anyone who has or knows someone with a charter boat

[ian022]

i'm looking into starting a charter business.....wanted to do alot of trips going out of mexican marinas but I heard today that if you are operating a sportfishing business and leaving from a mexican port that you must have a mexican captain. can anyone fill me in on what is involved in trailering a boat down to mexico and leaving out of a mexican port? I understad that it may be slow crossing the border....i'm trying to figure out a way to make it work.
what permits do I need to get? I assume I need a mexican business permit, what's involved?
also i'd like to talk to someone via pm or email about getting an SBA loan; and other loan programs for startup businesses.
any other info or suggestions are greatly appreciated
Ian
send2it@gmail.com

[ian022]

wow, this post was up the whole time it took me to get all of my stuff together and move from san diego to the seattle area.....and still no replies. WTF??
Please somebody gimme a couple of well informed suggestions and enlighten me on what i need to do to operate a business out of mexico. is there anyone who runs a small boat who can compete with the big boys in san diego?
Ian

[McKee]

Mex. buisess permit??? yeah I think i saw one of those stapled to the side of an ice cream cart some guy was pushing down the beach.

There are soo many things wrong with this.. You'll never get an a loan for a mex buisness, nor would you want one. Whatever, you just need permits to do whatever your doin down there. Permits, insurance, captain, full stcw crew. Too much cost, can't compete with mex pangas.

[ian022]

Mckee,
thanks for the input. I gotta talk to the mexican consul or somthing to find out what permits are necessary. I would be offering somthing different from the panga boats so I don't think i'm really in the same "market nice" if you will.
I don't think that the panga boats can go out very far. I'm talking about going out as much as a hundred miles offshore. Yes, i have started looking into getting my captain's license and i've started looking at business loans. I would not need too much so I don't think I'd have too much trouble getting a loan. I only need to come up with 10% to get an SBA loan--I think this is the best solution for me(at least to start, I can always refi later if necessary). I spoke to a guy who owns a small business, he got 850 grand to start his business so I'm sure I can get the small amount I would need.
when i mentioned competing with the big boys i was talking about the san diego based day and day and a half trips. it would be tough for me to get the price down to 225 or 250 a person but i could be close.
I guess what I am really looking to learn at this point is: is there anyone else who is doing this same type of business? also, i never see any small sportfishing boats advertising. why? do I have to have a mexican captain if i'm going out of a mexican port? my point in going to mexico is that i can trailer the boat down south cheaper than i can steam through the water. save money on fuel and pass those savings on to the customer.
anyone else?
anyone who has gone out on a six pack boat please chime in.....I don't understand why there aren't more small time sportfishing businesses in san diego, or I am just not aware of them. maybe they are so small that they don't need to advertise.
thanks
Ian

[Diamond Jim]

Ian, There are a lot of six PAC boats around. But if you look they are at the dock more then out.
What kind of boat would you have to be able to take it to Baja over land and then go one hundred miles with six plus crew.
I ran a six PAC for a lot of years and if I had to make a living of it I would go hungry. Jim

[sealskinner]

Kelly Catian is an american, running a sportfishing operation in San Quintin. He has 2 pangas and a 26' offshore pilothouse. He is a licensed Mexican captain and his boats are licensed. BUT, most of the boats and captains in SQ ARE NOT. I know that you have to get your permits in Ensenada.

[merlin]

Good for you. It sounds like a great way to spend time, and hopefully make some money. I think that with most small operations if you make enough to pay for your fishing habit you are doing well.

You are looking at a complicated proposition. And, you will be competing with the local pangas, mostly because they won't want another "gringo" coming in to steal any kind of money they might earn. Even if you do offer something different. Because of that fact you better make sure you do it by the book because they will have incentive to call immigration or try to shut you down. One suggestion, spend a lot of time where you want to start your business so you get to know the locals before you start.

It's relatively easy to start a business in Mexico as an immigrant. It is another thing to actually work there. They have rules about who gets to do what. They want to protect the locals' jobs. I have been told that you have to have a mexican capitan and I've been told you don't - depends on who you ask. Here is what you do:

Hire a Mexican lawyer to set up a corporation for you. Yes, I said it, hire a lawyer. He can help you get all the permits, etc. And, he will make sure you are legit, pay your taxes, etc.

SBA loan for a business that runs in Mexico? I would love to hear how that one turns out. Interested to learn if they will actually do it.

Oh, and by the way, the mexi's don't have a capitans license because they don't need one - they look the other way when it's a national.

Good luck!

[Crackerjack]

Take it from me, someone who has never had a land job and has been in the charter fishing business for over 20 years: get a good job and make a bunch of money so that you can lose it while chartering or a wife with a good job with benefits to support you before you even think about it.
It is tough enough to make any money doing it in the US. In Mexico they go by Napoleonic law. That means you would be guilty until proven innocent.
So all any local has to do is accuse you of any illegal activities and the federalies will come down and take you and your boat away and you will spend a fortune defending yourself, even if you didn’t do anything.
Believe me, if I thought for a second I could make a go of it down south, I would have done it ten years ago.
Yes there are a few that do, but they either have a very good lawyer and not much invested or a Mexican wife or family.
Bring a big new boat down there and set up shop and you will have a challenge to make it work.
Good luck

[Wideopen]

Do you speak spanish? that would be critical in gaining fresh info from the locals, and share back with them to get your network going. Listening, speaking on the radio, ect.

[Sheila]

Ian,
Who's your market? Are you imagining that anglers from San Diego will drive down to Mexico to save some money on a charter? And then drive home, and clear the border, after a day on the water? Or are you expecting passengers who are already down there on vacation, and decide they want to fish?

[ian022]

I was thinking about picking people up and driving them down, or having my wife do it. I was planning on a 30 ft walkaround but there's no practical way to tow that boat across the boarder because it's just too big and there are limited times that you can have somthing that big on the freeways. I guess the only way I could do this is to go out of SD and I just don't see myself being able to compete with the big companies there. Plus I don't know how much the slip fees are in SD bay or Mission bay but they are probably more than i could pay.
I guess I'll just stick with the IT industry and buy a 21 ft walkaround and take out my friends whenever I can get out of work. sucks but that's life I guess.
i got transferred to washington state and i'm up here missing SD, it rains almost every day and it's really cloudy-and cold too.
I went pheasant hunting this weekend out in eastern wa but there just aren't that many birds out here. gotta know someone with a cornfield or wheatfield next to some crp. just thought i'd share that with you guys even though it has nothing to do with fishing.
later and thanks for the input
Ian

[ian022]

still looking into this....not willing to give up just yet. but want to make sure it's feasible........
any other inputs????
Ian