While reminding everyone that the Baja Ha-Ha does not do TIPs or Nautical Visas for anyone, we’ll try to review the process one more time to answer common questions. (The Dona Jenkins Maritime Document Service in San Diego, 619-223-2279, will do TIPs for $150.) 

SUGGESTIONS FOR APPLYING FOR A TIP at www.banjercito.com.mx/registroVehiculos:

When the site asks for your ‘Document’ after asking for the ‘Name of the Importer’, they are asking for your passport number.

For ‘Date of Entry’, put 27-10-2014 if you’re doing the Ha-Ha. For ‘Valid Until’, put 27-10-2024.

When they ask for ‘Vehicle Identification Number’, we put our boat’s Federal Documentation number. The folks at Dona Jenkins say if your boat has both a Hull Identification Number (HIN) and document number, Mexico prefers that you use the HIN number. We don’t think it will be the end of the world if you put your document number instead of your HIN, as we did, but you never know. When we get to the first Banjercito, we’re going to look into it.

Under ‘Make’, you probably have to select ‘Otros’ or other, because your boat manufacturer probably won’t be listed. Once you get to ‘Classification’, most of you will choose ‘Sailboat, inboard diesel’.

When they ask for ‘Recreational Vehicle’ in Step 3, do NOT list your dinghy and outboard. If you do, they’ll only be good in Mexico for 180 days. The ‘dinghy’ business, such as it is, isn’t until Step 5. At that point they don’t ask for your dinghy per se, they ask for your outboard’s serial number.

With regard to the ‘List of Accessories and Belongings’, we know it’s a confusing list. The one thing you don’t want to do is say you have more stuff than you do. Because in the unlikely event you ever get inspected, and you don’t have all that stuff, they will likely assume you sold it in Mexico, which is illegal. On the other hand, if you buy new stuff in Mexico, such as an outboard, what are you supposed to do, get a new TIP? Hopefully carrying a receipt would be enough.

‘List of Accessories and Belongings’, believe it or not, is where you list the serial number of your diesel(s) and the outboard for your dinghy. There is no place to list a dinghy, sailing dinghy, life raft, or any other such major items, but they want to know if you have a "hand dryer." We offered to help them create this form, but we were not taken up on it.

Do you have to get a TIP before sailing to Mexico? In the old days, you did not. After last year’s fiasco, everyone we know highly recommends it. Some Ha-Ha entries have gone to Ensenada in advance and gotten their TIP. This seems like a lot of extra time and expense, but it gets the job done. You cannot get a TIP in Cabo. This has nothing to do with hurricane damage, but rather the fact that Cabo never had a Banjercito, the military bank where you get a TIP. There are Banjercitos at Ensenada, La Paz, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta.

If you want to get a TIP via Dona Jenkins, you have to get them your information two weeks in advance.

If you do the application online, you’ll get it back via DHL in seven business days. Consider this: Mexico apparently picks up the tab for the DHL shipping, which means they probably only take in about $15 for each online application. Crazy.

John Pernitzke of Nova reports he was unable to get past the first page of the TIP application despite filling in all the boxes. We suggest he read what we’ve written above and try it again. We suspect that he’s been doing something wrong, such as the wrong number of digits in a box. We’ve had no trouble.

Rob Orr of Fast Reorrg reports that when he applied for a new TIP to add new gear, the site said he already had one (which he did from April of this year), and that he couldn’t get a new one without canceling the old one in person. Our advice is to not sweat it. You’ve got a current TIP, and our understanding is the Mexican government is giving everyone until the start of the year to update their TIPs. Indeed, if there is anything radically wrong with your TIP, as long as you have one, you should have to the beginning of next year to get it right.

NAUTICAL VISAS:

We haven’t heard of people having many problems getting nautical visas online. Once again, apply for them individually at https://www.banjercito.com.mx/registroEmbarques, keep the receipt form that you print out after completing the online signup, and get a receipt or statement from your credit card company also. Keep these until you leave Mexico. Unlike TIPs, you get a nautical tourism visa when you apply. When you get to your port of entry, you trade it, at no additional cost, for a 180-day tourist visa. Good luck!

