from San Felipe south for as long as it is fun...maybe mulege?? Starting
end of november.
I'm trying to not pollute too much driving my truck all the way down from canada. The boat is already in southern california.
I'm thinking of putting the cat in the water in san diego, sailing down to ensenada which is a port of entry...and then maybe finding a way to haul
the boat overland to san felipe???? Trailer? larger truck?? trucking company?
This might be wildly impractical and / or expensive, but I thought I would see if anyone had any ideas. Otherwise I guess I'll have to drive down.
gracias,
murray
ps...also was considering just floating down on the colorado river from san luis to the sea of cortez, but i think there is at least one major dam
to get around, and maybe smugglers or other desperate folk on that run..???????
[Edited on 11-11-2007 by murray]
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Bob and Susan
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drive it down
its too dangerous to sail that little thing from san diego to ensenada
the water is way better on the sea of cortez side
pacific is coooold
bring a wetsuit too
it takes 12 hours to drive from mulege to the border at 60MPH on the road
think about a boat at 3MPH
[Edited on 11-11-2007 by Bob and Susan]
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murray
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thanks for the cautionary note, i do appreciate it....but i do have lots of sailing in lots of boats under my belt and know what a hop down the
outside in a micro boat is about
(i realize i'm talking about an unorthodox trip here, but will be managing my own risk assessment on the sailing end of it :-)
it's the freighting possibilities across the peninsula that i really don't know anything about !
we'll definitely be running down the sea of cortez side, it's just a matter of getting there...maybe we'll get as far as mulege but sailing not
driving, if i have to drive will look for place to leave truck in san felipe
cheers, maybe see you in mulege?
m.
[Edited on 11-11-2007 by murray]
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DavidT
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If you launched in San Diego wouldn't you have to clear customs just like any other boat? Including all of the licenses, permits and paperwork.
David
Not one shred of evidence supports the notion that life is serious.
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805gregg
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Not a good idea, the sea of cortez can get real nasty, fast. I remember a survival show where 2 guys attempted to cross the sea on a hobie cat. They
ended up stranded on an island with no water and were lucky to be rescued. Better idea launch the boat at different locations and do day sails.
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bajaandy
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Murray,
If you could find a trailer for your boat somewhere in San Diego (Craigslist maybe?), I'll bet you could find someone willing to make the run from
Ensenada to San Felipe. I bet someone would be willing to do it if the dates worked out and you had all the paperwork in order.
Your "hop down the outside in a micro boat " is something you better make sure about. There are NO places to put in along the Pacific coast between
San Diego and Ensenada. (But I'm sure you already know that.) Can you make that run in a day? Maybe you're planning on spending a night out on the
water? Sounds like an adventure whichever way you do it. More power to you. I'm all about adventures. In June of '03 I came across a guy that was
kayaking the entire Pacific coast of Baja. He was like four or five days in and was about twice as far as Ensenada. Low on water and tired of eating
oatmeal. Was he ever stoked to get some fresh fruit from us! I never did hear from him again. Hmmmm....... wonder if he ever made it?
Anyway, keep this post fresh. You'll probably find somebody willing to help you out. Maybe check with the San Diego sailing clubs and see if anybody
has a boat trailer for sale.
subvert the dominant paradigm
"If you travel with a man, you must either fall out with him or make him your good friend."
JBL Noel
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jimgrms
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really don't want to think about sailing a hobie cat at nite any where on the coast between san dirgo and cabo
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MrBillM
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Hobie Trans
Years ago, when I was looking for a Catamaran, I found a super deal in Riverside that the guy couldn't sell because he had no trailer.
I went down to Home Depot and bought one of those 99 dollar trailer kits (they're higher now, of course) with the 8" wheels and put it together along
with a 2 x 4 fore and aft with some carpet strips nailed on. Picked up the Cat and eventually drove all the way to Rancho Percebu with it. I had
intended to buy a real Boat Trailer, but never found one at a decent price so I took the kit trailer back North, did a bunch of welding and extended
the axle so I could get ATV tires on it for the beach. Used it for many years.
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murray
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Thanks for the thoughts everyone! As there is some interest i'll write two brief notes to clarify things..
