SmoCo Sailingvideo
[Ep 39] Sailing Across the Sea of Cortez | Baja to Mainland Mexico
23 November 2025 · 14 min · 1K views · San Carlos Nuevo Guaymas
What this video covers
Armand and Liya depart their Sea of Cortez anchorage at 3:30 a.m. aboard Cosmo, a bluewater cruising sailboat, for a 130-mile crossing to San Carlos on mainland Mexico's Sonora coast.▶ 1:35 The passage takes 32 hours — six more than planned — with sustained winds of 11–18 knots through most of the night, one reef, and motoring only for the final five hours when wind dropped to 6 knots.▶ 10:05 A previously troublesome jib furler works smoothly throughout, including during the reef.▶ 2:39 Night watches include Netflix and napping; sea state stays calm enough that land 35 miles off creates an optical illusion of being closer.▶ 5:49 San Carlos is described as a cruiser hub where boats haul out for major projects or off-season storage, framed by the Tetecawi Peaks.▶ 9:28 Arriving at anchor, Armand and Liya preview an upcoming haul-out: stripping bottom paint, applying barrier coat and Coppercoat, replacing the sail drive bellows, installing underwater lights, adding new engine mounts, and fiberglassing a section of the hull.▶ 10:59 Liya predicts the project will run three to four weeks against a two-week plan; Armand expects it to go smoother than their previous marina work.▶ 12:51 A repaired jib furler transforms overnight passage-making when it operates reliably.▶ 3:53
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