In other Ha-Ha news, we’ve broken down the 170-boat fleet into 14 divisions. In the past, we usually grouped boats by three criteria: 1) length, 2) whether a boat had a full keel and otherwise seemed like a cruising boat as opposed to a racer/cruiser or racer, and 3) whether it would be sailed with ‘white sails only’.

We’ve changed things this year for two reasons: 1) the unusually small number of classic cruising boats entered, and 2) the huge increase in the number of ‘white sails only’ boats.

As such, we’ve grouped boats primarily by two criteria: 1) whether they are ‘white sails only’ or spinnaker/gennaker boats, and 2) their length. The results aren’t perfect, but with such a large fleet, they are the best the Ha-Ha computer could do.

It’s just 26 days until the start of Baja Ha-Ha 21. Here’s the complete fleet list:

Boat Name / Boat Make/Model / Name / Boat’s Homeport

AGAVE DIVISION — white sails only 

• Solimar / Bristol Channel Cutter 28 / Kendal Banks / Santa Barbara
• Scout / Rawson 30 / Garrett & Ruth Jolly / Morro Bay
• Petrel / Rhodes Annapolis 30 / Dane Faber / Sausalito
• Blue Mist / Pearson Vanguard 32 / David Nichols & Joan Fish / Alameda
• Serenity / Ranger 33 / Al Mason / San Diego
• Victoria / Pacific Seacraft 34 / John Enders / Anacortes, WA
• Spirit of Adventure / Islander 34 / Don Stoutenger / Long Beach
• Night Wind / Cal 35 / John DeWorken & Lori Wade / Santa Cruz
• Invictus / Chris Craft 34 / Glen  Miller / San Diego
• Intuition / Tartan 3500 / Donald  & Laura McLennan / Long Beach
• Carola / Young Sun 35 / Cliff Smith & Mary Ann Paulazzo / Point San Pablo
• Spirit Of Constellation / Catalina 36 / Tom Hammons / San Diego
• Rhumba / Catalina 36 / Thomas DeMott / Vallejo
• Velvet Sky / Island Packet 38 / Scott & Cindy Smith / Boise, ID
• Ellare / Ted Brewer 38 / James MacDonald / Vancouver, BC

BURRITO DIVISION — white sails only

• Insouciance / Corbin 39 / Vincent Chang / Half Moon Bay.
• Itasca / Valiant 39 / John & Becki Quinn / Anacortes, WA
• Rapture / Beneteau Oceanis 40 / Michael Powers / Anacortes, WA
• Arctic Tern / Nordic 40 / Graham Wilson / Whitehorse, YT
• Stochastic / Panda 40 / Tom & Kelly Miller / Orlando, FL
• Poetry / Blue Jacket 40 / Bobby Pryor / San Diego
• Touchstone / Valiant 40 / Gordon Wedman / Vancouver, BC
• Gypsy Wind / Hunter 40.5 / Jim & Liz Lee / Marina del Rey
• Flying Squirrel / Dehler 41DS / David Johnson & Amy Cooprider / San Francisco
• Mia Zoi / Beneteau Oceanis 411 / George & Christy Papadakis / Seattle
• Norske Dame / Formosa 41 / Richard Simpson / Long Beach
• VikingMor2 / Morgan Out Island 41 / Kenneth & Lori Lillo / San Diego 

CEVICHE DIVISION — white sails only 

• Sierra / Beneteau 423 / Hal & Laurie Lynam / Alameda
• Kitehawk / Eggert 42 / Dirk Sherbina / Sacramento
• Blessed Life / Catalina 42 Mk II / Bob Bahlman & Margie Hewes / Incline Village, NV.
• Pantera / Catalina 42 Mk II / Barney & Paula McCloskey / Alameda
• Serenity / Hunter Passage 42 / Greg & Carma Foulger / Los Angeles
• Long Windid / Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 42  / Daniel & Marla Slattery / Chula Vista
• Sail La Vie / Spindrift 43 / William & Barbara Giltner / Newport Beach
• Amante / Irwin 43 Mk III / Jeff Jacobs / Sausalito
• Three In One / Cheoy Lee 43 / Robert Taylor / Ventura.
• Triton / Hylas 44 / Steven Counard & Kathryn Owen / Eugene, OR
• Whimsea / Hunter 44 / Jerome Morgan / Richmond
• Opportunity / Catalina Morgan 440 / Miguel & Barbara Ramirez-Williams / San Diego

