Refitting Your Boat in the Sea of Cortez

La Paz is meeting the needs of today’s cruisers and recreational boaters with a wide variety of marinas, marine services, boatyards, parts and dry storage. La Paz not only makes a great place to visit, with easy access to many secluded anchorages and islands, it makes a great place to refit your vessel.

Boating in the Sea of Cortez has always been popular. In days gone by the many hidden bays and beautiful islands were hideouts for pirates and privateers. In the later part of the 20th century a new breed began to explore The Sea in greater numbers. These were a hearty and adventuresome folk who enjoyed living within the limitations of Baja’s underdevelopment. Onboard refrigeration and watermakers were an oddity to this new generation of pirates who crowded the anchorage in Ensenada de La Paz.

I sailed into La Paz six years ago this December and a lot has changed in that time. The winter of 2000-2001 was the last big year that I recall for cruising. Because the DotCom bubble had not yet burst, the class of 2000 had a much lower average age than those years since. There was a great feeling of comradery, maybe because we were all anchored so close together, doing the La Paz Waltz. Perhaps it was because there was a single established cruiser watering hole on the Malecon, Paradise Found Bar & Grill. I also might be remembering it more fondly because I was a DotCom escapee and the thought of going back to work had not occurred to me yet.

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Throughout the season last year and this summer the Bellport gang and the management of the complex have really gotten it together and are ready to meet the fall cruisers with open arms. They are still offering significant discounts making them possibly best priced marina in town. Video security and a good number of security guards keep your boat safe while a small army of cleaning staff sweep every little leaf from the walkway. There is metered electrical, water, cable TV and internet to each dock box. The Captains’ lounge has a big screen TV and more internet connections when Cabin Fever sets in on your boat.

Of great importance is the hurricane security of Marina CostaBaja. The inner basin is the most protected marina I have seen in the 5 Seas I have sailed. Blasted into rock and protected by a dogleg entrance, boats with less than a 7’ draft need not fear the hurricane season. The outer big boat basin is slightly more exposed but suffered only superficial damage in Hurricane John.

But things have changed, and for the most part, for the better. Checking in and out of port is no longer the day consuming hassle it use to be. Fuel from the marinas comes from new tanks, so it may be even cleaner than folks are use to back home. Getting parts, whether locally or via shipment is a whole lot less work and can often be as quick as a few days. With the growing boat population we also have a broader range of qualified boat repair people.

The biggest change comes when we talk about the marinas. The in-town marinas are still  popular with the transient cruisers. Without a car, Marina de La Paz is within easy walking distance of much of downtown. With there new composite docks and dock services pylons MDLP has evolved from the La Paz marina where the ‘pirate explorers’ of the late 20th century first found docks. MDLP also installed a breakwater following the 2003 devastation, which even improves dockside tranquility when we have our howling northers.

The Abaroa’s (who’s family heritage in the marine business goes back nearly a century) also have improved their docks since Hurricane Marty. However, slip openings for transients are rare, as this marina is popular with the year-rounders.

Just outside the north end of town is Marina Palmira. Although they offer a shuttle into town, but it is also possible to walk the newly completed Malecon walkway safely, the kilometer or so into town. There is a great cruiser and live aboard community at the marina and because of the breakwater, the marina is tranquil even in a good blow. I weathered Hurricane Marty there. There are restaurants and tiendas, dive adventures and services along with boating supplies. Moorings Charters has there office and tienda there. If you have guests arrive that won’t fit on your boat, there is a hotel with reasonable rates and nice rooms adjacent to the marina.

Unfortunately, the marina is at an awkward age. Following Hurricane Marty significant repairs were made to the breakwater which came closer to breaching than many of us tenants cared to think about. Larger rocks and a higher overall height to the wall made the current residents feel secure during the most recent hurricane. The docks however, never seemed to have recovered and attention to maintenance seems to be lacking. Broken cement curbs, over-painted metal work and broken piling rollers contribute to the ‘rode hard and put up wet’ look of Marina Palmira.

The new game in town is Marina CostaBaja. The marina has spanky clean Bellingham Marine docks and a constantly maintained ‘fresh out of the box’ look to it. There are five restaurants and two bars, a coffee shop, laundry services, home décor, a well stocked, fair priced tienda, car rental, sales office and mini-museum along with a quaint mini-golf course. The restaurants are all unique and upscale in food quality and service and cover a range of prices. The fall it looks like a new AmeriMed and a marine store will open.

I arrived in MCB in June of 2005, when they offered three months free, just to get some boats in and start player testing their services. And there were bugs. We didn’t have secured gates, (which we all actually came to enjoy) the water on the docks came and went and there was never enough hot water in the showers.

Marina CostaBaja, the newest facility in La Paz

The down side to Marina CostaBaja is the distance from town. They offer a shuttle service which helps, but the major grocery stores are quite a hike or taxi ride. There is bus service which stops close by. In speaking with the staff they are aware of this issue for cruisers and will be working closely with this years guest to make getting into La Paz easier.

For those looking to do significant boat work dockside this marina may not be for you, don’t dare get caught painting on the new docks! There is also some periodic grumbling about the fallout from the La Paz power plant, particularly in the big boat basin. I’ve been here 18 months and and not had an issue with it. I previously moored at Harbor Island West in San Diego and was subject to much worse from the San Diego Airport.

