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Old 07-06-2015, 06:15   #1
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Havana Challenge

I ran across a few articles on a Hobie cat race from Key West to Havana that happened a couple of weeks ago. Has anyone any first hand info on the race? Reports I read were kinda skimpy.

Also saw read that Congress voted down a bill to further open relations beyond what Obama has pushed through. The primary reasons given were the loss of property and investments by Americans at Castro's rise to power.

I feel partisan politics is likely the major cause of the bill being blocked.


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Old 07-06-2015, 14:53   #2
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Re: Havana Challenge

The real reason is the superior negotiating ability of our current administration. Castro gets everything he wants, probably even Guantanamo, and the people of Cuba got nothing. We got the return of one of our citizens held as a political prisoner. Castro immediately went on an opposition witch hunt after the agreement and locked up many of those not fully behind his 'Animal Farm' government.
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Old 07-06-2015, 16:27   #3
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Re: Havana Challenge

How easy it is to forget that the Cuban revolution was predicated on the evils of the Batista regime. Fidel could never have pulled it off if there were a just system in
Cuba. Not saying that I am personally familiar with life in Havana but bringing in more commerce and modernity will likely benefit the average citizen more than continuing the embargo.
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Old 07-06-2015, 16:28   #4
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Re: Havana Challenge

How easy it is to forget that the Cuban revolution was predicated on the evils of the Batista regime. Fidel could never have pulled it off if there were a just system in
Cuba. Not saying that I am personally familiar with life in Havana but bringing in more commerce and modernity will likely benefit the average citizen more than continuing the embargo.
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Old 07-06-2015, 16:48   #5
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Re: Havana Challenge

I believe it was a race within Cuba. a republican wants to be president in 2016. Hell, two cubanos are running. One was born in Canada and therefore as eligible to be president as a hypothetical guy born in Kenya......

They'll be beating the drums about evil Castro, etc, etc to turn out the vote in 2016. I'm going next winter like I did in 2009.
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Old 07-06-2015, 17:15   #6
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Re: Havana Challenge

Well............ about the recent race from Key West to Cuba......

The winners, Will and a friend from my old stomping grounds in Alabama conveyed on Facebook that it was a blast. Fast, fast and challenging. Ten hours and twenty three minutes, setting a new time record as well. Choppy seas and trapped out the whole way.

The number two boat was challenging for the lead in the last hours but thinks they may have had a mechanical issue late in the run.

This is from memory, though I looked briefly for the FB post, f my slow phone.
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Old 07-06-2015, 18:19   #7
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Re: Havana Challenge

My mistake, there is a race from varadero to Havana in the spring. Surprised this got so little press.


Media | The Havana Challenge
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Old 07-06-2015, 20:23   #8
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Re: Havana Challenge

Quote:
Originally Posted by four winds View Post
Well............ about the recent race from Key West to Cuba......

The winners, Will and a friend from my old stomping grounds in Alabama conveyed on Facebook that it was a blast. Fast, fast and challenging. Ten hours and twenty three minutes, setting a new time record as well. Choppy seas and trapped out the whole way.

The number two boat was challenging for the lead in the last hours but thinks they may have had a mechanical issue late in the run.

This is from memory, though I looked briefly for the FB post, f my slow phone.

I found a couple of short write ups. I read on a Hemingway Marina post that 3 boats finished.
Haven't seen details on the other boats.

I too am amazed at the lack of coverage. It is ground breaking as it seemed to have happened without official sanction and without consequence.


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Old 08-06-2015, 07:44   #9
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Re: Havana Challenge

My daughter lives in Key West, and her boyfriend was on one of the Hobies that raced......or tried to race. The cat he was on broke apart, and another was dismasted along the route! Plenty of support vessels.

When in Cuba there were in-harbor races, that the Cuban teams won, and a couple of schooners went over and hosted some Cuban youth aboard.

I, too, would have liked to have seen more coverage of this race, as it was the first sanctioned in 50 years!
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Old 08-06-2015, 09:08   #10
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Re: Havana Challenge

"How easy it is to forget that the Cuban revolution was predicated on the evils of the Batista regime." IdoraKeeper


Idora,
Could you please explain from a historical perspective what these "evils" were? Also, do you have any information about Cuba that you could share with us from acquaintances you knew personally that lived in Cuba under Batista?
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Old 08-06-2015, 09:31   #11
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pirate Re: Havana Challenge

Ahhh flock.. its not worth getting involved..
Corruption is normal and acceptable to some
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Old 08-06-2015, 10:37   #12
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Re: Havana Challenge

I submit, that a way to make this race more exciting, and to garner more publicity, would be to add the requirement of making the turnaround mark to be to pick up a Cuban on the beach, and bring them back with you to Key West! (Then you would know for sure they really went all the way)
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Old 08-06-2015, 12:25   #13
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Re: Havana Challenge

Quote:
Originally Posted by Liunatic View Post
My daughter lives in Key West, and her boyfriend was on one of the Hobies that raced......or tried to race. The cat he was on broke apart, and another was dismasted along the route! Plenty of support vessels.

When in Cuba there were in-harbor races, that the Cuban teams won, and a couple of schooners went over and hosted some Cuban youth aboard.

I, too, would have liked to have seen more coverage of this race, as it was the first sanctioned in 50 years!

I was afraid that a couple of the cats had trouble with the stream. Glad to hear there were support boats. There was no mention of them in what I had read.

The thought of being able to drop over to Cuba likely has more than a few sailors excited. As for corruption, not everyone had the privilege of hearing the trickle down economics speech.


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Old 12-06-2015, 13:45   #14
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Re: Havana Challenge

All governments are full of corruption. It's just easier to see in smaller countries, and of course we all like to point fingers at the other guys. But they're all corrupt. You don't get very far in national politics if you don't learn how the game is played.
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Old 27-06-2015, 11:54   #15
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Re: Havana Challenge

We are looking forward to cruising our boat to Cuba someday!
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