DESPERADO DIVISION — white sails only

• Gold Dust / Islander 44 / James Clark / San Diego
• Dreamtime / Island Packet 45 / Philip McManus / Chicago, IL
• Carolee / Columbia 45 / Dave Hornbaker / Ventura
• Champagne / Hunter 456 / Thomas & Kimberly Junod / Newport Beach
• Imagine / Beneteau 46 / Terry Moore / San Diego
• Stella Maris / Dufour Prestige 48 / Gabe & Diana Reed / Marina Del Rey
• Footloose / C&C Landfall 48 / Raymond Macary & Lydia Leyba / Oakland
• A Good Day / Island Packet 485 / Charlie McCullough / San Francisco
• Optimus Prime / Beneteau 49 / Keith & Dana Jensen / Cameron Park
• Endeavour / Tatoosh 51 / John Stephens & Tara Travers / Redwood City
• Go For Broke / Custom Steel 63 / Stephen Arnold / Port San Luis
• Disperser / Fibersteel Valeo 65 / Michael Wolf / Coos Bay, OR
• Patricia Belle / Custom Wood Schooner 66 / Patrick & Jeann Hughes / Mazatlan, MEX
• Dirigo II / Alden Schooner 72 / Arthur Lohrey / Friday Harbor, WA

ENCHILADA DIVISION 

• Sea Otter / Freedom 30 / Klaus Kutz & Jennifer Rader / Alameda
• Friday / Hunter 31 / Jared Owen / Seattle, WA
• Cool Change / Pacific Seacraft 31 / Rick & Cindy Patrinellis / Sausalito
• Wandering Star / Sea Mist 32 / Tim Jacobson / Boise, ID
• Starfire / Islander 32 / Jeff Delaney & Dawn Brooks / Channel Islands
• Entrophy II / Ranger 33 / Richard Crumley / Bodega Bay
• Impulse / Hunter 33 / Chris & Doug Rockne / Portland, OR
• Korbut Rose / Hans Christian 33 / Bruce Brown & Sandy Zeng / Portland, OR
• Valhalla / Ericson 34 / John Berg / San Francisco
• Rejoice / Catalina 34 / Gabriel Rodriguez / Santa Barbara
• Aussie Rules / Catalina 34 / Dave & Rose Hayes / Gabriola Island, BC
• Fainche / Catalina 34 / Robert Frost / Alameda
• Osprey / Pacific Seacraft 34 / Jim Doty / Bellingham, WA
• Indigo / Pacific Seacraft 34 / Brian & Marya Lipiec / Camp Pendleton
• Moana Makani / Baba 35 / Calvin & Lori Hastings / San Diego
• Comet / Morgan 36 / Don Currie / Marina del Rey

FRIJOLE DIVISION

• Lily Rowan / Ericson 35 II / Jim Parker / Berkeley
• Joyride / J/109 (35) / James & Jennifer Vickers / San Francisco
• Mariah / Seawind 35 / Guillermo Stein & Fernando Gutierrez / Puerto Vallarta, MEX
• RoseBud / Cal 36 / Greg Rodgers / San Pedro
• Intrepid / Islander 36 / Timothy Brill / San Francisco
• Unwinder / Catalina 36 / Bob & Sandi Watson / San Diego
• Brown Sugar / Lancer 36 / Don & Crystal Quinly / Stockton
• Miss Lorelei / Beneteau Oceanis 361 / Michael Niggli / San DIego
• Mana / Cape George 36 / David & Holli Swanson / Ventura
• Arluk III / Cabot 36 / Wayne Peters / Vancouver, BC
• Dragon’s Toy / Island Packet 37 / Tom Kohrs & Cary Purvis / Freeport
• Spring Fever / Morgan 382 / Sherri Wilkinson & Don Scott / Tiburon

