Blog
17th Feb 2026 Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Mexico.
Kathy headed back to the UK, and I got back into talks with DHL/ Customs about the two parcels of mine with the new autohelm.
To recap, Mexican customs had sent my autohelm package back to the UK as it was over $2500 in value, they recomended I split it into two seperate packages and re-send it. It had now arrived back into a different customs office where I was told that together the two packages came to more than $2500 so it would be returned to England.
The lady assigned to process these parcels was very strict, and after a lot of arguing, and explaining that they had been returned to the UK previously to be split into two smaller parcels on the advise of Mexican customs, she agreed to make an exception and let them in. However the invoices needed to be provided, something customs have never asked for before. Thankfully Hudson Marine in Southhampton were quick to help me and I got the invoices across. Next she didn’t like the invoice for the second parcel. It said 1 Autopilot Compass and associated kit of wiring. She insisted it say 1 kit of wiring and 1 Compass. Hudson Marine kindly changed the invoice again, but it was rejected because it didnt say kit. It actually now said 1 kit of a kit of wires. This may have been a language problem, and after 1 week and around ten emails, it was accepted that the description would do. They charge quite high daily storage fees, however the real stinger was the 33% import duty. I had assumed it was 19% the same as when I last imported goods, but the price had recently gone up. Blame China and Trump for this one. With the storage and processing fees added, I ended up paying around £1500 on top of goods worth £2000. At least they were released and on the way to me.
While waiting for the package to arrive I had fun checking out Mazatlan.
I took a walk up the big hill next to the anchorage to vist El Faro, the lighthouse that marks this huge rocky outcrop.
Since I was last here they have installed a zip wire from the top of El Faro down to the other side of this cove.
With the two parcels on board I moved out of the harbour to the Stone Island Anchorage, where I could chill, do some swimming and fit the autopilot.
The installation was simple, except that the Raymarine control unit wouldn’t drive the clutch solenoid. When engaged the 12v output dropped to 5v and there was no solenoid action. I called Raymarine and explained it all, they thought it was probably a faulty unit and could I return it? The prospect of getting the unit back to the UK was not appealing, I had a spare automotive relay which I keep for the Engine electrics, once wired in, the clutch engaged. I took the boat out for a spin, and Voila, it worked.
You can see the track above showing nice straight lines and turns when I took the autopilot for a spin.
Leeroy on Dream Catcher agreed to buy my dive tank off me, and offered to clean my hull as part of the deal. This tank has been obscuring my view for 7 years or more, and I didn’t think I would ever use it, so that seemed like a fair deal. He cleaned my hull, then dived on his hull. He’s a dive master so knows his stuff, however no sooner had he started work on his keel than the dive tank valve fitting unscrewed itself and all the air left the tank in one quick moment. Thankfully he was only a couple of metres down and just swam to the surface, it could have been a bit worse if he was a lot deeper without a buddy to provide air.
They left for Los Cabos, to buy a dinghy, their own dinghy and outboard had been stolen a couple of nights earlier in the middle of the night, Ghandi their husky dog had woken everyone, but it was too late as they watched the guys in a panga cut the line and get away, their shouting didn’t have much effect. I felt a bit bad because a few days earlier they asked me why I hauled my dinghy out of the water every night. I replied that in 20+ years of cruising I had always done this, it was now a habit, and I had never lost a dinghy. I expect they might do the same now.
The next day I headed over to Mazatlan Marina. I had intended to treat myself to a few days poolside at El Cid marina, which is part of a luxury hotel complex, but they were full, so instead I booked a place in Marina Mazatlan, a place that always has slips in the way that if you cant get into the Michelin starred restaurant, there’s always McDonalds. The autopilot took me there and I felt confident that it was performing well. I only stayed one night as the tides, wind and waves were all on my side to leave on Monday morning 2nd March and cross the Sea of Cortez in the direction of La Paz.
