U.S. Boats in Cuba Tournament; Cruising Outlook at Essex Boat Expo This Week

As Cuba opens up to U.S. boaters, count on PassageMaker magazine and its events series to bring you the crucial intelligence to explore this new frontier, starting this week at Essex, Connecticut.

By Peter Swanson

June 1, 2015

For the first time in decades, 11 powerboats from the U.S. participated in last week’s 65th International Hemingway Billfish Tournament, which begins on May 25.

The American contingent was organized by PassageMaker friend Bruce Kessler and an outfit called the Florida-Cuba Environmental Group. Kessler is also the original organizer of the bi-annual Fleet Underway to Baja RallyorFUBAR powerboat rally from Southern California to La Paz in Baja, Mexico. For several years he’s tried to replicate the rally concept on the East Coast as a Cuba cruise but had been frustrated by a U.S. foreign policy as driven by the ethnic politics of South Florida.

Kessler will be on hand at the International Cruising Boat Expo, a combination of seminars, a boat show and social events in the tradition of TrawlerFest,will be held June 2-7, at Brewer Essex Island Marina. The boat show portion of the Boating Expo runs Thursday to Sunday, June 4-7. Kessler, freshly returned from Havana, will be able to report on the tournament as well as Cheryl and Ron Barr. Cheryl Barr, author of a Yacht Pilot Guide to Cuba, will be presenting “Cuba Cruising” at the event.

For information about TrawlerFest call our dedicated number 954.703.4789 or email us at [email protected]