Just like others have said, Cuba is now fair game, it just must be entered through a different country. Many people fly into Toronto then on to Cuba, They generally just stamp a piece of paper in your passport, then you remove it when you leave.

I cross from West Palm to Freeport a few times a year and you have to pick your day relative to weather. If you watch the fronts as they approach the Florida Peninsula and the Bahamas you can forecast it yourself.

If the area is under high pressure for severaldays you are generally good to go...if there is an approaching front...stay home.

cant wait.. something about Cuba that interests me, wanna do a little more research before i commit myself.. but everything ive read tells me its pretty straight forward.. its ganna be interesting.

I just saw your thread now. Maybe go thru my thread and will learn a lot. Cuban authorities will not stamp your passport if you ask them not to. They understand why. If you do go by boat, be sure to call the dockmaster at Marina Hemingway in advance and you will not have the problems with entry like we did. It's a long way around via Bahamas. Good luck, Bob

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/g...vana-cuba.html

I agree with Bob and Perlmudder on the no stamp required.

I go to Jamaica fairly often, and have been offered a Cuba day trip from Mo Bay a couple times. So I checked into that stamp question with a local charter who said not an issue entering Cuba as an American from there. They are not interested in your passport, only that you brought some U.S dollars to spend.

Posts on popular sailing forums tend to agree, but also several have posted about being questioned by USCG on the way back to FL. Main tip I've read is don't use your CC while there cause that will most likely get ya nasty letter when ya get home... Besides that, everyone I've spoken with who's done it says it's a great place to chill for cheap. So I'll ride with ya, any route ya wanta go...

Because the weather forecasts are never wrong. :party-smiley-004:

There are a couple factors with the weather down there. One of the wave controlling factors is the direction of the wind, on shore or off shore and just 180º can make it like a calm lake to a raging ocean. Another factor, sometimes the storms just stay over land not moving and other times the storms stay over the water not moving, either way airmass thunderstorms tend not to move much if at all. Then lastly is the squalls, usually a little easier to predict due to a pushing force usually in the form of a cold front and they usually pack the meanest punch. Then one last factor are the tides and currents as if you don't have enough to worry about.

A lot more to consider weather wise than what is served up at LOTO. :lolhit:

It's not what country you go to before Cuba it's the one you leave from after.

how far is it across there? Was wondering what kind of fuel capacity a twin engine bout would need to make the trip?

90 miles from Key West but that is the short leg. Coming home through the Bahamas is the long leg

Ok Im ready but I will have an AK on board just incase there are pirates! lol For real it would be great if we could get at least 5 boats so we could run together incase something happened to a boat we would not be stranded!!!!!!!