Sad Day For Chartering In Baja Moorings Says Adios

[Chessner]

Anyone trying to book a Baja Mexico sailing vacation at the Moorings website will notice that there are no booking dates available--none, period. Word has it that Moorings is phasing out its operations in Mexico. The only boats currently available are 2 47 ft power boats which apparently will soon be withdrawn. This is indeed a sad state of affaires. Sailing in the Sea of Cortez is a truly unique and wonderful experience that Moorings has provided its charter clients over the past several years. I am curious as to why they are closing the base in La Paz. Hopefully the void left by Moorings will be quickly filled by another chartering company (Horizon, TMM, Dream Yacht). Over the years Moorings has built up a loyal client base of Baja charterers who will no doubt be left in a state of shock once they are aware of this sad turn of events. Any Moorings Baja charterers troubled by this should telephone or e-mail those concerns to The Moorings...hopefully they will then have cause to reconsider.

[John A]

It appears that this is a new Mexican Government restriction on non-Mexican owned charter companies in Mexico.

Fishy Business : Mexico Cracks Down on Illegal Chartering by U.S. Boats at Cabo San Lucas - Los Angeles Times

[krafthaus]

Originally Posted by John A

It appears that this is a new Mexican Government restriction on non-Mexican owned charter companies in Mexico.

Fishy Business : Mexico Cracks Down on Illegal Chartering by U.S. Boats at Cabo San Lucas - Los Angeles Times

This article is related to fishing charters so I don't think it applies to bareboat charters like the Moorings offers.

We had an excellent time on a Moorings charter up to Loreto and back to La Paz in May/12. Glad we did it then if there are no other bareboats that will be available.

The time we spent there and the sights we saw and people we met was incredible!

[az_r2d1]

An alternative might be coming up in Puerto penasco (rocky point) in the north.

A new cruise terminal is going to be built which might revive this town. The airport is (or already has) been expanded for regular service.
Keep an eye on it. Once this is complete, it might expand quickly.

[John A]

Has anyone called Moorings and asked them why they no longer have bareboat charters in Baja?

This may go a long way to reducing speculation.

[rebel heart]

I'm sitting here in marina La Paz, I can ask someone on the VHF net in the morning although it's pretty spartan around here this time of year.

[John A]

I just took my own advice and called Moorings.

The demand for bareboat charters out of La Paz has decreased to a point where it is unprofitable to charter bare boats from that office. If demand were to increase there would be a possibility that the service would be offered again. Power boats will continue to be offered.

[Cheechako]

Too bad as noted. I chartered out of there in the mid 90's.... it was fun to visit where I'd cruised for 1.5 years... seems like there is 30-40 miles between major anchorages though.... which makes a 1 week charter kinda tough.. might have somethng to do with it as well as summer heat and winter Northers......

[Chessner]

Originally Posted by John A

I just took my own advice and called Moorings.

The demand for bareboat charters out of La Paz has decreased to a point where it is unprofitable to charter bare boats from that office. If demand were to increase there would be a possibility that the service would be offered again. Power boats will continue to be offered.

How is demand for sailing charters in Baja suppose to increase if they discontinue that option. Is some strange market going to show up out of nowhere and demand that Moorings again provide bareboats out of La Paz. The strength of the Moorings/Sunsail operation is the network of diverse sailing locations. Some locations make more money, some make less, some loose money. A large factor in long-term Moorings customer loyalty is based on the variety and number of locations offered. Closing down bases, especially one as unique as La Paz will have an eroding affect on the loyalty of long-term Moorings charterers and in my opinion is short sighted.

[Privleoplag]

I wonder what base will end with their sailboats. Will they cross the Pacific or go through the Panama Canal? Wonder how the owners are taking to their boats being moved. I know it states in their contract that they (Moorings) have that option.. but it's not like over in the eastern caribbean side where other Moorings bases are located near each other.

They have also shut down Canouan and are moving St. Lucia from Marigot up to Rodney Bay.

[zeehag]

the law in mexico requires a mexican to captain the charter boat.
is difficult to get charter now in mexico--friends of mine ran a charter in mazatlan for many years until the laws made compliance more difficult.
another friend of mine charters out of la cruz de huanacaxtle. it is mandatory to have a mexican captain on board during charters and mexicans must have owned interest in the business.

btw--the mexican captains are paid as much as usa ones--have cert, get money.

[John A]

Originally Posted by Chessner

How is demand for sailing charters in Baja suppose to increase if they discontinue that option. Is some strange market going to show up out of nowhere and demand that Moorings again provide bareboats out of La Paz. The strength of the Moorings/Sunsail operation is the network of diverse sailing locations. Some locations make more money, some make less, some loose money. A large factor in long-term Moorings customer loyalty is based on the variety of locations offered. Closing down bases, especially one as unique as La Paz will have an eroding affect on the loyalty of long-term Moorings charterers and in my opinion is short sighted.

Why don't you call and tell them how to run their business? I'm sure that you know all the facts that they have not told me.
Let me know if you'd like me to PM you their phone number.

[John A]

Originally Posted by Privleoplag

I wonder what base will end with their sailboats. Will they cross the Pacific or go through the Panama Canal? Wonder how the owners are taking to their boats being moved. I know it states in their contract that they (Moorings) have that option.. but it's not like over in the eastern caribbean side where other Moorings bases are located near each other.

They have also shut down Canouan and are moving St. Lucia from Marigot up to Rodney Bay.

The news about Marigot is welcome indeed as the Moorings operation had expanded so much that there was no room for any of us cruisers.

To me Canouan always had little to offer whenever I stopped there.

By Rodney Bay, I think you're referring to Rodney Bay Lagoon, which was destroyed for anchor-outs in the Lagoon by the expansion of the marina, which is mostly empty except when the ARC crowd invades once a year..

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by Chessner

How is demand for sailing charters in Baja suppose to increase if they discontinue that option. Is some strange market going to show up out of nowhere and demand that Moorings again provide bareboats out of La Paz. The strength of the Moorings/Sunsail operation is the network of diverse sailing locations. Some locations make more money, some make less, some loose money. A large factor in long-term Moorings customer loyalty is based on the variety and number of locations offered. Closing down bases, especially one as unique as La Paz will have an eroding affect on the loyalty of long-term Moorings charterers and in my opinion is short sighted.

It's all about the accountants.... if they choose to look at each base as it's own "profit center" then they exclude the less tangible pluses.... like diverse worldwide bases for their loyal charterers... I wonder if the Tonga base is still open.... I would guess it's next.... pretty much in the middle of nowhere.... hard to take a 2 day flight to a 7-10 day charter....

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by zeehag

the law in mexico requires a mexican to captain the charter boat.
is difficult to get charter now in mexico--friends of mine ran a charter in mazatlan for many years until the laws made compliance more difficult.
another friend of mine charters out of la cruz de huanacaxtle. it is mandatory to have a mexican captain on board during charters and mexicans must have owned interest in the business.

btw--the mexican captains are paid as much as usa ones--have cert, get money.

I've seen a couple of "Mexicans" who spent the last 20-30 years in the USA running sport fishers who then take them down to Mexico and run out of there. So sure, it's a "Mexican" who's running the operation but they moved to Los Angeles when they were two years old and barely speak Spanish.