Traveling to Mexico
By Bev & Ivan Muphy #151

Winter 1999

Ahoy Sailors,

Just a little report on hull number 151 "Escape Velocity." We did not cruise the boat last summer as we went to Europe. Sometime in our wanderings we decided that this fall we would trailer the boat from Portland, Oregon to our favorite winter haunt, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

Last spring someone started Thursday night beer can races on the bay and in March there is a three day regatta on Bandaras Bay (March 19-21,1999). What more excuse did we need? We have a 1984 Ford 250 diesel pickup with about 175,000 miles on it and a Calkins trailer with electric brakes. Pulling the boat from Portland to Phoenix, Az. took us the better part of four days. We had two big climbs; one leaving Oregon and the other in California. Going downhill proved to be more difficult than going up--keeping speed down to 5OMPH helped keep the trailer and boat behind the truck. We took 1-5 to Sacramento then highway 99 to Bakersfield, then across the Mojave desert to Arizona.

We were in Phoenix a couple of weeks visiting family then on Nov. 2 it was off to Mexico. There is a four lane toll highway from Nogales to Mazatlan then a two lane bumpy hilly road to PV. It took us till dark to drive to the border and clear into the countiy. We drove a few more miles up the road to a wayside near the town of Sana Anna where we pulled over and got out our ladder and our boat turned into a nice little camper. Next day we drove to Los Moches again arriving about dark.

The third day we thought that we would get to Mazatlan but we had a little mechanical trouble. Fortunately we were right in front of a mechanic's shop and he diagnosed and fixed our problem, the clutch throw out bearing had worn out. We were delighted with the work and the price too($150 US); we spent the afternoon on the boat while the truck was being fixed.

Early the next morning we were off again and got into the Puerto Vallarta area around dark. So from the border it takes three days to get here. We are now in the water at Nuevo Vallarta which is a rustic marina a little north of P.V. We have been here about two weeks and have already been sailing as much as we did all last year-. Today we took a cruise over to La Cruz--a little, town about 10 miles north of here with a good anchorage. On the way back we took down the sails and jumped over the side. Warm salt water what a treat. We have been out for the beer can races both Thursday nights; no races however, maybe next week they say.

Anybody in the association who might be heading this way or is interested in our Mexican adventure we would be happy to answer questions and would love to hear from people who might be heading this way this winter. We now have an e-mail address: Bevlvan@aol.com.

Your Amigos,
Bev and Ivan Murphy




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updated: July 25, 1999
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