# 13 Cubans sail for U.S. in floating car **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 8, 2005, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/13-cubans-sail-for-u-s-in-floating-car/307453 "2005-06-08T14:15:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2005, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/13-cubans-sail-for-u-s-in-floating-car/307453/1 "2005-06-08T14:15:53Z")
The nation of Cuba, where they’ve had to make do with classic Detroit iron on the roads for so long, has [done it again](http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/050608/ids_photos_wl/r3584569963.jpg). Of course, the Coast Guard nabbed 'em 20 miles off Key West. The vehicle in question appears to be a stretched [1948 Ford.](http://jr.lovefords.org/galleries/stock/1948.htm) What’s more, this has happened before. [Twice.](http://www.larryswebsite.com/cubacarboats.htm) Both vehicles were fully amphibian. The mechanical engineer who devised the carboat scheme is now living in asylum in Costa Rica, but his know-how has obviously been passed on in Cuba. If there were any justice, the guy would be let into the U.S. as a custom car artist, and would make a fortune. _¡Viva los camionautas!_ ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2005, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/13-cubans-sail-for-u-s-in-floating-car/307453/2 "2005-06-08T14:29:42Z")
> [@Beware of Doug](#): > > If there were any justice, the guy would be let into the U.S. as a custom car artist, and would make a fortune. > > _¡Viva los camionautas!_ I agree. If the guy _wanted_ to be a custom car artist, he could do very well. I’m sure he could easily get a job as a qualified mechanic. It seems rather unsporting to dash all of that effort. Maybe he should have used a different shade of blue? (Not that it would matter, with radar and all; but it wouldn’t hurt.) The other amphibians were sunk. They really should start saving these things and putting them in a museum. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2005, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/13-cubans-sail-for-u-s-in-floating-car/307453/3 "2005-06-08T14:31:39Z")
> [@Beware of Doug](#): > > The nation of Cuba, where they’ve had to make do with classic Detroit iron on the roads for so long, has [done it again](http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/050608/ids_photos_wl/r3584569963.jpg). Of course, the Coast Guard nabbed 'em 20 miles off Key West. Bastards! Guys this talented should be given an _escort_ into US waters! > [@](#): > > What’s more, this has happened before. [Twice.](http://www.larryswebsite.com/cubacarboats.htm) Both vehicles were fully amphibian. The mechanical engineer who devised the carboat scheme is now living in asylum in Costa Rica, but his know-how has obviously been passed on in Cuba. Actually, there was a thread about that guy a while back and it turns out he’s made it into the States (and now lives here). He traveled overland from Costa Rica to the US. He said that his one regret is that he wasn’t able to sail up to the beach and then drive up on land. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2005, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/13-cubans-sail-for-u-s-in-floating-car/307453/4 "2005-06-08T14:55:52Z")
> [@Tuckerfan](#): > > Bastards! Guys this talented should be given an **escort** into US waters! Don’t be silly. You can’t fit 13 people in an Escort! ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2005, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/13-cubans-sail-for-u-s-in-floating-car/307453/5 "2005-06-08T15:02:03Z")
If they every bring back Junkyard Wars, we can nominate these guys for the Cuban team. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2005, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/13-cubans-sail-for-u-s-in-floating-car/307453/6 "2005-06-08T15:56:53Z")
> [@Johnny L.A.](#): > > The other amphibians were sunk. They really should start saving these things and putting them in a museum. I particularly like the fact that the Coasties wanted to sink the floating '51 Chevy pickup as a “navigational hazard,” only to discover that wouldn’t go under even after being shot several times. They finally made the builder tell them how to scuttle her. At yesterday’s [interception](http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/050608/ids_photos_wl/r3584569963.jpg) the Coasties arrived in a _rubber raft_ and started handing out _lifejackets_ to the Cubans. American irony at work. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2005, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/13-cubans-sail-for-u-s-in-floating-car/307453/7 "2005-06-08T16:05:24Z")
Late word from the NBC station in Miami that the vehicle is actually a 1949 Mercury, and that when the Coast Guard approached, the occupants could be seen _rolling up the windows._ I’ll eat my hat if they’ve figured out a way to make that sucker submerge… ---
**Author:** ![Hoodoo\_Ulove](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/58956e/32.png) [@Hoodoo\_Ulove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hoodoo_Ulove)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2005, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/13-cubans-sail-for-u-s-in-floating-car/307453/8 "2005-06-08T16:23:12Z")
[QUOTE=Beware of Doug] Late word from the NBC station in Miami that the vehicle is actually a 1949 MercuryQUOTE]NBC’s full of shit. 1948. ---
**Author:** ![JohnBckWLD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@JohnBckWLD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnBckWLD)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2005, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/13-cubans-sail-for-u-s-in-floating-car/307453/9 "2005-06-08T16:53:30Z")
> [@Beware of Doug](#): > > I’ll eat my hat if they’ve figured out a way to make that sucker submerge… [Baron Bomburst]I Vant Dat Caaaaaaaar![/Baron Bomburst] ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2005, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/13-cubans-sail-for-u-s-in-floating-car/307453/10 "2005-06-08T18:06:06Z")
Who knew? Turns out you can drive a bitchin’ Camaro up from the Bahamas, after all. ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2005, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/13-cubans-sail-for-u-s-in-floating-car/307453/11 "2005-06-08T18:28:45Z")
> [@Beware of Doug](#): > > At yesterday’s [interception](http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/050608/ids_photos_wl/r3584569963.jpg) the Coasties arrived in a _rubber raft_ and started handing out _lifejackets_ to the Cubans. American irony at work. Point of information: That’s actually a RHIB - Rigid Hull, Inflatable Boat. Not quite a rubber raft. Though, yes, it’s still ironic. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2005, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/13-cubans-sail-for-u-s-in-floating-car/307453/12 "2005-06-09T00:59:05Z")
[QUOTE=Hoodoo Ulove] > [@Beware of Doug](#): > > Late word from the NBC station in Miami that the vehicle is actually a 1949 MercuryQUOTE]NBC’s full of shit. 1948. Yeah, I was skeptical myself. '49 was the year Ford and Merc both went to the slabsided body. This stretch taxi has fenders. I’m curious as to whether the stretch configuration was an option with FoMoCo or whether some custom coachmaker was doing them. I do know of a [polka](http://www.usd.edu/smm/ptak.html) bandleader in the Midwest who used a stretched '36 Ford as his [band bus](http://www.usd.edu/smm/Ptakbus.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2005, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/13-cubans-sail-for-u-s-in-floating-car/307453/13 "2005-06-09T02:06:03Z")
Next the American Family Association will protest that the Cubans used a Ford, hence they must be gay. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2005, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/13-cubans-sail-for-u-s-in-floating-car/307453/14 "2005-06-09T06:12:29Z")
Have you sailed in a Ford, lately? ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2005, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/13-cubans-sail-for-u-s-in-floating-car/307453/15 "2005-06-11T00:17:04Z")
Just saw a blurb on the news that the folks who sailed in the Ford are _going to get to stay in the US!_😃 ---
**Author:** ![Gukumatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/74df32/32.png) [@Gukumatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gukumatz)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2005, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/13-cubans-sail-for-u-s-in-floating-car/307453/16 "2005-06-11T08:49:53Z")
Ah yes, the next Norwegian tourist crisis - Ford in the Fjords… ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2005, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/13-cubans-sail-for-u-s-in-floating-car/307453/17 "2005-06-11T08:52:15Z")
They should build and send out decoys.