learn to cruise in Mexico!
Join us to get the full-on
cruising experience in Mexico...
Education + Adventure
at it's finest!
Our Mexico Cruising chapter is in full swing, and Lintika and crew are geared up for another incredible season of cruising around the Sea of Cortez! Courses this year will be running from October 2023 to May 2024 and vary in lengths, location, cost and crew, all of which are laid out in detail below.
This will be a dynamic learning environment, with the opportunity to put to work any sailing experience you may already have with lots of room to include new lessons and first hand experience of living the sailor lifestyle. Students will be taking part in every crew role, from sailing and navigation, weather routing, anchoring, taking care of Lintika's boat systems, and learning how to be the best crew member possible.
You've seen how we roll, taking every moment as a teaching opportunity but also keeping things light hearted and having as much fun as possible. Each course presents a unique opportunity to learn about all things cruising including...
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Weather forecasting - A deep dive into why & how we use PredictWind
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Passage Planning - How we get safely from A to B
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Essential Safety Offshore - Learn about our safety equipment & protocols
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Boat systems - Explore our electrical system, water maker, tankage & more
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How to keep watch day & night - How to be efficient and safe with & crew
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'Best Practices' aboard - Our tips from over a decade of cruising around the world
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International sailing logistics - How to choose where we go & check in/out
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Anchoring - Tons of hands on experience to get a good nights sleep!
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Provisioning & cooking underway - Storage, keeping food fresh, & eating well
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Crew dynamics & responsibilities - Essential communication to meet expectations
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Highs & lows of living aboard - How to make the most of your time aboard
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Lots of time at the helm & working the lines - All positions in all conditions
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How to adapt to whatever Poseidon throws at us!
In addition to learning each day, you get to start each morning with a coffee in the cockpit! There will be opportunities to snorkel, paddle board, relax with a book on deck, explore beautiful Baja beaches, or do anything else you'd like on this educational vacation!
season schedule
Available trips below, click on any trip to learn more...
Trip 9:
la cruz huanacaxtle -> Mazatlan
(with a possible stop at isla isabela)
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CREW: Captains Brady & Blue
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TOTAL TIME ABOARD: Feb. 21 - 29, 2024 (9 days) ONE SPOT LEFT!
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PRICE: $7,900 per person
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DISTANCE: ~200 nautical miles
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BEST FOR: Those interested in practicing coastal navigation and exploring chill cultural hotspots on mainland Mexico.
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ENTRY AIRPORT: Puerto Vallarta (PVR) ~1 hour taxi to La Cruz Huanacaxtle
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EXIT AIRPORT: Mazatlan (MZT)
An example timeline would mean students hop onboard in the fun and funky town of La Cruz Huanacaxtle and learn about passage prep by experiencing provisioning, weather routing, navigation, cooking underway, holding a watch in rotation, and lots of hands on coastal sailing and exploring anchorages. If conditions permit, we'd love to make a stop at Isla Isabela. This small 2 square km island is well known by the naturalists, scientists, scuba divers, photographers, fishermen and those who seek adventure off the beaten track. This national park is also a UNESCO’s World Heritage Site and is often called the The Galapagos of Mexico. The local birds and iguanas of the island have no natural enemies, and their fearless demeanor made this unique island the feature of a 1975 Jacques-Yves Cousteau film title 'The Sea Birds of Isabela'.
Depending on conditions, we may check out other coastal anchorages as we make our way to the culturally rich city of Mazatlán.
February temps range from a high of 80° and low of 62° in Mazatlán/La Cruz.
Trip 11:
la paz ISLAND HOPPING TO ISLA ESPIRITU & PARTIDA
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CREW: Captain Jon Totten
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TOTAL TIME ABOARD: March 25 - 31, 2024 (7 days)
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PRICE: $5,500 per person
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DISTANCE: ~100 nautical miles
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BEST FOR: Those with a shorter timeline that want a mix of island hopping, day sailing, and experiencing cruising at its finest!
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ENTRY/EXIT AIRPORT: La Paz (LAP), or a shuttle to/from San Jose Del Cabo (SJD)
Our good friend and experienced Captain Jon Totten (read our blog about him here!) is making a guest appearance on Lintika this season! Jon has started a badass therapy sailing program in Idaho after many years of being an ASA instructor in the Caribbean where we originally met. We are honored to have him on our Captain roster and anyone joining in on this trip will not only learn massive amounts but undoubtedly be inspired by Jon's contagious stoke for life.
This adventure is ideal for those who want to experience the highs of cruising: beautiful water, snorkeling, hiking, and relaxing with the sunset and a cold bevy in hand. That being said, cruising always presents unforeseen conditions and we will be rolling with the punches of weather, a sailboat calling the shots, and whatever else comes our way.
A perfect timeline would mean students hop onboard in La Paz and immediately set sail for the Islands. These trips would be more focused on exploring and cruising rather than long distance passage making. Lintika will be prepped to go upon your arrival, but students will still learn to crew and have watch responsibilities, hop into cooking/cleaning rotation, practice anchoring, weather routing, and learn about boat systems.