I had some fun trying to get fuel in the marina as the dock was clogged up with boats whose owners had wandered off, after waiting 30 minutes or more, I decided to try the fuel dock in El Cid marina, however the tide had turned and was flowing out at around 2-3 knots, this made docking very tricky and as I approached I realised I would have to turn and go into the current to have any chance of not being swept away and near the fuel dock the current seems to do a 90 degree turn into the pontoons. I also only had lines out on one side, so after drawing a good crowd of onlookers, I managed to get the boat turned around but I bailed out and headed back to the first fuel dock, waited another 30 minutes , then there was a space to get in. When I left there the current was a good 2-3 knots and as Tom Waits said, “I left that dock like a bullet leaves a gun” sort of.
So Im writing this now in the cockpit as I close in on Baja California Sur. As the Cartel violence dies down on the mainland, war breaks out in the Middle East.
And quite a few people have commented on various Mexican sailing groups how the GPS has been playing up. Of course it could be solar activity, but two independent devices on board did very weird things this morning, Instead of putting me 70 miles west of the mainland, it kept putting me somewhere just south of Culiacán in Sonora, Culiacán being the home of El Chapo’s cartel. I’m glad the GPS isnt driving the autopilot.
I have had some good wind so far, but this morning when it dropped , I couldnt start the engine, it seemed to not have any power from the battery. I wondered if I hadn’t fully returned the key position to ‘run’ and it was still powering the glow plugs, which would have flattened the battery, I wiggled and wiggled and then the engine fired up and we were away, so later I noticed the battery voltage was lower than I expected, so I again tried playing with the switch and I accidentally engaged the starter motor while the engine was running at 2000rpm. There was a bad noise and the engine slowed down, but I very quickly let go and everything seemed ok. My worry now is that I have damaged the starter motor. I won’t know until I try to start it again. So basically I am going to have to have the engine running until I reach land, and I won’t be stopping at the Island of Isla Espiritu Santa as planned, because that would be an awful place to be stuck with no engine. I’m going to have to travel a little further to get onto the mainland near La Paz. I chatted with Fosbot, my AI friend, and he basically told me that Volvo expect idiots like me to do this sort of thing and that they designed the start bendix system with this in mind, and I would be very unlucky to have a problem. I’m taking no risks.
Approaching Land
So I continued directly into the anchorage at La Paz, and dropped the hook in my usual spot. I tried to check in with the port captain on Ch16, but he didnt reply, despite me using my best Spanish.
I checked the starter motor and it was just fine. I’ve had no starting problems since. I have a suspicion that the DC-DC unit on the alternator circuit may be confusing the voltage readings I’m seeing.
Later I tested the VHF radio and found the audio to be very broken. I took it apart, as I like to do, and found the inside to be in excellent condition, after 20 years or so, however the screen on the mic cable had perished. I also destroyed the seals taking it apart, so it’s going to be a bin job soon, which is fine. However for the next few weeks a quick repair will suffice.
I would have bought a new radio by now, but the choice on offer has me wondering what to get, with AIS, US only, US & International….
Ashore in La Paz, bits have changed, a lot much the same.
This guy above hasnt moved since the hurricane 2 years ago.
The mural above highlights concerns about plans to build a gas/oil terminal in the north of the Sea of Cortez, ‘The World’s Aquarium’, as Jacques Cousteau once called it.
After a few days in La Paz I left for Everisto, stopping for the night in Isla Esperitu, then onto Agua Verde.
A new restaurant opens in Aqua Verde, they have two now.
I’m in Agua verde while the weather is lovely and calm. I will head to Loreto in a few days to stock up on bread and fresh fruit and Veg, then from there I will hop up the coast over the following week finishing at Santa Rosalia, an old French mining town. Once there I will head across the sea to Guaymas and prepare to haul out and call it a day, at least for 2026. What happens in 2027 is still up in the air. I’m still swinging between putting the boat up for sale, or coming back Jan 2027 and fixing her up for winter sailing in the sea and down to Zihuat, or possibly still taking her North to Alaska, or maybe even south into Equador.
It is really special here, but world events could play into this as well. Fingers crossed for a good November.
I have the rest of this year to work out the details!
Paul collister
14th March 2026
Agua Verde