Cuba Journal

Yacht Race Ends 56 Year US-Cuba Racing Suspension

yacht sailing

Last month’s Pensacola a la Habana Race was more than just a race to Cuba – it was first permitted yacht race from the U.S. to Cuba since 1959. The 511 nautical-mile race from Pensacola to Havana started November 6th.  Twenty-two boats were entered in the 2015 Andrews Institute Pensacola a la Habana race but only 21 started the race.

Pensecola’s Pace family provided a substantial donation to the PYC Satori Foundation. Funds were earmarked for the Pace Perpetual Trophy and the new Pensacola to Havana Race.

You can see individual boat voyage tracks from the Kattack monitoring system here.  A video of the race is here.

According to Scuttlebutt Sailing news, the original race sailed from St. Petersburg, Fl on March 30, 1930 with 11 boats.

Andrews Institute Pensacola a la Habana 2015 – Corrected Time Results

Modern Cruiser Division

Class A

1— XTC, Beneteau OC 461, Tom Glew, St. Petersburg FL
2— Lesson #1, J130, Guy Williams/Mike Finn, New Orleans LA
3— Déjà Vu, C&C34+, Stephen Thorne, Norcross GA/Mandeville LA
4— Na Zdravi, Beneteau 47, Chris Schmidt, Montgomery AL/Panama City FL

Class B

1— Legacy, Hylas 49, Alan Steele, Gulf Breeze FL
2— La Gazelle, Beneteau 381, Kirby Louque, Metairie LA
3— TraSea, (re: Midnight Sun II) Beneteau 473, Neil Davies/Larry Cost, Pensacola FL
4— Tif Blue, Tartan 34, Bob Suberi, Orange Beach AL

Modern Cruiser Division Overall

1— XTC, Beneteau OC 461, Tom Glew, St. Petersburg FL
2— Lesson #1, J130, Guy Williams/ Mike Finn, New Orleans LA
3— Déjà Vu, C&C34+, Stephen Thorne, Norcross GA/Mandeville LA
4— Legacy, Hylas 49, Alan Steele, Gulf Breeze FL

Classic Cruiser Division

Class C

1— Libra, Tripp 57, Ryan Rayfield, Orange Beach AL
2— Radio Flyer, Valiant 40, Tim Cerniglia, New Orleans LA
3— Serengeti, Formosa 45, Larry Hamilton, Marathon FL

Class D

1— Acadia, Pearson 424, Bob Kriegel, Pensacola FL
2— Chanty, Cape Dory 36, Larry McAnally, Ashland OR/Destin FL
3— Learning to Fly, Island Packet 38, Robert Witzler, Apollo Beach FL

Classic Cruiser Division Overall

1— Acadia, Pearson 424, Bob Kriegel, Pensacola FL
2— Chanty, Cape Dory 36, Larry McAnally, Ashland OR/Destin FL
3— Libra, Tripp 57, Ryan Rayfield, Orange Beach AL
4— Radio Flyer, Valiant 40, Tim Cerniglia, New Orleans LA

Monohull Fleet Corrected Time Overall Winner

1— Acadia, Pearson 424, Bob Kriegel, Pensacola FL

Multihull Class and Division

1— Bene Vita, R&C 46, George Reiss, Panama City FL
2— Odalisque, Catana 43, Tom Schinkert, Elberta AL
3— Belafonte, Corsair 31R, Mike Patterson, Pensacola FL

Multihull Fleet Corrected Time Overall Winner

1— Bene Vita, R&C 46, George Reiss, Panama City FL

Pace Perpetual Trophy Winners

Monohull — Acadia, Pearson 424, Bob Kriegel, Pensacola FL
Multihull — Bene Vita, R&C 46, George Reiss, Panama City FL

Overall Best Corrected Time Trophy Winner – Bene Vita, R&C 46, George Reiss, Panama City FL


It was followed by the Castillo del Morro Race, a local event with 12 entries: seven from the US fleet and five from Cuba. It followed a course from the Almendares River mouth to the entry buoy to Havana Harbor to the entry of Hemingway Marina.

According to Sail-World, 12 boats participated in the race – seven competitors from the Andrews Institute Pensacola a la Habana race fleet and five local entries. More were expected from the Pensacola fleet, but rough conditions and light air took a toll on the fleet.

José Miguel Díaz Escrich, Commodore of the Hemingway International Yacht Club, said, “In this race we praise the efforts of the participants, because, as you know, the American boats had to sail very hard to arrive to Havana. Because of this, we awarded prizes to the four first places and the last four places.”

The first placers were:

1. Lesson #1, J130, Guy Williams/ Mike Finn, New Orleans LA
2. Odalisque, Catana 43, Tom Schinkert, Elberta AL
3. Na Zdravi, Beneteau 47, Chris Schmidt, Montgomery AL/Panama City FL
4. Noor, Cuba and Switzerland

And the last four placers were:

8. Libra, Tripp 57, Ryan Rayfield, Orange Beach AL
9. Mikara, Hemingway International Yacht Club of Cuba
10. Retiro, Hemingway International Yacht Club of Cuba
11. Club Náutico 1, Hemingway International Yacht Club of Cuba

Yacht Race Ends 56 Year US-Cuba Racing Suspension was last modified: December 6th, 2015 by Simons Chase