La Paz, Mexico charter?

[brianc]

I'll likely be in La Paz at the end of November and would love to charter a boat (sail) for a few days, but I can't seem to find any charters available...Moorings and Tropical Yachts don't have anything available there anymore.

Any other suggestions or should I give up?

Thanks, Brian

[krafthaus]

Yes, Moorings no longer offers sailing charters from what I've heard. Google Eagle big left turn for their blog and email Tom. He's PNW but him & Jeanne have been down there a long time and might have some local knowledge.

Good luck & welcome to CF.

[rebel heart]

If you can wait a few weeks when I get back down there I'll ask. I'm up in Puerto Escondido right now and can hit up the VHF net in the morning and ask up here but this place is pretty insulated.

[jeremiason]

There was some chat about this on the Yahoo Southbound Group a couple of months ago... They said the moorings base in La Paz was closed.

That was the only Moorings Facility in Pacific Mexico.

I haven't been to La Paz, since we sailed through two years ago, but at the time they were the only game in town.

[rebel heart]

There was a thread about it on here. The state of Baja Sur introduced a new policy where charter customers pay the state, and then the state pays the charter company. Numerous shops will be closing up because of this. We actually met the last Moorings charter boat in Isla Partida a few weeks ago. A German couple who had saved up for two years to do that trip.

[brianc]

Thanks for the info all! I'll contact Tom and keep looking around.

Eric, definitely let me know if you hear of anything when you're back in the area.

Thanks,

Brian

[tiMoun]

Brian
I own what may be the last Moorings boat in La Paz(Leopard 43). She is currently being phased out and refitted. They have indeed closed the base and they were pretty much the only official game in town.
There are various "informal' boats available I think.
With the Moorings leaving there is a big opportunity there (the 12 to 16 Moorings boat were chartered out an average of16 to 18 weeks a year). We looked into making our boat available to charter the issue is insurance, apparently unavailable for a single boat operation. The new law wouldn't apply directly to owner operated charters but there doesn't seem a good way to get around the insurance issue.
BTW, the reason the Moorings closed up shop may be more involved then a simple change in the rules. They had a Mexican partner and things were not always easy down there. They may have used this as an excuse to shut the operations down.

Michael

[krafthaus]

tiMoun, we chartered your Gato de Cortez the end of April 2012!

Great boat. She carried our group to Loreto and back with many wonderful stops and memories along the way.

That's really too bad the opportunity with the Moorings is gone to charter in the Sea for a lot of others that would like the experience.

All the best,
krafthaus.

[brianc]

tiMoun - Thanks for the info. Too bad though, looks like a really great place to sail!

Brian

[WillMSkinner]

Originally Posted by tiMoun

Brian
I own what may be the last Moorings boat in La Paz(Leopard 43). She is currently being phased out and refitted. They have indeed closed the base and they were pretty much the only official game in town.
There are various "informal' boats available I think.

Michael

Hi TiMoun,

Just checking in - have you figured out a way to privately charter your boat? I will be coming to Loreto/ La Paz at the end of March, and would love to charter from you if possible. Please message me if this is possible, or if you have any ideas about anywhere else we might look.

[Winterstale]

Looks like Dream Yacht Charters is opening up a base in La Paz in October....

[seafaris]

I know this is dated, but we had a chartering company in La Paz for over 12 years. We were Baja Coast Seafaris, and closed because of the new laws as described above. We were a legal MX Corp, and at our peak had 8 employees. Do to the short sightedness of the MX government, La Paz has lost a lot of revenue. All of our clients over the years have spent numerous days ashore spending their money at hotels, restaurants, shops and other tourist activities, in addition to going on our trips. As far as I know there are no other LEGAL sailboat charters in La Paz.

[windtoys]

Hi everyone ! We are heading to La Paz next month to inspect the new Dream Yacht Charter base, we have followed the thread about what happened to the Moorings and are proceeding carefully before putting a Lagoon 450 cat into charter in La Paz. Are hopes are that DYC has done their research and with the economy in the boating world improving (we have been selling small sailboats in Northern Ca. for 28 years) that the need for charters in Baja will improve and we will be part of a great cruiser community. Any thoughts ? Good or Bad...

[windtoys]

Michael
I was just going thru old posts and wondered if you are still out there? Your post about the Moorings and you having a cat in their service was of great interest.
Whats your views on Dream Yacht Charters opening a base in La Paz? Have you kept your cat in the area?
John /WindToys

[seafaris]

Originally Posted by windtoys

Hi everyone ! We are heading to La Paz next month to inspect the new Dream Yacht Charter base, we have followed the thread about what happened to the Moorings and are proceeding carefully before putting a Lagoon 450 cat into charter in La Paz. Are hopes are that DYC has done their research and with the economy in the boating world improving (we have been selling small sailboats in Northern Ca. for 28 years) that the need for charters in Baja will improve and we will be part of a great cruiser community. Any thoughts ? Good or Bad...

They will promise you the moon, and if you leave your boat in charter, after a few years it will show lots of wear and tear, and lots of hours on the engine. Generally prices in the marinas for everything is expensive. You probably won't make much money from the charters, because there are lots of expenses for maintenance, and you will foot the bill. If you don't like the way things are going and take your boat out of charter, you will have to get the boat back up to the states. At the very least I would require the names and phone numbers of the owners who now have their boats in charter, call them and see if they are happy. Best of luck, and hopefully the MX gov won't change the laws, and taxes that the company will be subject to.
Jim