the defense department regrets to inform you that your sons are dead because they were stupid.

loved that line

If you're going to quote me, get it right, it's not that tough.



Once again read the post I made about experience. Who has said anything about it being a "jump across the pond"? That's where I point out the fact that if you have little experience with these types of events, think about what you post. If you think the organizers will ALLOW newbies do it, then you're wrong.



Until I see you at a serious long distance event that requires open ocean navigation and skills, I will assume you are an "arm chair distance sailor" every time you post advise about the subject. I've read all your posts including the "home brewed map" I'm sure charts, GPS's and EPIRBS will be used in leiu of your map.



Mutual feelings after reading all your posts about this.



Yes, that's why we do it. Obviously it isn't worth it to you. It's not for everyone thats for sure. Not knocking anyone who choses not to do it based on ther own threshold limit value for adventure, I just don't think they should be considered experts on the subject. Experts on plucking victims from the water yes, and I salute you for that but that is far different than preparing and actually doing this type of sailing.

Here it goes again, another thread getting nasty

Robi versus Lee... now that'd be a clash of the Titans

But it took 10 pages and considering the subject and tone from the get go that's pretty impressive. Maybe it's the holiday season that is keeping the sh!t fights at bay.

I'll pose this question....

What is more dangerous, night legs in the Worrell or this?

I've done those night legs... IMO, the 95 miles to Cuba is probably safer.

No need to clash Todd, I am just posting from MY point of view which is a bit different from the experienced distance sailor.

I just hate seeing tax dollars spent looking for those people who were wholely unprepared for any type of expedition (climbing, sailing, diving, hiking, etc).

Prudence on the part of organizers is warranted. How do you properly 'vett' a sailor for an offshore race? Just being offshore?

Being that part of this course will be out of sight of any landmass, is there any required test of navigation?

How about first aid? MOB? CPR?

No clash. There just seems to be alot of assumptions being made and worst case cenarios based on those assumptions. The Great Texas Race is done now with full notification of the Coast Guard in each leg of the race. They know each team and are aware of our route and number of boats. We even see them out on the water the first part of the first leg. They did a fly by on us near Corpus. Leg one of the GT will put you about 40 miles off ANY land mass if you take the rhumb line (which we did last year again). I know the risks. So do many others who do it. Hell, I flipped out there in 08 and got separated from the boat with my eardrum getting busted in the process. I was able to get back to the boat and continue but point being, we know the risks. Had I not made it back to the boat, I probably would have not made it to shore till the next morning. We do have EPIRBS. Robi, does the Coast Guard not use those or something? Not being a smart butt but wouldn't that cut down the area to be searched on your map?
In a nutshell, my interpretation of your posts is that you think that just anyone can come do this event without any scrutinazation from the organizers. I'm trying to tell you that it's not the case as more details will be made available shortly. There is a Safety Officer. He is the same Safety Officer who does the Great Texas Race. He is the one who spearheaded the operation of getting the Coast Guard involved with the race and there is no reason for me to believe he wont be just as effective with The Cuba Run.

I saw on another sailing forum where someone said, "I've only been sailing two years, this sounds like a great race, I've got to get X boat so that I can do it"

I wanted to chime in but didn't feel like joining the conversation... i don't think people like that are going to be allowed to enter.

I think this is a case of personal responsibility too. If the RC deems you fit to do the race, you have to accept the peril that you are putting yourself in. I think there are only two and MAYBE three skippers at the most that I would do this race with.

I have poked some fun at the chase boat aspect of this race at the expense of the organizers who are putting their hearts and soul into it. I officially apologize and retract my previous two statements.
All kidding aside the caliber of people who will be on this race are those that know that sailing is an inherantly dangerous sport and they are accepting up front the posibilities of their actions.
To the men and women of the US Coast Gaurd, I want to say thank you for all that you do...except for the time you pulled me over because their were three girls in bikinis on board. We know that you risk your lives each day to save our. I am just curious why you do that? Is it maybe for the same reason we go put ourselves in harms way in the first place? Because deep down we are hooked on adrenalin?
To those who do this race...God Speed.

Maybe for a sense of worth, like their job actually matters?

It is good to know that there will be some scrutiny placed on the boats and sailors. The one thing that most people are overlooking here is the potential damage to the reputation of this event should something go horribly wrong. "International Incident" hazard aside, if someone were lost on this race, it would make a lot of headlines with unneeded (negative) publicity

I think it would be nice to share the selection criteria especially if there are those organizers thinking of new and challenging races/venues who might benefit from the shared wisdom...

Good question on the EPIRBs. The CG is now using the new frequency now, right? with the GPS and owner information?

If you read the rules, there is required equipment for each sailor to carry on their person; sat epirb or sat phone along with gps, flares and other stuff.

"what's the worst that could happen?"

That one Fastnet race springs to mind... but I was more worried about colliding with "go fasts" at night.

I don't know why I was thinking about this race last night but I had a thought regarding the danger level and possible bad publicity plus the possible need for others to go into harms way to save you. Mankinds history is dotted with undertakings of dangerous proportions both to better the human race and for personal reasons as well. Here are a few endeavors that come to mind. I'll bet at the time everyone said they were crazy.

Breaking the sound barrier
Going into space
Going to the moon
Private citizen going into space (X Prize)
Wright Brothers
NASCAR
The Race contestants (Giant Cats and Tri racing around the world)
Hydropheter
Fastnet
Around Alone aka Vende Globe

The list goes on.

don't forget sailing AROUND the world to get to india

Oh, please. The race to Cuba doesn't even register on that list.