Potential anchorages are all about a day sail away from each other which means students will still experience a ton of sailing and hands on learning experience. For potential anchorages, we have our eyes on Playa Balandra as well as the many anchorages of Isla Espirito and Partida. All of these offer up crystal clear waters, beautiful beaches, great snorkeling and pure relaxation- cruiser style!
March temps range from a high of 85° and low 57° in the Sea of Cortez.
Trip 12:
la paz -> PUERTO ESCONDIDO
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CREW: Captain Jon Totten
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TOTAL TIME ABOARD: April 12 - 19 , 2024 (8 days) TWO SPOTS LEFT!
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PRICE: $6,200 per person
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DISTANCE: ~120 nautical miles
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BEST FOR THOSE: Interested in a longer sail up the Baja Peninsula, with some island hopping in between!
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ENTRY AIRPORT: La Paz (LAP), or a shuttle to/from San Jose Del Cabo (SJD)
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EXIT AIRPORT: Loreto, BCS (LTO) with a possible ~30 min taxi depending on weather.
Our good friend and experienced Captain Jon Totten (read our blog about him here!) is making a guest appearance on Lintika this season! Jon has started a badass therapy sailing program in Idaho after many years of being an ASA instructor in the Caribbean where we originally met. We are honored to have him on our Captain roster and anyone joining in on this trip will not only learn massive amounts but undoubtedly be inspired by Jon's contagious stoked for life.
This adventure is ideal for those who want to experiences the highs of cruising: beautiful water, snorkeling, hiking, and relaxing but also get in some nautical miles to sail Lintika from La Paz to Loreto/Puerto Escondido.
An example timeline would mean students hop onboard in La Paz, help provision and prep the boat to head North through the islands towards Loreto. Students will learn to crew and have watch responsibilities, hop into cooking/cleaning rotation, practice anchoring, weather routing, and learn about boat systems we utilize to stay off the grid.
Potential anchorages are all about a day sail away from each other which means students will still experience a ton of sailing. For potential anchorages, we may explore Isla Espirito, Isla San Francisco, and Isla Carmen, Agua Verde or Isla Danzante. All of these offer up crystal clear waters, beautiful beaches, great snorkeling and pure relaxation- cruiser style!
March temps range from a high of 84° and low 64° in the Sea of Cortez.
tell me about sv lintika!
Lintika is Cruisers Academy's 1980 Passport 42', an incredibly well built and beautiful boat made in Taiwan by the reputable Passport Yachts. This classic sailboat, designed by Stan Huntingford, has gotten a massive refit over the last several years and is as modernized as they come. As a cutter rigged sloop with a fin keel and skegged rudder, her canoe stern and additional sail set up allows her to sail incredibly close to the wind while her 20 tons keep her comfortable downwind and in heavy conditions.
Equipped with a new Yanmar 54hp engine, a Cruiser RO Zen 100 water maker, new holding tanks for both fuel and water, new rigging and sails, new interior cushions and bedding, a new arch with 820 watts of solar and 810 amp hours of lithium batteries- she is set to sail offshore and chomping at the bit to cruise the Sea of Cortez!
She is also kitted out for optimum safety at sea with satphone capabilities, star link internet, a 6 person life raft, a MOM-8 device, EPIRB, AIS and brand new radar.
Cabin Arrangements...
SEMI PRIVATE BUNK FOR ONE PERSON:
This semi-private bunk provides a sleeping space for one person in a bunk about the size of twin bed. The bunk is tucked away on the starboard-aft side of the boat with a privacy curtain, so sleeping head facing aft means you will have some privacy.
V-BERTH FOR ONE-TWO PEOPLE
This cabin has a door for privacy and a bed that is the size of a full at the aft end and much narrower forward. This would be best suited for either one person who values privacy, or a smaller couple that doesn't mind cozying up and is comfortable sleeping in small spaces together.
PRIVATE CABIN FOR TWO PEOPLE:
This fully private cabin provides a sleeping space for two people in a bed slightly smaller than a queen sized mattress. The cabin has its own door and can also be booked by just one person who wants a large private cabin to themselves.
SALON BUNK FOR ONE PERSON:
This bunk provides a sleeping space for one person in a bunk a little narrower than a twin sized bed. It is located in the main communal salon, so it's best for someone who is a strong sleeper and feels comfortable sleeping in a bunk without much privacy. It's unlikely this bunk will be filled for longer passages but may be for shorter stints.
didn't see your thing?
We are constantly expanding our cruising and offshore program in Mexico and beyond! Please take a moment to join our offshore waitlist if you want to be the first to hear about future sailing opportunities with Cruisers Academy.
If you haven't already joined us for our flagship CA-1 course in Tahoe, you can learn more about this 4-day consecutive course below. Summer 23' dates are now open!
Cheers!
