Getting Work Done in Mexico

Sergio Gallindo at work on Sea Story's stainless steel top rail in preparation for the new bimini frame it will support. Sergio enjoys a reputation as one of the top stainless steel fabricators in Baja.

One of the benefits of bringing a sailboat down to Mexico is the ability to get excellent work done on the boat at bargain prices. Many of the Mexican craftsman have worked in the U.S. and found their skills were appreciated back in Mexico where the cost and the pace of living were easier to handle. The well developed network of cruising sailors also provides plenty of work for the really talented practitioners.

La paz is particularly fortunate in this regard. With a large boating community and easy access to U.S. marine products, people like Sergio Gallindo can develop a reputation that keeps them busy and lets them support their families even when the rest of the Mexican economy is depressed as it unfortunately is now.

Sergio is a stainless steel fabricator with an artist's eye for design and workmanship. For years he worked in Alameda, California and developed an impressive reputation in the Bay boating community. Now he has his own business and still has customers from the Bay area who stop by La paz to have him work on their boats down here.

Chicago's "Cloud Gate" is one of Sergio's resume' pieces. He did finish work on this massive stainless steel sculpture, which is also known less formally as "The Bean."

This project was a family affair with Sergio's wife, Guadalupe, and his apprentice assisting him. After they finished the job, Sergio brought us a meal of delicious Chile Rellenos that Guadalupe had fixed for us; a touching and very personal gesture that is so typical of the Mexican people.