Do you think that anyone will remember who won this race in 10 years?

Get real.

Floating Cubans
This page is dedicated to the ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit of the various Cuban refugees who have attempted to sail to the United States on homemade vessels cleverly crafted from old American cars. Unfortunately, often they have been caught before reaching American soil, and returned to Cuba. Here's to you, floating Cubans! Your cleverness and your persistence inspire me. May you all achieve your goal, and finally reach the land of McDonald's, Disney, and Coca-Cola.

The Original Cuban Truck Raft
The original attempt at reaching the United States was done with a converted 1951 Chevy pickup truck on July 16, 2003. The truck's drive shaft was attached directly to a propeller and the craft could reportedly reach a leisurely 7 knots (8 mph). 55-gallon oil drums were used for flotation. The dozen or so Cubans in the truck were caught just south of Key West after being sighted by a U.S. Customs aircraft.


Starboard side of the truck raft. Photograph taken by the U.S. Coast Guard. Click the image for a larger version.
Back view of truck raft, showing spacious cargo capacity.


Closeup of the truck raft from the front, showing one of its passengers checking the engine under the hood.
Another side view of the truck raft.


This valiant and ingenious attempt at fleeing Cuba earned the original crew the proud title of camionautas (truckonauts). Unfortunately, instead of being rewarded for their cleverness, the Cubans were repatriated back to Cuba. Sadly, the pickup truck was also later sunk (reportedly through the copious application of machine-gun fire!) by the U.S. Coast Guard.

Here are links to some news stories and notable websites mentioning the original Cuban truck raft.

•Havana Journal - Cubans found at sea on pickup truck converted to motor raft
•CubaNet - Coast Guard sends back Cubans who tried to sail to U.S. in a truck
•CNN.com - Cruisin' Cubans found at sea on '51 Chevy
•St. Petersburg Times - Cuban truck sank to deter copycats
•cellar Image of the Day - 1951 Chevy Truck-Raft
•Balloon Juice - America or Bust!
Taking the Buick Out for a Spin
In early February of 2004, three of the original truckonauts made a second attempt to reach Florida. Their new, more sophisticated vessel, with a passenger complement of eleven, was crafted from a 1959 Buick: the interior was welded to be watertight, the prow of a boat was attached to the front of the car, and, amazingly, the car was fully functional and still had its tires. Their audacious plan was to reach landfall in Florida, discard the boat parts, and drive to a relative's home in Lake Worth, FL.


The 1959 Buick converted car-boat


There's something about this second attempt that just makes me smile. I guess it warms my soul to think that if you're going to make a desperate seaward journey to flee your homeland, you can still do it in style, and with your hearts full of hope.

Here are links to some news stories and notable websites mentioning the second truckonaut attempt at reaching U.S. shores:

•canf.org - Cubans trade in pickup for Buick on trip to U.S.
•CNN.com - Cubans try floating vintage car to Florida
•Miami Herald - Cubans' Buick pulled over at sea (free registration required)
This particular ocean-crossing had a happier result for its intrepid passengers. After a lengthy stay at Guantanamo (during which master mechanic and original truckonaut Luis Grass, who created the original truck raft in 2003, reportedly longingly eyed various military trucks as potential conversions), a group of 20 Cuban migrants, including Grass and his family, was granted passage to relative freedom in Costa Rica.

•CNN.com - Cuban car-boat family to stay in Florida -- for now
•Cuban News - Cuban family celebrates U.S. move to send "Buick family" to Gitmo
•Miami Herald - Cuban 'truckonaut,' family call Costa Rica home (free registration required)
Update! As of March of 2005, an even happier ending may be in store for Luis Grass, his wife Isora, and their 5-year-old son Angel Luis, as they finally entered the United States—by land! Their incredible 24 day journey from Costa Rica took them through six countries and involved trekking through jungles, hitchhiking, sleeping outdoors, and eventually sneaking through the Mexico-U.S. border from Matamoros, Mexico. Here's a website with the full story:

•Movimiento Democracia - Family makes epic journey to America
Let's all raise a mojito to honor Luis Grass and his family for their persistence, bravery, mechanical aptitude, and sheer chutzpah. ¡Bravo!

Taxi, Please!
Not to be outdone, Rafael Diaz Reyes, another of the original truckonauts, made another attempt at U.S. landfall on June 8, 2005. His craft, a converted 1949 Mercury station wagon, appears to follow the design of the second-attempt 1959 Buick car boat. It carried 13 people and was stopped at the usual area just off Key West. The Mercury was apparently originally a taxi. Driver! To Florida, and hurry!


Reuters video photo of Mercury taxi boat
Miami NBC6 video grab showing taxi boat getting pulled over by the U.S. Coast Guard


Here are links to some news stories and notable websites mentioning this most recent Cuban taxi-turned-boat.

•South Florida Sun-Sentinel - Water taxi carrying 13 Cubans intercepted off Key West (includes video footage!)
•Reuters - U.S. finds Cubans fleeing in amphibious 49 Mercury
•Miami Herald - Migrants' 'taxicab' boat stopped at sea (free registration required)
The fate of this most recent group of truckonauts is at this point uncertain. Their families are calling on the U.S. to provide them political asylum.



Please e-mail any suggestions, corrections, or pointers to additional information and photographs to Andrew Ho (webmaster@floatingcubans.com).

Disclaimers: Border protection and immigration policy are complicated issues; this page just recognizes the spirit of the truckonauts who took brave and clever steps to take matters in their own hands. It is not the author's intention to violate any copyrights. Please contact me if there are issues with images or quotes on this page.