How To Ha-Ha
If you’re new to the Baja Ha-Ha cruisers rally (from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas), you probably have a boatload of questions about it. We hope the following list of . . .
Frequently Asked Questions
. . . will give you many of the answers you’ve been looking for.
Select a topic below or just scroll down for all the questions and answers.
Q) When is the Baja Ha-Ha?
A) The event begins every year near the end of October or early November. The 2023 dates will be November 4 - 16. November 3is the Skipper’s Meeting and Kick-Off Party. The boats depart San Diego on the morning of November 4.
Q) I want to crew on a Baja Ha-Ha boat. Can you get me a ride?
A) The Rally Committee does not match up skippers and crew but we do have crew and boat lists. Looking for a Ride on a Boat? or Looking for a Crew Member?
Q) What’s the total distance of the event?
A) Approximately 750 miles.
Q) Are there stops along the way?
A) Yes, two stops. The first at Turtle Bay aka Bahia Tortuga and the second at Bahia Santa Maria. The event is timed so that even the slowest boats will get about a day and a half of rest at each stop.
Q) Why is it called a rally rather than a race?
A) Although some boats invariably push hard to arrive earlier than others in their class, most participants are primarily looking for a safe and comfortable trip down the coast. Unlike a race, you can use your engine when you feel like it. You can also go ‘off-piste’, so to speak, as long as you inform the race committee. This means you can stop at whatever anchorages you like, and leave a little late or early. The Ha-Ha organizers don’t see their role as making a lot of rules, but as facilitating everyone’s responsible pleasure.
Q) I just signed up. How do I request a slip in Cabo?
A) No need to do anything. We will contact you about any available slips in Marina Cabo San Lucas. For a slip in San Jose del Cabo contact Marina Puerto Los Cabos directly.
Q) Does the event involve a lot of heavy partying?
A) No. There are numerous social events, although none are mandatory. But if your goal is to get drunk, party into the wee hours, and shake your booty all the way down the Baja peninsula, the Ha-Ha is not for you. Sure, most folks have a beer or two and might do some dancing at the beach parties, the Ha-Ha has never been about wild and crazy behavior.
Q) What sort of boats can enter the Ha-Ha?
A) The event is open to all boats over 27 feet that were designed, built, and have been maintained for open ocean sailing. If you’re not sure your boat fits that criteria, get a trip survey from a marine surveyor. Smaller boats can enter with the specific approval of the Grand Poobah.
Q) Can powerboats enter the event?
A) Yes, powerboats are also welcome.
Q) What about communication? Are there morning nets during the Ha-Ha?
A) In port and at the start of each leg the morning net is on VHF69. Offshore Ha-Ha boats monitor VHF69 during the rally for boat-to-boat communications. The rally committee may not answer VHF69 as they may not be in range but other members of the fleet will. There are no offshore morning nets.
Q) What offshore communication devices are required for check-ins?
A) All Ha-Ha boats must be capable of long-distance two-way communication. Communication must be via SMS text or email. Texting devices include the InReach, InReach Mini, Go!, or satphone as they can communicate with the Rally Committee's InReach. Email may be with Starlink, HF radio with pactor modem or software, GO!, satphone, or other satellite devices such as SpotX, Bivy Stick, or Zoleo. Cell phones do not qualify as they will not work offshore and away from cell tower signals.
Q) What are the crew requirements? Is singlehanding allowed?
A) All Ha-Ha entries must have a minimum of two crew with overnight offshore experience, so singlehanding is not allowed. While a lot of couples doublehand, the Ha-Ha covers a pretty good distance in a relatively short period, so you’ll probably enjoy the sailing and the R&R stops more if you’ve got at least four competent crew on your boat. But such decisions are yours alone, not the Rally Committees.
Q) Does the Rally Committee inspect entered boats?
A) No. The Committee does not do inspections. It’s the responsibility of each owner or skipper to make sure the boat is safely equipped and maintained for adverse offshore conditions.
Q) Does the Committee arrange slips in San Diego?
A) The Baja Ha-Ha Rally Committee DOES NOT arrange berthing at San Diego. There are usually a fair amount of berths available in San Diego, particularly in the South Bay. However, if the entire Baja Ha-Ha fleet cannot be accommodated in marinas much of the overflow can anchor in a specially designated free anchorage.
