Miami to Havana Race Preview

(Miami, FL)- "Havana day dreamin- - now reality!”  Nearly sixty years have passed since the Southern Ocean Racing Conference last visited Havana, and this week the Florida-based SORC begins the next chapter in that rich history with the inaugural Miami to Havana Race. The race will see 46 sailboats crewed by some 350 skilled sailors from all over the world as they brave stiff breeze and the always-treacherous Gulf Stream on their 254-mile adventure to Cuba’s storied Club Nautico Hemingway. While only one crew will win, they’re all proud to be a part of this historic race.

The races starts on February 10, just south of the Miami harbor entrance.  The race has some formidable challenges— the primary one being the robust Gulf Stream current flowing northeast up to 6 kts, which the sailors will have to battle at some point when they cross open water heading toward Cuba.

“That’s the big tactical factor in this race — facing the Gulfstream — and when you will decide to cross it,” said one sailor.  “I think what everybody is going to do at the start of the race is hug the shoreline of Florida, and stay as close to the Keys as you can, to stay out of the Gulf Stream. I expect us to be very close to the Keys, and stay in 12-15 feet of water for that portion of the race.”

Hosted by Coral Reef Yacht Club, the fleet is expecting a very fast race, and one that will put crews in Cuban waters within 24 hours. Many fast J/crews are racing, all with an excellent chance of applying their offshore skills and tactical/ navigational know-how to give the fleet a run-for-the-roses to capture much silverware.

Leading the charge in PHRF A class will be Robin Team’s offshore veterans on the J/122 TEAMWORK from Lexington, NC.  They will be chased hard by Gary Weisberg’s J/111 HEATWAVE from Jubilee YC in Gloucester, MA.

A trio of J/120s could easily be the headliners in their class as virtually each team has offshore silverware gathering dust in their trophy bins— time to add some more pickle-dishes!  Perhaps most notable is Frank Kern’s CARINTHIA from Bayview YC in Grosse Pointe, Michigan.  They will have to fend off their “mortal enemies” (actually, good friends) racing on SUNSET CHILD (Marcus Cholerton-Brown from New York) and Bill Terry’s TAMPA GIRL from Davis Island YC in Tampa, Florida.

Rounding out the J/crews is Ken Ganch & Ed Reagan’s J/105 GONZO from Columbia YC in Chicago, Illinois- they trailered their boat down from the frozen Midwest, explaining that “we wouldn’t miss this opportunity for the world to sail over to Havana for a few genuine Cuban cigars, the legendary moonshine whiskey and even more legendary mojitos made with local rum!”   For more SORC Miami to Havana Race sailing information


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