Only if you want to return to America!

Do you think they will let a Stiletto do it? Its just a beach cat on Steroids! You can cary plenty of beer!... uh, I mean water!

Clayton

It used to be the Monte Carlo of this hemisphere. Tons of casinos and high end hotels. Fantastic sport fishing. Tourism out the whazoo.

The google group page says 18-22' cats with a spinnaker.

It also was a haven for prostitution, crime and other "social evils". This is way before my time, but i did see a documentary on it recently.

Passport rules have changed on June 1st, you now also need one to return from the Bahamas. Takes about a month if you don't want to pay extra to expedite it.

Crew available for this one!

It was Vegas before Vegas was Vegas; if you like that kind of thing . Casinos and high end hotels attract that kind of attention.

Of course, a US made documentary may paint a bleaker picture than it really was. Conspiracy theory and all......

It does seem like it was very Vegas, mob run and all!!!

Im up for this one . If anyone needs a Skipper let me know.

Here is the Hemingway Yacht Club. So, where do you put/manage the expected 75-100 beachcats? The north shore line (where the beach is) appears to be secured with a concrete sea wall.

Interesting, seems to be no suitable landing in that general area.

Agreed. We need a different location in Cuba...there appear to be some beaches closer to Havana that would work, however, they also look to be A) Private or B) Resort "owned"

Hang on samc99us. There appears to be alot of effort already in place on this project. I'm sure they are working a solution, i.e. trailers in Key West.

As quoted from John Webster on Scuttlebutt . . .

The USA start and finish line will be in Key West at the White Street Pier. The sail to Cuba will be approx. 95 nautical miles across the Florida Straights and will finish at the sea buoy marking the entrance to the Hemingway Marina. The fleet will sail into the Hemingway Marina and clear Cuban Customs and Immigration prior to pulling the boats out of the water.

After checking into the hotel all crew-members and support staff will be asked to collect at the Hemingway Yacht Club where the Yacht Club will host a Banquette dinner. During this event awards for each class will be given out in addition to the First to Finish trophy. Please read event Rules for complete race information (Work in Progress)

The 2010 CUBA RUN Cultural Event registration will open AUGUST 1st 2010 and end OCTOBER 1st. 2010 so there is plenty of time to plan your participation and organize the needed documentation for this very adventurous and interesting event.

Boat trailer storage and accommodation in Key West is currently under investigation and, as can be imagined, a group of approx. 150 to 200 catamaran sailors and 75 to 100 cat trailers is not an easy task to find storage and crew housing in Key West.

Accommodations in Cuba are currently being researched … there are two hotels located within the Marina grounds. One, The Old Man and the Sea has 140 rooms and is an excellent value for money proposition. The management of this event is currently working with this hotel to obtain group rates for the three nights stay in Cuba.

Again, I'm sure the event organizers are working on the details. I don't think they would expect a wet skipper and crew to pull out a passport, clear customs, while on a beachcat, after sailing 100 miles, while the boat is in the water.

George Bellenger and his KWACS have not been to Cuba for about eight years, but he recently posted this video on Youtube about one of the two official race events he organized with Cuba.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjP8nbIhXOQ

Ironically, even though he has sailed to Cuba on his Hobie 16 a number of times by himself and twice officially as a race (as many as five boats, I think), he is not involved with the organization of this new race and did not know anything about it until I called him today.

I am thinking that Boyd's Campground on Stock Island might be a good place to stay in Key West. George agreed and said there are a lot of places there to pull a catamaran up on shore.

And at Cuba he said there are grassy areas, quite large, along the breakwall where you can pull cats out. If you want beach, you would have to go to Veradero.

How about beach wheels? Are they going to some in Cuba? or do they expect the racers to take wheels with them?

six very tired and exhausted guys just pick it up and carry it to where it has to go.

with this much advance notice, it's definitely a possibility. Probably need that long to drop the extra 25 lbs to make weight on your tiny new F18!

Out of curiosity, I have not crossed the straights before. Would it be safe to assume that the weather/sea conditions vary as much as they do crossing the stream to Bahamas?

I've been across when it's flat as a parking lot (powerboat), and partially across when it got really, really ugly (like "50/50 chance of making it alive" ugly). Bravado has its place, but not in the Stream with inclimate weather.

Didn't Brad get on TV after their sail went afoul and they were stranded in a lifeboat for a week in the stream?