Fonatur basics into a real marina." David also recommended that folks heading to Mexico follow the instructions in the Mexican government publication called Visiting Mexico by Private Boat, a copy of which can be found at www. marinapuertoescondido.com/mpe-images/boating-guide-1.pdf. To which the es/boating-guide-1.pdf Wanderer says, no, no, no! If you follow those instructions, the skipper and every single member of the crew will have to leave Mexico at the same place and at the same time. That means, at the very least, everybody has to waste an hour or more at Immigration purchasing new tourist cards for about $25 each. The unexpected wasted time has caused people to miss their flights in the past. If you're taking your boat to Mexico for the first time, the Wanderer has the following advice. First, do not drive yourself nuts trying to get a TIP (Temporary Import Permit) online. Some people have been successful, but the instructions are terrible and there are inadvertent traps that may have you putting the wrong information on the TIP. This won't be a problem — unless the Mexican government goes on a persnickety bender as
LATITUDE / RICHARD
CHANGES
If paying just $50 for a Ten-Year (!) Import Permit for your boat doesn't have you jumping for joy, you know nothing about the world of cruising.
they did about four years ago. The TIP solution is simple — get your TIP at just about any of the big Mexican consulates — among them, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, or Sacramento. Baja
Ha-Ha entrants who have done it say the clerks were very friendly and it only took 10 to 20 minutes. Note that you cannot get a boat TIP at the consulates in San Francisco or San Diego. But if you're in San Diego, just go to the Customs office at Otay Mesa and you can get a TIP in a few minutes. For a complete list of all the Mexican consulates and ports of entry on the California border where you can get a TIP, go to www.banjercito.com.mx/PDF/ Modulos_iitv.pdf Modulos_iitv.pdf. As for 180-day tourist cards — or whatever they call them now — we'd simply get them at Immigration in Ensenada, if it's your first stop, or Cabo San Lucas if that's your first stop. This based on the recommendation of Victor Barreda, ship's agent in Cabo. There are so many older couples quietly out cruising that it's hard to fathom. Couples like Eric and Pam Sellix of the Clatskanie, Oregon-based Seawind 1160 cat Pied-a-Mer. The former restaurant owners didn't start cruising until 2012 when they were both 68. And Pam had never been offshore before.
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Latitude 38
• November, 2017
MAKELA BOATWORKS Family owned since 1948
Wooden Boat Building • Repair and Restoration 19280 South Harbor Drive • Fort Bragg, CA 95437
(707) 964-3963 email: howard@makelaboatworks.com • www.Makelaboatworks.com
