I been 'nvited to a sintifik conference in Havana in late Sept this
year. My boat (a 28' S2) will probably still be in S. Florida then.
What y'all think of sailin there from the Keys?
Supposedly, its all OK since its fer scientifik purposes n all. Even
gonna give a talk might be titled "Entropy Reversal in an Old Sailboat".

Troll

I don't think my other post worked. I would contact the coast guard
and customs office for pre-authorisation, or better yet have the
conference do it. If you just go, and then come back, you will be
fined.

On 6 Mar 2005 11:25:51 -0800, "boatgeek"
wrote:

If you just go, and then come back, you will be
fined.

===========

Or worse yet: Fined, confined and loss of boat. The risks are too
high unless you have official approval, in writing.

I hear its s'posed to be ok for scientific or certain educational
purposes and this is a legit science organization holdin its
conference. They want to put us up in a hotel and make us fly from
Caymans or something similar but wheres the fun in that? Conference
organizers say its ok (where we heerd that'un?) but I guess I'll ask
proper authority first. Y'all just wanna ruin my fun.

Wayne.B wrote:
On 6 Mar 2005 11:25:51 -0800, "boatgeek"
wrote:

If you just go, and then come back, you will be
fined.

===========

Or worse yet: Fined, confined and loss of boat. The risks are too
high unless you have official approval, in writing.

On 6 Mar 2005 20:19:01 -0800, wrote:

Y'all just wanna ruin my fun.

=======================

Not really, I'd just like to see you keep the boat.

As of 2/23/04, when our president signed a new decree, our government
can confiscate your boat if you even have charts of Cuba which obviously
indicate your intent to visit that country and contribute to the evil
communist economy. Stay away from Cuba until our goddamned deserter
president is gone. Unfortunately all of our past presidents have been
almost this stupid since 1963.

Capt. Jeff

Tamaroak wrote:
As of 2/23/04, when our president signed a new decree, our government

can confiscate your boat if you even have charts of Cuba which
obviously
indicate your intent to visit that country and contribute to the evil

communist economy. Stay away from Cuba until our goddamned deserter
president is gone. Unfortunately all of our past presidents have been

almost this stupid since 1963.

Capt. Jeff

Well, that Dumbass JFK who couldnt even git his PT109 outa ythe way of
a destroyer started it all.

I bleve I really do have authorization to visit, the question is if I
can take my boat instead of flying and staying in a hotel.

Go either way and tell of your experience if you have authorisation.
We'd all love to hear what's going on now.

What happens is that anyone entering Cuba recieves an automatic fine of
10,000 regardless of the reason ( I know this first hand). You will
recieve the fine around 8 months after returning.

It happens now as a matter of routine and the treasury department has 3
times the treasury agents assigned to prosecute offenders as they have
assigned to track down the funding of asama bin laden and sadam hussein
combined (associated press article last year).

You will have to prove your validity in writing at that point. You
can request a court case, but from what I've heard they are so backed
up that no one gets it.

If you do it via boat, the coast guard has been given full
authorisation for seizing any boat under any flag via a presidential
order last year. But if you have authorisation, you should be able to
show it when they board and search you.

Good luck,

Doug

wrote:
I been 'nvited to a sintifik conference in Havana in late Sept this
year. My boat (a 28' S2) will probably still be in S. Florida then.
What y'all think of sailin there from the Keys?
Supposedly, its all OK since its fer scientifik purposes n all. Even
gonna give a talk might be titled "Entropy Reversal in an Old Sailboat".


Proclamation Restricts Rights of Boats in US Waters

A Proclamation made by US President George W. Bush on February 26, 2004,
authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security to take virtually total
control over any vessel, foreign or domestic, in the territorial waters
of the United States, if the authorities feel that vessel "may be used,
or is susceptible of being used, for voyage into Cuban territorial waters".

Translation: If the "authorities" believe for any reason that you are
THINKING about or are able to visit Cuba, you loose your boat. Yup...the
authorities are now MIND READERS. And once they read your mind they act
accordingly. I would venture to say that ANY boat is "susceptible of
being used to visit Cuba, wouldn't you?

Don't believe it? Here's it is striaght from the horses ass...err...mouth

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/relea...040226-11.html

Welcome to 1984 folks.