From the "Scuttlebutt" e-newsletter:
* The Cuba Run will be the first open ocean beach catamaran sail to Cuba and back. As Cuba is still off limits and has restrictions to free travel and other limitations for all USA Citizens, the US Treasury has made available a way to travel to Cuba on a Cultural Exchange mission such as this event. The start and finish line will be in Key West, with the distance to Cuba to be approx. 95 nautical miles. The event includes a leg to Cuba, a day of racing in Cuban waters, a layday, and the leg back to Key West. -- Details:
http://forum.sailingscuttlebutt.com/cgi-bin/gforum.cgi?post=7539

Depart KW at 10:00 and be ready in Cuba for the drinks by 21:00? You'll have to average almost 9 knots, do-able under good weather conditions...

Any support craft? I'd hate to rip a sail or break a rudder about 1/2 way across...

yes, there should be dozens of rafts, banana boats, homemade sailboats, and perhaps even a few "go fasts" cruising (at least on the return leg). Just make sure you have your green card in-case your "support craft" is pulled over by the USCG

That's....uhhh...part of the 'adventure'.

Sounds like a blast to me!

(why has this board gotten so negative recently?)

Hrm, this looks...awesome.

Sorry, didn't mean to sound so negative about it, because it does sound adventurous.

Besides, doesn't Hermanos de la rescue provide overwatch in that area?

Velocity Sailing 1 has signed up...Jaime Livingston and I.

Wow! I saw this on the Hobie Forum and didn't want to get into it 'cause I was tied up with Tawd.

I do have more than a passing interest in this since in an earlier life I organized the "Key West to Cuba Race" in 1979 and 1980. We sailed from Key West Harbor to Varadero which is 45 miles east of Havana and has a wonderful harbor. The Cubans welcomed us and our US dollars, although we were greeted at the finish line by gunboats with manned machine guns. Nobody told the Navy we were coming! After a short delay, they covered the guns and happily escorted us into the harbor.

It was just done for two years and cancelled in 1981 because of the Mariel boat lift, and the Carter Administartion cut off all travel to Cuba again.

In 1979 we had made contact with the Cuban tourism bureau (INTUR) about the possibility of doing a race to Cuba. Several Key West Conchs had relatives that were in touch with the head of INTUR, Vincente de la Guardia. The short of it was, I was put in charge and we did the race twice.

The first year (1979) we had about 70 boats including the maxi-boat Desparado out of Boston. We had many current top IOR boats, a MORC class, and several PHRF cruising classes. The smallest boat was a Lindenburg 22. There were about ten J/24s.

Although only about 90 miles, this is a very arduous passage, not to be taken lightly. We went at night so as to make navigation easier, this being before GPS and Loran on smaller boats.

I'm not saying it would be fool-hardy on beach cats, but certainly someone else will. With a good weather window and proper chase boats, it would be an awsome adventure. However, it would consume a lot of resources to do it safely.

Props to the organizers and anyone who participates.

Wow talk about an entrance!.. Last time i had a machine gun escort...

I just saw on cnn that there has been a run on flights to Cuba since Obama eased restrictions and its turning into a nice little boom in Cuba economy.

All politics aside ... good, i hope the cuban people can have a little economic boom

I've been following this also. If it does happen, I'll be there...

That sounds like a great adventure, and the possibility of a great race as well. Loads of drama for sure. I would love to do it.

This is certainly not the FIRST cat race to Cuba. It happened at least twice in the late 90's, and maybe early 2000's, organized by (I think the name is) George Ballenger, of Key West. I don't know if he is still there and still doing it, but I know he got stopped at some point by the Treasury Department.

We had a story and picture about one of his trips (I think all on Hobie 16's) in "Catamaran Sailor."

After they got to Veradero, they hooked up with Hobie sailors in Cuba and had a race over to Havana and then had buoys races there with the Cubans.

Can I come too, I have never been to Cuba. I might get some new boat ideas seeing all those car boats.

I guess if they allowed other boats, if the beachcats had a problem, the lead mines would eventually catch up to them to render aid?

Just threw the idea out to my Tybee crew. If we can swing it, we'll be there

Count me in.

Other than my boat is too short, I think this is awesome. On the Hobie forum the dude made it sound like it was going to be a Hobie only thing though. He hasn't posted on there for a few days though.

He has signed several of his posts under the name John A Webster. Any of you south Florida veterans know him?

I think he's in Dallas, he's registered for the GT 300.

on your Formula 18, the Melges 24, 0r the Reynolds 33???

Aloha - B