If the boat is doucmented and has a US hailing port on the stern, it
will probably be seized as you enter Cuban waters. If she gets a British
Passport and puts the boat under British flag, maybe not, but still a
risk. GC is getting strict about keeping boats out of Cuba.
Kelton

Skip Gundlach wrote:
Hi, JR, and thanks for the note.

"JR Gilbreath" wrote in message
.. .

Hi Skip
When are you planning to jump off and where are you heading?
JR Gilbreath



Our jumpoff is in limbo, as alluded to in the "removals" thread. To try to
shorten the story, the refit is going extremely slowly and even more
expensively, but it will end (at least on my part) when it gets too hot to
comfortably work on the boat, expected to be mid-May, or so.

Then, I expect more surgery, with the attendant rehab. Don't yet know, as
the MRIs haven't been read, yet, for the surgeon's input: Could be minor
(couple of months) or major (up to a year) or in between, before we could
leave, safely and comfortably.

My house is in jeopardy at the moment, for technical reasons, but will
eventually be sold. If we can work out the technical stuff without having
to go to court and without losing the current buyer, it will sell sometime
pretty soon. Otherwise, it will have to start from scratch, never having
been listed.

However, once those things are worked out, we expect to meander to St.
Thomas where we'll make our base, figuring to work high season, cruising the
Caribbean the rest of the time, and, significantly, spending hurricane
season out of the belt. The meander, depending on the actual time of year
to start, will perhaps include some US east coastal cruising, my preference,
as it would provide a shakedown to all we've done while still within BoatUS'
unlimited towing, cell phone range, and plentiful chandlery access.
Otherwise, we'll do the thorny path, but take our time in the upper parts,
never expecting to return to them, and not wanting to miss out on
experiencing them.

A long shot which I've yet to explore is that Lydia's a Brit by virtue of
birth, despite having a US passport. Coincidentally, the boat's in her
name, as well. If she got a Brit passport, and paid all the bills, could we
go to Cuba? From St. Pete, that's certainly easier than the Bahamas,
especially when we have to be out of FL, and document same, within 20 days
(tax avoidance). Depending on a weather window from that far away to do a
Gulf Crossing is a bit dicey; going straight to Cuba would be a piece of
cake.

After (assuming such a time comes) growing tired of the EC, we'll likely do
the Western Caribbean. Lydia's mom and sister still live in England, so an
Atlantic circumnav isn't out of the question. Her twin lives in Hong Kong,
so a RTW isn't out of the question, either. But, the reality is that we'll
likely never leave the Caribbean basin.

Thanks for asking :{))

L8R

Skip and Lydia, in high states of tension, stress and anxiety