GUACAMOLE DIVISION  

• Myzella / Beneteau Oceanis 37 / Glenn Smith / San Diego
• Sparx / O’Day 37 / Bob & Greta Huntsman / Long Beach
• Double Docs / Pacific Seacraft 37 / Thomas & Lucie Merkle-Balgooyen / San Francisco
• Papillon II / Pacific Seacraft 37 / David Boyer / Vancouver, BC
• Seadra / DownEast 38 / Ed Choromanski & Val Russell / Vancouver, BC
• Lorien / Panda 38 / Edward Starinchak / Bellingham, WA
• Silver Sea / Catalina 38 / John & Ofelia Alvarado Gingold / San Diego
• My Bonnie Karen / DownEast 38 / Chris Jernigan / Oceanside
• Destiny / Island Packet 38 / Roberto Anima / Redwood City
• Penelope / Hans Christian 38 / Karl & Susan Gierga / Scappoose, OR
• Spinnaker / Corbin 39 CC / John Gleadle & Jennifer Gleadle / Vancouver, BC
• Que Sera / Horizon 39 / Heidy Gross & Sean Hall / Marina del Rey

HUEVOS RANCHEROS DIVISION 

• Blue Peter / Tosca 39 / Jim & Leigh Terbush / Marina del Rey
• Vixen / Ericson 39 / Dan Dennis & Judy Burch / Redondo Beach.
• Desire / Cavalier 39 / Tom & Britta Hamilton / San Pedro
• Deborah Rae / Pacific Seacraft 40 / Richard Johnson / San Pedro
• Patina / Sparkman & Stephens 40 / Dell de Fabry / Dana Point
• Felicita / J/120 (40) / Perry Peters / Marina del Rey
• Ranidan / Hallberg-Rassy 40 / James & Linda Noval / Portland, OR
• Paladino / Mao Ta Navigatorm 41 / Harland Harris / Napa
• Astraea / Hallberg-Rassy 41 / Lee & Shelli Scifers / Olympia, WA
• Sereno II / Hunter 41 / Gary & Cindy Cairns / San Diego
• Saturna Spirit / Beneteau 411 / Katherine Blades / Vancouver, BC
• Abby Normal / Island Packet 41 / Brad & Gay Gibson / Seattle, WA
• Mabrouka / CT-41 / Roy Neyman / Seattle, WA

IGUANA DIVISION 

• WindRover / Whitby 42 / David Dowling / Lake Oswego, OR
• Sea Escape / Catalina 42 Mk II / Kelvin Phillips & Anthony Adams / Berkeley
• Flibbertigibbet / Catalina 42 Mk II / Jim & Betty Adams / Stockton
• Serenity / Catalina 42 Mk II / David Albert / Oceanside
• Seaduction / Catalina 42 Mk II / Dan Lawler / San Diego
• Wayward Wind / Catalina 42 / Bill & Kathi Gaffaney / Long Beach
• Nova / Catalina 42 / Michael Pernitzke & Ina Tabak / Alameda
• Northern Lights / J/42 / Roderic & Mary Deyo / Seattle, WA
• Pelagic / Hallberg Rassy 42 / Michael & Amy Bradford / Portland, OR
• Kandu / Tayana V42CC / Eric & Leslie Rigney / Ventura, CA
• Quest / Golden Wave 42 / Michael Thirkill & Cybele Abbett / Brookings, OR
• Dulcinea / Hinckley 42  / Scott & Kathleen Clapp / San Francisco
• Seahorse V / Wauquiez 42 / Steve Thornton / Sidney, BC
• Haul Pass ll / Hunter Passage 420 / Michael Mann / Sun Valley, NV

JALAPENO DIVISION 

• Apropos / Hans Christian 43 / James Shutt & Karen Wong / Seattle, WA
• Lea Scotia / Taswell 43 / Bucky Jordan / Seattle, WA
• Between da Sheets / Beneteau 42s7 / Rick & Sharon Seeber / Seattle, WA
• Thistle / Alden 44 / Malcolm & Laura Fortune / Inverness
• St. Claire / Brewer 44 / Kevin Abbink & Daniel Maynard / Cabrillo
• Velella / Hylas 44 / Doug & Josette Schmer / Stateline, NV
• Tranquilo / Catalina C445 / Lloyd & Colleen Clauss / Ensenada
• Penn Station / Hylas 44 / Steve Felton / Tacoma, WA
• Impulsive / Outbound 44 / Morris & Debra Adams / Seattle, WA
• Cockpit / Beneteau Oceanis 440 / Renald Bouchard / Vancouver, BC
• Starshine / Outbound 44 / Patrick & Melodie Williams / San Francisco
• Third Wish / Norseman 447 / Jeff Goldfarb & Carolyn Lambert / Long Beach
• Cavale / Cheoy Lee 44 / Michael & Mary Tutty / Seattle, WA