Q) What are the typical sailing conditions?
A) There are three legs in each Ha-Ha, so there have been 84 legs to date. Of those 84 legs, only two of them have been upwind. Indeed, the typical Ha-Ha conditions are light-to-moderate following winds with small-to-moderate seas. But the Pacific Ocean is not a controlled environment, so while conditions are generally benign, you nonetheless must be prepared for the possibility of heavy weather. Weather forecasts will be passed along during the roll call each morning. But remember, a forecast is a prediction, not a guarantee.
Q) What sort of facilities and services can be found along the way?
A) The two stops along the way are Turtle Bay, a dusty but charming fishing village far off the main road, and primitive Bahia Santa Maria, which is truly out in the middle of nowhere. The former has a couple of small tiendas, a few low-capacity restaurants, an internet cafe, and usually some diesel. It does not have ATMs, banks, McDonald's, boatyards, or spas. Bahia Santa Maria has nothing — except a restaurant that magically appears one day a year, along with a rock ‘n roll band, just for the Ha-Ha. You need to be pretty self-sufficient from San Diego to Cabo. Many of the Ha-Ha's sponsors offer services in either California or Mexico.
Q) Can I buy fuel along the way?
A) It’s almost always available at Turtle Bay but extremely expensive. Just past Turtle Bay if you anchor at Asuncion panga drivers will bring fuel at a moderate price. If you need some in Bahia Santa Maria, you’ll have to get it from other cruisers. But a trip up to San Jose in Mag Bay will probably result in fuel.
Q) How much is the entry fee?
A) The entry fee is a non-refundable $495 per boat. (However, if you are under 35, or your boat is under 35 feet, we offer a discounted rate of $450.) These rates are only about 25% of the cost of similar two-week rallies elsewhere in the States and around the world.
Q) How do I sign up?
A) Registration for the rally opens on this website annually in May. Entry packets with your Ha-Ha Burgee and rally information will go out beginning in July. There is no in-person sign-up.
Q) Is there any reason to sign up early, rather than waiting until the last minute?
A) One very good reason to sign up early is that the very few berths that are available in Cabo are assigned based on the order boats signed up for the event. This may not seem like much now, but when your key crewmembers have been without a luxurious shower for 10 days, and your boat needs washing & her tanks filled, the demand for slips goes way up.
Q) What do I get for my entry fee?
A) The number one thing you get for your entry fee is the opportunity, not a guarantee, to have a great time on the ocean with a great group of people. Each boat receives "Meet the Fleet" roster with fleet bios where you can read up about what boat you are sailing close to, who is aboard, whether they've been to Mexico before, and where they are going after the Ha-Ha. This really makes things fun, and isn't found on any other rally in the world..
Entrants also get swag bags with things like hats, shirts, sunglasses, frisbees, beach balls, discount flyers, and more. Many of these things are also for sale at the Ha-Ha ship's store.
The captain and first mate get entry, food, and drink at the Costume Kick-Off Party in San Diego. Everyone gets free entry to the beach parties in Turtle Bay and Bahia Santa Maria and free entry to the legendary Bazeball Game in Turtle Bay.
Q) I'm a crewmember, how can I get event updates?
A) During September and October emails are sent to all entrants. If you would like to be included in the email list fill out your Crew Waiver now and answer "YES" to the question on group emails from the Rally Committee.
Q) Will there be a Committee Boat within the fleet?
A) Yes, the Wanderer and Grand Poobah’s 63-ft catamaran Profligate will be the mothership once again, with the Wanderer serving as Grand Poobah, and Doña de Mallorca as the Chief of Security. The mothership has over 40 trips along the Baja coast to her credit, and crewmembers on the mothership have well over 100 Ha-Has to their collective credit.
Q) Are there key dates I should be aware of?
A) Please look over the schedule of Important Dates.
Q) Where can I check for event updates?
A) Prior to the event keep checking the News on the homepage of the Ha-Ha website for periodic updates. During September and October emails are sent to all entrants containing important information including mandatory offshore communication setup and recent changes to Mexican paperwork requirements. If you have not gotten an email from us by October 1 check your spam folder or email patsy@baja-haha.com to be sure we have your correct email address.
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