Regarding transportation...The boat has a trailer in California. The sailing trip is a one-way trip southwards because of prevailing winds. If I
can get the boat back to California by land, I have a buyer for it in place already, which helps make the trip affordable..i can't afford to keep it.
Plan A is I drive my truck and trailer to san felipe, find secure parking there, sail south, return by bus, drive truck and trailer south to pick
up catamaran, and return everything to california.
Plan B is ANYTHING that accomplishes some or all of this without me driving my truck down. It will be well over 4000 miles round trip from where I
live in Canada, expensive and more greenhouse gas than I want to be responsible for
Rental vehicle even more expensive and complicated.
Regarding the sailing, for those interested.. The trip isn't unprecedented, I know of at least one hobie trip around the peninsula, and a wharram 17'
went down the inside. We are expecting mainly NW winds in the sea of cortez so it will be a run. We will have at least 10 days dried food at all
times and we have a hand pump reverse osmosis desalinator so we will have drinking water. The boat is Fast. So, as with any small boat trip, we will
be happily waiting at an anchorage or beach until we get a clear weather window with good conditions, when we will make a fast run for the next safe
spot. Lots of food and water so no pressure to leave a spot unless it looks good. If we get caught out by a sudden local wind (corumel, el
cordonazo, etc) we'll try to run for shelter, or worst-case get the sails down and lay to a sea anchor. We'll avoid lee shores that are steep-to. We
are adding an aftermarket lever arm to aid in capsize recovery.
As for a possible run san diego to ensenada, it would only be worth it if it would enable me to avoid driving my own truck from canada. It's about 65
nautical miles which could be less than a day's run under good conditions. It's off a dangerous lee shore with no good bail-out spots. Possible
anchorage off Islas Coronados and emergency pull out at Puerto Salina. Possible Chubasco winds. In fair weather night sailing is not a problem.
There would be way more paperwork with the Port of Entry but possible exception for small size of boat.
Thats the scoop, thanks for the interest. Any ideas welcome. We really want to make this a sailing voyage down the coast though, not just
day-sailing trips out of a southern town.
m.
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Bob and Susan
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susan put that "monkey stick" on her hobie too...
she hasn't had to use it yet
its a good idea
she also got a "hobie bob" for the mast so the thing won't turtle---that's the white "blimp" thing on top
have you EVER been in the pacific ocean
it's 50 degrees or lower ALL the time at san diego/ensenada...COLD!!!
if you go over you may not be able to get it back up
do you have a vhf???
support car or truck???
ever made water with a hand pump reverse osmosis desalinator?
it's NOT easy
once in the sea of cortez you're "on your own"
NO support here!!!
you'll be wet 24/7
a couple weeks ago we had wind waves 4 feet high
the wind comes up FAST!!!!
there is NO freeze dried food in baja
in 10 days you're out of food
think you can live on fish
what about this unrelenting SUN!!!
"GOT SHADE"
lets see...you're canadian
that's a foreigner in the USA
do you expect the USA government to "save" you if you get in trouble???
Mexico save you???
Sorry...you NEED a better plan
Fly down
rent a car (anything can pull a 16 ft hobie)
get new tires ($80 total)
drive it down and sail around...
have some fun...don't torture yourself
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bajaandy
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| Quote: | Originally posted by murray
It will be well over 4000 miles round trip from where I live in Canada, expensive and more greenhouse gas than I want to be responsible for |
I don't mean to be obtuse, but unless you're walking or riding a bike from The Great White North, how do you absolve yourself from the responsibility
of "greenhouse gas"? Would you not be riding in a vehicle of some sort... plane, train or automobile... and therefore still responsible?
Just thinking out loud.
Oh.. and about your trip: Keep asking and I bet you can find someone who will drag your boat down to SF. (But you'll still be responsible for the
greenhouse gases. )
subvert the dominant paradigm
"If you travel with a man, you must either fall out with him or make him your good friend."
JBL Noel
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murray
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ok, ok, ok...