For sailors there are currently two sail lofts in town. Velas de Baja (Baja Sails) is the oldest sail loft in Baja and an authorized representative of UK Sails. Owner James Glover says, “We have been repairing and building sails for cruisers for 13 years in La Paz. We know what it takes to properly re-cut and repair sails for the specifics of sailing in The Sea.” Velas de Baja can not only repair your sails but can build you a custom built sail to fit the exact measurements of your boat, right here in La Paz. “We use traditional methods to create cross-cut Dacron sails with reinforcements in those areas of the sail to make a true “blue water” cruising sail and not just a costal or day sailing sail..” We have been making very durable cruising and charter sails for years. Our sails grace the masts of most of the commercial sailing charters in Cabo San Lucas.” Glover added.

If you have a repair issue with a UK sail, Velas de Baja is the authorized representative for UK in Mexico. “Although we can build and repair sails here to about a 60’ luff (40’ cruising yachts) for a significant savings, our larger boats and some customers choose to order a UK sail through us. We offer excellent discounts and can make it worth your while to get new rags for your boat here in La Paz.” said Glover.

There are a number of marine stores, Lopez Marine, Coast Marine and Arjonas just to name a few. There are diesel laboratories, refrigeration specialists, electrical shops and tapisterias (Upholstery and canvas makers) Probably most importantly, for shipping there are DHL and UPS service along with Columbia Exports, whom a friend used to have a new 70’ mast trucked down from the States. For your high tech errors InfoServ is a RayMarine representative and more.

Any cruiser who has spent some time in The Sea will tell you. If you need yard work, no where on Mexico’s west coast compares to La Paz. We have a variety of services and price ranges available. In fairness, I will start at the harbor entrance and work inward…

Bercovich Boat Works is right next to the Pemex facility. The offer a wide range of boat services and dry storage. Their railway can handle catamarans to 28’ wide and monohulls to 160 tons. A tractor towed trailer handles boat lengths to the mid 40’s, depending on the vessel and weight. Bercovich has been handling a bulk of the La Paz Shrimpers for years and his skills in marine maintenance are extensive. Bercovich also offers salvage and rescue services on both the Pacific and Sea side of Baja.

Coast Marine is located adjacent to Marina Palmira and offers trailered haulouts and dry storage along with an equally diverse range of services and available subcontractors for your maintenance needs. Coast also offers the LG fuel conditioning system and Sea Recovery watermaker sales and service. Raul Cervantes asked me to mention his estimate policy; "The price he quotes is the price you pay"

For those not familiar with trailer haul outs, don’t balk, these ain’t your ‘drive it down the road’ boat trailers. These are huge hydraulic trailers quite capable of hauling any boat that will fit on them. The process however, is very similar to launching a 20’ ski boat, ramp and all, only bigger.

The Abaroa Family operates three, maybe four, (I have a hard time keeping up with the brothers Abaroa) boat yards adjacent to Marina de La Paz. With rail, trailer and power lifts they are equipped to handle boats in a wide variety of sizes and tonnages. Their yard is as clean as any San Diego yard, their work excellent and the prices comeasurate.

This season there is a new boat yard and marina getting ready to open in Centenario, at the south end of La Paz Bay. It’s a long way down a channel and equally far from downtown, so we’ll have to see what develops.

For dive services we recommend Paradise Found, which you can contact here.

Almost all the marine businesses mentioned in this article can be contacted on VHF ch22A when you are in port.

La Paz has major grocery stores to rival any in Southern California. Movie theaters, cultural events and more make La Paz a great place to visit.

But most importantly, when your boat work and dockside adventures are done, there is the Sea of Cortez and the Islands. Just hours after sliding off the ways or pulling dock lines you can be anchored in a secluded bay on a beautiful desert island.

But that is a tale for another story…

–Tomas

Note to Our Readers

Most importantly, before you arrive in La Paz, consult your charts and cruising guides. Ensenada de La Paz was closed to foreign navigation after sunset until the late 1970's, there is a reason. The channel to enter the harbor is a narrow dogleg, starting at the Pemex facility on Punta Prieta. At extreme tides current in the channel can run 4-5kts, making sailing into port very difficult.

READ YOUR CRUISING GUIDE! – In 4 weeks of working on my boat at Bercovich Boat Works I watched 7 vessels run aground or be warned off at the last minute by an alert resident. One boat was lost to the sandbar in the 2005-2006 cruising season. It's no joke!

In La Paz and much of the surrounding waters VHF channel 22A is used as the port hailing frequency. Marinas and the port captain monitor ch16.

Keep this in mind as you sail into La Paz and on the Pacific Side south of Magdalena Bay. Your talking into the ear of every cruiser in La Paz. Provide some courtesy. The open channel is considered 'quiet' from about 9PM until 7:30AM, so cruisers can sleep listening for emergencies.

Additionally, Monday thru Saturday there is a cruiser's net at 8AM on Channel 22A often preceded on Ch21 by a little news and lotsa cracker barrel commentary.

Ensenada de La Paz has tidal shifts that result in what we know and love as 'The La Paz Waltz' With 180° turn in the flow the boats dance with ungainly grace. Those with out experience often spend a half an hour or more fending off toe rails. Not a great way to win friends and influence other cruisers.