Sportfishing boat

Description

Originally made by Neptune Boat Works, Cubavich's are regarded as a well kept secret..almost spoken of in religious tones...very, very rare. On the docks, in most conversations of classic boats, all the Rybo's, Merrits, and Whitakers are brought up, and periodically someone would mention a Cubavich. Captain's will usually nod as if they have heard the myth, but haven't seen one. This boat is one of 13 ever made...

The story behind "Cubavich" is that Hemingway developed a friendship with two young brothers, Pepin and Luis Aizcorbe, at the Hunting Club of Cuba. He became friends with them and taught them the ways of fishing. Eventually the two brothers became top anglers and owned a variety of boats. With Hemingways approval they were founders of the Hemingway Fishing Tournament held every year in Cuba. It would attract fisherman like Johnny Rybovich who would organize a fleet of a dozen boats from Florida to make the annual pilgrimage to Havana, and Howard Anderson, a transplanted American who owned a chain of Texaco stations across Cuba. One of the gas stations was located across the street for the brothers boathouse where the they had starting building a small wooden 20' center console. Mr. Anderson would observe the building of the boats, and had an idea for a new powerboat.

Andersons plan was simple as it was underhanded: one night during the Hemingway tournament, they would haul a Rybovich and copy the lines inch for inch, nail for nail. On the night of the foray they had a partner take the skipper of one of the boats to Tropicana Night Club and feed him with rum. Meanwhile the boat was hauled and its lines were transferred to plywood forms. Then the Rybovich was returned to its slip, no one the wiser.Pepin wanted to revamp the lines but Anderson would not have it, he wanted a Rybovich lookalike without the pedigree.

In September 1958, John Rybovich went to Havana for some fall Marlin Fishing and his friend took him to the Aizcorbes boathouse. When the doors opened there sat what appeared to be one of his hulls 3/4 finished. He was angry and disappointed after fishing with them, working closely to make their Hemingway tournament a success, this was how they repaid him?

From the standpoint of trying to achieve an objective, the boat was a huge success. Orders poured in from other Americans, however for the brothers, this was only a hobby. They were now successful land developers and didn't want to be preoccupied with building boats. They founded Neptune Boat Company with the intention of building 3 boats a year for friends. They refused $10,000 in deposits checks the first year alone. The boats were to only be sold in Cuba, and not as a great profit making enterprise. Over the four year existence, Neptune Boat Company built 13 classic sport fisherman 34'- 42'. The brothers insist that only the first one is a direct copy, he said that the Cuban waters were rougher and his boats have a bit more beam and deeper V. Other differences are the shape of the bow, the windows, flying bridge supports- but even veteran boatman can rarely tell them apart.

Eventually John Rybovich and Pepin Aizcorbe mended their relationship and Rybovich furnished Neptune with equipment, and through a third party, technical and mechanical know-how on mechanical and electrical systems, and Rybovich yards have handled at one time or another all 13 boats.

This boat, "Oliaki" originally "Luranita" was the forth boat built by Neptune and from the keel up was destined to be something special. The Aizcorbes brothers (Neptune boat company owners) had just purchased a dilapidated estate on the fringe of Havana as a site for a new apartment house. The stable on the property, two centuries old was solid Cuban mahogany. When it was torn down, Pepin asked the workmen to save a 38-foot long beam that he had discovered. One day soon it would serve as Luranita's keelson and set the standard for the rest of her.

She was built of mahogany, then sheathed to the water line with epoxy fiberglass, Every instrument at her three helm stations was recessed and sealed. Each bit of metal work, from the hatch moldings to the instrument panel trim, was one-piece seamless stainless steel. Her tank were Monel. All of her teak appointments were fastened from underneath so that no plugs would be visible.

"Luranita" took 15 months and 11,500 man-hours to build. She was created with the pride of workmanship that had all but disappeared on lesser craft. Pepin would reflect nearly two decades later, "It wasn't a matter of dollars to my men. It was a matter of patting them on the back and telling them they had done a good job."

By the 15th day of May in 1960, "Luranita" was sitting securely in Richard Bertram's yacht yard in Miami, FL. In anticipation of the day when the storm clouds over Cuba would burst, Pepin had taken her to Florida the year before.

Shortly after, since the Neptune Boat Company was shutting its doors, Dick Bertram brought over Pepin's top talent to help him build the 31- foot racer in his yacht repair yard in Miami.

"Luranita" would be sold a year later to Mr. Procter of Procter and Gamble."

According to the article in Rudder magazine 1978, she was eventually destroyed by young vandals at her slip on Long Island, but it has been confirmed by the owner that she is indeed "Luranita". I don't know the specifics of when she was brought back to life...

Pepin became friends with Dick Bertram when he was a broker. When Cubas political climate began to change, Pepin fished the Hemingway tournament in 1960 and Hemingway present him the trophy for the biggest fish with Fidel Castro. The next day, May 16, 1960, Pepin and his family left on this boat for Key West after seeing his friend Hemingway for the last time.

Dick Bertram hired all Pepin's top talent to build his new 31' Bertram who's success launched Bertram Boat Company. Pepin continued his success as a successful land developer and kept his promise to Johnny Rybovich to never build another powerboat. Howard Anderson was arrested but the Cuban government and executed as a spy.

This boat has been outfitted with John Deer Diesels and a Kohler Generator. She is fully operational but needs exterior cometic repairs. The interior is beautiful. She has Garmin GPS, coriander Countertops, two helm stations, refrigerated icebox, Air Conditioning, etc. This boat has had a ton of money put into her. She is a one of a kind yacht that will attract boat geeks wherever she goes..

I believe the engines are around 235 horsepower each and the boat cruises at about 18 knots and runs 22 knots wide open.