BajaAndy makes the excellent and obvious point that my taking a holiday is going to have an environmental cost no matter what. I couldn't agree
more. I'm not trying to 'absolve myself from responsibility'...i'm just trying to travel responsibly and minimize the impact that I will have. I can
take a scheduled train to sf that's going to run anyway, or I can burn an additional hundred gallons of gasoline. In the grand scheme of things it's
not going to make any difference but i believe in trying to live mindfully. If I could get the boat over the border, I might just leave it in mexico
at the south end for someone else to use and take a bus back to usa.
bob and susan, please give me Some credit. If the trip i'm making doesn't match your skill levels and conditioning, then please don't go on it
yourself. Actually, I do have a passing aquaintance with the pacific, haing spent the last seven years in the canadian pacific northwest, living
aboard and sailing a number of boats, with and without engines, including many runs in British Columbia's mid-coast, which is as remote and un-roaded
as it gets. Including december and january runs with arctic outflow winds that freeze the spray solid on the decks and rigging and routine 12 to 15
foot waves. And i've sailed offshore vancouver island to san francisco. (no, not in a beach cat :-)
I said dried food, not guchi freeze dried food. I'm pretty sure I'll be able to find rice and beans and flour and powdered milk and sugar and
whatever else regular folks eat down there. And i'll probably be able to take a couple of pounds of fresh stuff or maybe even a can or two if i feel
like it.
Yes, i've made water with the desalinator...if we each have a half hour go on it every day we'll be fine...i'm pretty sure it won't send us into
cardiac arrest.
Yes we have a shade system. Yes we have appropriate dress for exposure and immersion. Yes we will probably take a radio. No we do not expect to
have any access to any rescue service or organization. No we won't be a drain on the taxpayers money of either state.
No, we won't be adding a hobie bob, it looks like more windage than i'm interested in carrying.
apologies if this sounds flamey...i will check in to see if anyone has any truck and gas sharing ideas, i'll probably continue the sailing
discussion elsewhere where there are more folk with like minds and similar experience levels.
thanks again for the advice, i recognize that it is in good spirit...remember that one person's 'torture' can be another's roaring good adventure
m.
[Edited on 11-12-2007 by murray]
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Diver
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Let me make sure i understand;
You have a boat in CA now that you can sell in CA ?
You can't afford to keep the boat ?
But you want to find some soul to haul your boat down and then back to CA so you can do a trip that you can't afford and waste environmental resources
in doing so ?
And you think you can find another crowd more friendly to your request ?
Have I got it all straight ??
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Bajamatic
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SAN DIEGO TO ENSENADA:
my read on this is that your experience is far more effective on paper then it is on the water. Hate to be a dream-killer but my gut reaction here is
that you are in over your head. Someone with enough knowledge to do what you are talking about doing would quickly come to the conclusion that its
impossible to do safely. But since you're at it, why stop at ensenada? At least charge through to Santa Rosalilita. [insert some clever smiley face
here]
GULF TRIP:
Had you not led with "I wanna sail a 16 foot cat from San Diego to Ensenada" I would say "sounds like a sweet trip - just watch out for that north
wind and good advice would be to make sure you make contact EVERY morning with a local to see if its gonna come up". BUT - you did lead with the SD
bit and so my judgment of your critical assessment skills is that you're not ready for that either.
Also, I sincerely hope you have at least BEEN to the gulf of California so you know what the wind can do - there is nothing like them up there in the
pacific northwest. Nothing. The gulf is hell on water if you're in the wrong place at the wrong time in the wrong boat.
Anyway, you're gonna do what you're gonna do, so at the very least make sure you keep us posted so we can rescue you if the §h¡t hits the fan.
yuletide
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Bob and Susan
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murry
sorry for the negative post...
but we go into alot of detail with everything we do
we'll be here in the bay near mulege to assist if you get down that far
and need help
i DO know "sailboats" sail from newport beach to ensenada every year and they report it's not too easy
i've been out of san diego in my 23 foot wellcraft 60 miles out and
the swells can be 6-8 feet easily
the coastline from san felipe to mulege is pretty barren
i think (IMHO) you'd be WAY better off trailering the hobie down with a rental and having some real fun camping on islands and desolate places
that thing will launch anywhere and there are plenty of safe havens for the car and trailer while you are "gone sailing"
good luck and keep us informed
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gringorio
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hi Murray,
Sounds like a great plan - but...
