Trailering to Ensenada

Neveslaw · Apr-19-2006, 12:18 PM

Question for those of you who trailer down to Ensenada/Coral Hotel. This will be a new experience for me but I'd like to take the boat down toEnsenada and fish out of Coral for a few days later this year. I was planning on going down during the week and just taking it slow. My main concern is coming back and cross the boarder; the typical wait is a major headache and towing a boat can't make it easier. Is the Otay crossing the better choice over San Ysidro? Any special issues that I should consider going or coming back? Its always an "adventure" going down there and this will be the first time towing a 26' boat, so I'd like to be ready. Thanks in advance for the help.

aguachico · Apr-19-2006, 12:33 PM

Towing is easy. 26 foot skippy? 1 ton truck? The ramp's a bitch. 60 degrees and slippery. Take something to chock your tires. How about driving the skippy from SAn Diego?

Border, no probelm. Make sure all hatches are unlocked and accessible. DOn;t pile a bunch of stuff in the skippy so the primary inpsector can't get to them or it's off to secondary.

Work your way to the far left border lane in it's a straight shot onto the highway.

blownbudget · Apr-19-2006, 12:35 PM

I towed my Parker back from the Coral with no problems. It was a little tight making it through the actual border but my boat is a little wider than yours. You shouldn't have any problems. It's a nice easy drive.
I would cross at the Otay crossing. Will same you the hassle of driving through town with a big boat to cross at SY.

Another note about crossing at Otay. Just after the last set of stop lights before the border, you have to make a big loop that takes you up to an overpass. Make sure you are in the left lane. The right lane has large cement deviders making very hard to turn.

Sea Esta · Apr-22-2006, 02:09 AM

Tecate is the only way my boats come back. very mellow and stress free it's worth the extra drive time with much less border wait time.

Jack M · Apr-22-2006, 08:07 AM

Sea Esta to correct as far as wait time. Only one problem he didn't mention was the Hwy 94 to get to a Freeway. That road is a bitch w/o towing anything. Over all, go Tecate. Jack

Mots · Apr-22-2006, 08:10 AM

Dude if you're going down midweek why don't you just go by boat, fish the whole way down. spend a few days there, then reverse it. And as Aquachico stated, the ramp is STEEP. Hope you have a 4x4.

Far less hassle and you get to fish

Shit, i'd rather be on the water than dealing with all the BS that goes with the tow and ramp.

sealskinner · Apr-22-2006, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Un Reel

Dude if you're going down midweek why don't you just go by boat, fish the whole way down. spend a few days there, then reverse it. And as Aquachico stated, the ramp is STEEP. Hope you have a 4x4.

Far less hassle and you get to fish

Shit, i'd rather be on the water than dealing with all the BS that goes with the tow and ramp.

Good advise.

cvjarrod · Apr-23-2006, 09:15 AM

Have to agree with Mots.

If you don't have 4 wheel drive, don't risk it on that launch ramp.

Apparently, so many Gringos have submerged their trucks at that ramp that there is a crew standing ready to strip down your boat and truck when you leave to arrange for towing.

Even if you are running a dually, the ramp at low tide is so slick, getting traction from the rear tires very difficult.

terry c · Apr-23-2006, 10:00 AM

We did launch a 26' skippy there with a 2wd dually. Cant remember the details probobly some spinning Terry