Cruising in Mexico - FAQ

We have used Summer Wind as our winter home since 2005. We had many questions before we purchased the boat and became part-time cruisers. Here we will try to answer some of the questions that you might have. But please email us or call if you think of something that we did not cover.

• What does it cost to keep a boat in Mexico? Once you have your 10 year permit, there are no port fees or taxes required. Most marinas require proof of liability insurance. Marina slip fees vary from US$ 10.00 per foot/per month, to as high as US$ 22.00 per foot/per month for the most delux services. We had Summer Wind pulled out of the water each spring and put into dry storage for the summer, at a cost of US$ 4.00 per foot/ per month.
  
  
• What about getting work done on the boat? Most cruisers plan ahead and bring parts down from the US when possible. There are many well stocked marine stores in the major ports, but the prices will be higher than West Marine. If you have had to pay work yard fees in California, you will be pleasently surprised at the lower labor rates in Mexico and the well qualified mechanics.


• How can I get local assistance? In almost every port there is a VHF radio morning net where the cruisers exchange information. There are also several HF radio nets where you can check-in and keep up with friends and get the latest weather information. The cruising community is a tight knit group that takes care of eachother and loves to socialize with dock parties and major events at Thanksgiving and other holidays.




• What about provisions (food, water, supplies, etc.)? Most of the major cities now have Wal-Mart, Costo, Sam's Club, Home Depot and other "gringo" style stores where you can buy supplies in bulk. There are several large grocery stores chains all across Mexico, but you will find the best fresh vegetables from local vendors selling right off the back of their trucks. For the most part water in the marinas is potable, but some cruisers use filters before filling their tanks with dock water. We always purchase the large 5 gallon purified bottles of water for US$1.50 to use for drinking, cooking and coffee.


• Is safety and security an issue? The marinas all have 24 hour security and most have locked dock gates. With many of the boats in the marina being lived on, the issue of unauthorized people around the boat is not a problem. When anchored out near the small fishing villages, loss of a dinghy and/or motor can be a problem. So the cruisers use the motto; "lift it or loose it" and raise the dinghy slightly out of the water on the davits or halyard. We have sometimes used a portable motion detector alarm on deck at night.
• What about entertainment aboard? Summer Wind has two TV sets, each with a DVD player, so we bring movies and TV shows down with us from the US each year. The cruiser community loves to trade books and videos. The boat has an almost new Dual stereo unit with iPod and XM radio inputs. XM works good, with the larger house size antenna, all the way down the coast. Some of the marinas have cable TV hookup at each slip. Wireless Internet is available everywhere in Mexico, except in some very small villages.
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