*You didn't mention how much sailing experience your crew has - Can she handle the jib when things get rough, get out on the trap line in furry
conditions?
*Jib - you should have a roller furling jib
*What if your desalinator breaks? (I'd carry 8 gallons per person for each long stretch, e.g. Bahia Gonzaga to Bahia de los Angeles - you never know
when you're going to get stuck!
*'Probably' taking a VHF? You should carry a 5 watt waterproof VHF
*Spare Hobie 16 parts? You never know what might get broken!
*Fiberglass repair kit?
*OK, so no hobie bob, but are you sure you mast doesn't leak? Once you go turtle with a leaky mast, you'll never right it unless you have outside
help.
*A hobie 16 already sits low in the water with two average crew. With food and gear it will be sitting even lower - higher chance of pitchpoleing in
following seas. A Hobie 18 is probably the better, more capable cat for this kind of trip.
During our last trip to the Sea (last month) a norther blew in and we were trapped on an isolated beach - 30 miles from anywhere- for three days
waiting out the waves (http://www.bajatrekker.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=442). On a lot of this coast you will not even be able to anchor your cat safely during high
wind onshore conditions - it could get rolled and you'd lose a mast.
I would not count on your experience level on other boats in other places to carry you safely along your proposed route. I'm not trying to discourage
you from your plans, I'm just trying to get you to think about some of the realities of sailing this coast no matter what boat you're in. With this,
and the advice of the other Nomads, you'll be better prepared to handle what ever might come up.
So, that said, I sure hope you post a trip report when you get back! 
gringorio
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805gregg
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Remember this the US Coast Guard has the right, to stop anyone setting out on a foolish voyage. They don't want to spend the time and money looking
for them when things go wrong. So when and if you get to San Diego keep your trip quiet, you fall into this catagory.
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mtgoat666
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| Quote: | Originally posted by murray
I'm thinking of putting the cat in the water in san diego, sailing down to ensenada which is a port of entry...and then maybe finding a way to haul
the boat overland to san felipe???? Trailer? larger truck?? trucking company?
[Edited on 11-11-2007 by murray] |
cool plan. don't fret over the naysayers here. if you can sail and know your equipment, you'll be as safe is a small daysailer as as any of the many
kayakers that do the pacific coast and SOC.
if you're skilled, i suggest you put in water in US, sail to ensenada, hire local trucker to trailer you across the mountains, sail south in SOC, and
sell boat in southern terminus, and take bus north to TJ. can't help you with who to hire to truck you across mtns, but you could probably arrange
for $1,000 or so after you get there.
personally, i think hobie cats aren't as durable, stable or comfortable as a monohull. there are some good small 16- to 18-foot monohulls w/
daggerboards or retractable weighted keel that are fast and are easy to beach, but i'm sure you already know that.
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murray
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thanks for the notes, all...
two things seem to be getting everyone worked up, probably because i haven't been clear..
1. I'm not trying to freeload or get something for nothing in the ride department. Just wondering if someone else is making the trip and wouldn't
mind sharing expenses and make a bit of a bonus too. I'm more than happy to pitch in and pay my share.
2. Of course the preferred strategy is to just start at san felipe. I know damn well that a san diego ensenada run is dangerous and pushing the
boundaries...i wouldn't consider it without waiting for absolutely perfect conditions, and yes, even then I might be ^&#*ed. That's why S.F. is
preferred. The trip down the sea of cortez will also demand caution, good seamanship and respect for the elements but it's well within the
capabilities of boat and crew.
anyway, i think i'm going to just drive down to san felipe and look for secure parking for my truck for a few months
ps it's not actually a hobie, i just used that for name recognition amongst non-sailors so they'd know the general size of the beach cat which we are
taking
[Edited on 11-12-2007 by murray]
[Edited on 11-12-2007 by murray]
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Bob and Susan
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not a hobie cat???
that's apples and oranges
the title of your post is:
moving a hobie cat from ensenada to s. felipe??
does it look like this???
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