KILO DIVISION 

• Plan Sea / Island Packet 45 / Richard & Jenny Freeman / San Diego
• Misjudged II / Hunter 460 / Patrick Magers / Newport Beach
• Freya / Cal 2-46 / Steven Straitiff / San Diego
• Wind Dancer / Hunter 466 / Phil Helman & Desley Oliphant / Pleasanton
• Iolani / Hughes 48 / Barry  & Sylvia Stompe / Sausalito
• Kailani / Island Packet 485 / Rusty Frantz / Annapolis, MD
• Scout / Jeanneau SO 52.2 / Greg Himes / Whitefish, MT
• Wave Dancer / Transpac 49 MkII / Vladimir Madorsky & Galina Palace / San Diego
• Grinn / Hunter 49 / Brad & Aline Mcdougall / Edmonton, AB
• No Ties / Jeanneau 49 DS / Cary & Robin Spencer / Marina del Rey
• Bon Voyage / Hunter 49 / Craig & Carol Fecker / San Diego
• Dream Catcher / Roberts V495 / Norm & Wili Facey / Vancouver, BC

LANGOSTINO DIVISION 

• Belle / Beneteau 50 / Jack & Sylvia McDermott / San Francisco
• Scarlet Fever / Jeanneau 50 / Paul Hofer / Wilmington, DE
• Talion / Gulfstar 50 / Patsy Verhoeven / La Paz, MEX
• Aesclepius / Bruce Roberts 50 / Donna & Cliff Carter / Edmonton, AB
• Fast  Reorrg / Hunter HC 50 / Ron Orr / Marina del Rey
• Northern Winds / Beneteau/50 / Carmine Petriccione & Gail Scarlett / Coronado
• Distant Drum / Idylle 51 / Harry Hazzard / San Diego
• Scoots / Able Apogee 50 / Eric & Vandy Shrader / San Francisco
• Moonshadow / Deerfoot 2-62 / John & Deb Rogers / San Diego

MUCHOS TACOS — (MULTIHULLS) 

• Reprieve / Horstman Tri Star 38 / Nathan & Cindy Walter / Channel Islands
• Pied-a-Mer III / Seawind 38 / Eric & Pamela Sellix / Clatskanie, OR
• Beach Access / Lagoon 380 / Glenn Twitchell & Debbie Jahn / Newport Beach
• Motu / Cross 40 / Adrian Morgan / St. Thomas, USVI
• FastAlley / Laurent William tri 41 / Julia Brown / Wilmington
• Speakeasy / Manta 42 / Mark & Deanna Roozendaal / Victoria, BC
• Triton / Robertson & Caine 45 cat / Robert Kane & AnnMarie Powers / Emeryville
• Family Circus / Lagoon 470 / Chris & Heather Tzortzis / San Francisco
• Sea Level / Schionning 1480 / James Milski / Lake City, CO

NO COMPRENDE DIVISION — (POWERBOATS)

• Sea-Esta / Acapulco Trawler 40 / Robert &  Sally Reynolds / Ventura
• Sisu III / Kadey Krogen Trawler 48 / Ron & Janet Inberg / Seattle, WA
• Jobsite II / Ocean Alexander 49 / Jack & Patti Balch / Mexico
• Destiny / DeFever 49 Euro / Kyle & Christine Hunter / Newport Beach
• Andante / Transworld Fantail 50 / Kevin Rhone / Seattle, WA
• Choisi / Kadey Krogen Trawler 55 / Sara & Peter Gebhard / Newport, RI
• New School / Chris Craft Constellation 61 / Brian Biggott / Los Angeles