Advice on moving to Baja

Planning on moving to Baja for a few months. Probably start with October and November to see how that goes. Anyone drive down to the la Paz area before?

Any tips on travel? Thinking I should take one spare car tire and a doughnut, and two spare trailer tires. So far it's just me (looking for people to join me) so I will definitely need to take 2-3 days to make the drive. Are their hotels along the way that are trustworthy? Is it really bad to drive at night? I'd be worried about my boat getting stolen a bit while I sleep.....

Just bought this today for the trip.



16' with an 85hp Evinrude. Besides getting it to run reliably( I hate boats so much...) what else should I bring? Spare parts like prop or what...? I'm not a boat guy or very mechanical, but I know parts/service can be hard/expensive/nonexistent down there.

Any advice on WHERE to go in October for pelagics? (Spearing so <100' depth). Original plan was la ventana or Los Barilles but someone said the pacific may be better than the sea of Cortez in the fall. Still thinking I'll just get a place in Los Barilles and dive out of there and travel when I need to. Really concerned with paying someone for a house for a couple months over the Internet with only having talked via email. Anyone done this or have any advice on not getting screwed? I'd hate to show up to a place that didn't exist or wasn't even for rent.

Fish Finder- Hoping to get one I can take off and throw on my kayak when I get back and sell the boat. Is that hard? What would I need to buy, or could it all be taken off and switched later? Advice on model to get that would suit the boat and kayak?



Thanks for any help. Oh yeah, and looking for someone who may want to go. Only need $650/mo. Have reliable vehicle.

Spare trailer tires.  Have the bearings repacked before the trip.  Spare prop.  Water pump repair kit.  Clymer or Seloc manual.  Spare spark plugs & drain plugs.  Basic tools.  Good tire jack.  Install a fuel/water separator filter & bring spare filter element (s).  Consider installing a 2 battery setup with switch on the boat.  That's what I'd suggest off the top of my head.  What year is the 85hp?

bring spare fuel filters for all gas engines. the gas is dirty as hell

Consider investing in a Baja funnel.

I've been considering hanging out down there this winter if I can put the funds away.. Was in Rosarito for about 6 weeks starting in January 2013 and I loved it! We spent two weeks driving to Cabo and back which was not nearly enough time to explore the sea of Cortez. You planning on taking any yaks too?


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Check out an organization called Vagabonds. They are a group that organize driving trip into baja. Not sure if they still exist,  but worth a shot, even just for info.

Baja Nomad should have alot of info too. 

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Thanks guys. Will get the spare parts and filters you mentioned. Forgot how bad the gas was.

Engines not running that great now. Trying to decide weather to take it in to a shop or just sell it for what I can get and try and buy one that's a little newer and more reliable. Motor is a 1980s. And it's 10hp over the hull limit so getting a different one might be good


Any advice on the fish finder? Can I use one on the boat then switch it to a yak fairly easy?

There are a couple of cool hostels just South of Ensenada, the first one called Coyote Cal's, the second one called Qautro Casas. On a recent motorcycle trip, there looked to be good possibilities for a few days of fishing...definitely rockfish there, and I suspect good yellowtail when they are around. I've been wanting to take a trip with a kayak down there. A couple other destinations further down the peninsula: Bay of L.A., and the area south of Muleje...Bahia Concepcion. There are some great little expat communities down there like Playa Santispac and Refugio.

Keep in mind though, that Baja can be hot as blazes though, and there are seasons where you just cant stand to be out in the mid day sun. Many folks who retire down there flee for cooler climes during July/Aug/September.

If I were you. I'd consider rigging the boat with a simple live well. The fishing down there can be very good, but it's not so undiscovered that the fish will hit anything. Slow trolling a decent sized bait on the surface is a good strategy for dorado, rooster, tuna and other pelagics. Yo yo iron is a good bet also, if you're in the right place.

Good luck!

There are a couple of cool hostels just South of Ensenada, the first one called Coyote Cal's, the second one called Qautro Casas. On a recent motorcycle trip, there looked to be good possibilities for a few days of fishing...definitely rockfish there, and I suspect good yellowtail when they are around. I've been wanting to take a trip with a kayak down there. A couple other destinations further down the peninsula: Bay of L.A., and the area south of Muleje...Bahia Concepcion. There are some great little expat communities down there like Playa Santispac and Refugio.

Keep in mind though, that Baja can be hot as blazes though, and there are seasons where you just cant stand to be out in the mid day sun. Many folks who retire down there flee for cooler climes during July/Aug/September.

If I were you. I'd consider rigging the boat with a simple live well. The fishing down there can be very good, but it's not so undiscovered that the fish will hit anything. Slow trolling a decent sized bait on the surface is a good strategy for dorado, rooster, tuna and other pelagics. Yo yo iron is a good bet also, if you're in the right place.

Good luck!

Thanks but the rod fishing won't be happening that much. Spearfishing primarily, although I'll still bring a pole I'm sure. Was just down there last month and the pelagics were nonexistent for us.

Thanks guys. Will get the spare parts and filters you mentioned. Forgot how bad the gas was.

Engines not running that great now. Trying to decide weather to take it in to a shop or just sell it for what I can get and try and buy one that's a little newer and more reliable. Motor is a 1980s. And it's 10hp over the hull limit so getting a different one might be good


Any advice on the fish finder? Can I use one on the boat then switch it to a yak fairly easy?

No offense but I'd ditch the boat altogether and bring the yak instead for easier transport less breakdowns etc. etc. That boat looks like you will spend more time wrenching on it than running it.

Use the money from the boat for panga trips and you will be better off. If you're there for a while you could meet some people doing the same thing and chip in for gas.

Or bite the bullet and buy something reliable.

Good luck with your trip!

-Eliot

Thanks guys. Will get the spare parts and filters you mentioned. Forgot how bad the gas was.

Engines not running that great now. Trying to decide weather to take it in to a shop or just sell it for what I can get and try and buy one that's a little newer and more reliable. Motor is a 1980s. And it's 10hp over the hull limit so getting a different one might be good


Any advice on the fish finder? Can I use one on the boat then switch it to a yak fairly easy?

No offense but I'd ditch the boat altogether and bring the yak instead for easier transport less breakdowns etc. etc. That boat looks like you will spend more time wrenching on it than running it.

Use the money from the boat for panga trips and you will be better off. If you're there for a while you could meet some people doing the same thing and chip in for gas.

Or bite the bullet and buy something reliable.

Good luck with your trip!

-Eliot

No freakin way I'd take a kayak 10-20 miles out where I need to get.

Going out on a panga every day would cost a fortune. If it didn't I wouldn't even screw with a boat. I hate them.  I wish it was as simple as a yak but that's just not feasible for going far out and bluewater spearfishing.

Life Insurance. 
Life raft.
Ditch bag with water and food.
Radio
Backup radio
Backup backup radio
Epirb
PLB


In that order.

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Life Insurance. 
Life raft.
Ditch bag with water and food.
Radio
Backup radio
Backup backup radio
Epirb
PLB


In that order.

Seems harsh but probably true. 

What's with all the negativity ffs...