The Boat That Defied an Embargo Is Retiring. Its Legacy Is Just Beginning.
Roger Klüh has returned to Florida — to close one chapter of the Apache Star's story and personally deliver a tribute that has been ten years in the making.
The photo above shows the Apache Star in Havana harbor, shortly after its world record attempt on August 1, 2015. Mechanical damage to the US-built racing boat made an immediate return to the United States impossible, putting Roger Klüh at risk of 20 years in prison under US embargo law. The boat's return was ultimately made possible through the personal intervention of President Donald J. Trump in early 2017.
PALM BEACH, FL - After breaking a 57-year-old world record on the Key West–Havana crossing, the legendary 2,700-horsepower powerboat is being retired. Its driver returned to Florida to plan the boat's future — and to personally express his gratitude.
More than a decade after his historic voyage from Key West to Havana, Roger Anthony Cassius Klüh has returned to Florida — to relive the Apache Star's greatest achievements, plan the boat's future, and deliver a personal tribute at Mar-a-Lago.
The decision has been made. The 2,700 hp powerboat, which won two offshore world championships in 1992 and 1993 and broke a 57-year-old world record in 2015, will no longer participate in races.
"This boat has won everything there is to win," said Klüh. "It belongs in the public consciousness, not in a private hangar."
A Pilgrimage, Not a Road Trip
Klüh and his fiancée Jessica Frühbrodt, founder of the fashion and lifestyle brand APACHE STAR, spent several weeks in Florida this season.
They traveled south along the coast from Palm Beach to Key West — the port that has hosted three of the boat's most defining moments: the world championship titles in 1992 and 1993 under its original name Apache Heritage, and the start of Klüh's record-breaking crossing to Havana in 2015.
For Klüh, the route was about orientation, not nostalgia. "I had to see it from the road, not from the cockpit," he said. "To understand where this boat belongs next."
Roger Anthony Cassius Klüh and Jessica Frühbrodt during their weeks in Florida. The couple traveled along the coast from Palm Beach to Key West — the port that hosted three of the Apache Star's most defining moments.
The Record That Challenged an Embargo
On August 1, 2015, Klüh and a four-person crew left Key West at 10:00 a.m. local time. Ninety minutes later, the Apache Star crossed the official finish line in Havana, breaking a record that had stood since 1958. He became the first private boater in over fifty years to legally complete the journey.
President Barack Obama personally approved the trip after a three-year approval process. Cuban President Raúl Castro later awarded Klüh the Order of José Martí — Cuba's highest civilian honor. Tens of thousands of Cubans lined the port of Havana to welcome him.
But the voyage came at a price. Mechanical damage made an immediate return to the United States impossible, and the Apache Star had to remain in Cuba. Under US embargo law, Klüh faced up to 20 years in prison and millions of dollars in fines because a US-built vessel was on Cuban soil. The boat — and Klüh's freedom — were held hostage by history.
Roger Klüh during the record-breaking drive.
The Intervention
The breakthrough came in early 2017, during the first weeks of President Donald J. Trump's term. After global logistics companies were unable to obtain permits, President Trump personally paved the way for the return of the Apache Star via the Crowley Maritime Corporation. The contact had been established through Geoff Palmer.
Klüh does not downplay the importance of this.
"President Trump didn't just bring a boat home. He brought a man home. I was facing 20 years in prison for an athletic record. He recognized the situation for what it was — and acted. I will never forget that, and I will say it publicly every time I am asked. What he did for me wasn't politics. It was justice." — Roger Anthony Cassius Klüh
This intervention is also the reason why Klüh credits President Trump with shaping his American future. "America gave me speed," he said. "President Trump gave me back my legacy. Both are the reasons why I'm building my next chapter on this side of the Atlantic."
A Tribute at Mar-a-Lago
Nearly a decade after this intervention, Klüh returned to Mar-a-Lago to personally express his gratitude. President Trump was in Washington at the time. Klüh left personal documents at the club — documents concerning the planned transition of the Apache Star into a permanent public exhibit, as well as his continued thanks.
"It was no coincidence," Klüh said of the visit. "It was a gesture of respect — long overdue."
From Champion to Exhibit
Over the past few weeks in Florida, Klüh personally visited the Apache Star and oversaw a number of subtle design adjustments. The competitive era is over. What follows is preservation: a permanent public display, ideally in a US museum or as the centerpiece of national maritime events. Klüh stated that he will personally cover all transportation and installation costs.
"This boat is part of American sports history," he said. "It shouldn't be gathering dust in a warehouse. It should be where the public can experience its legacy."
More Than Just a Boat
As the powerboat transitions into its next phase of life, the brand built on its legacy accelerates.
APACHE STAR — co-founded by Jessica Frühbrodt and Roger Klüh — has evolved into a global luxury lifestyle company encompassing premium fashion, US-made nutritional supplements, fragrances, and luxury accessories. With flagship boutiques in Cannes and Saint-Tropez, a presence at Paris Fashion Week with brand ambassador Lilly Becker, and the 2025/26 Corporate LiveWire Global Award for Lifestyle Brand of the Year, what began as a boat has become an institution.
An English-language book about the world record — Apache Star: United States to Cuba — The World Record That Defied an Embargo — is in preparation for publication in the United States.
On the Florida coast in recent weeks, the brand's motto felt less like a slogan and more like a statement of fact:
Rugged Luxury. Raw Emotion. Rebellious Spirit.
→ Explore the APACHE STAR Collections → Follow the journey on Instagram → Press inquiries: media@apachestar.com
Photos: © APACHE STAR LLC, Tim Neiser
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