According to a report from television station WTVJ in Miami, Florida, a small group of craftsmen in Cuba are trying to restore “The Pilar,” the fishing boat which was owned by Hemingway and which was captained by Gregorio Fuentes, the presumed model for the protagonist in The Old Man and the Sea.

Lacking funds, the craftsman are relying on their on sweat and sandpaper to restore the boat, ravaged by years of hurricanes and lack of upkeep. A group of American conservationist have tried to help but . . . well, you can probably guess the rest of the story:

A group of conservationists from the United States tried to help the preservation efforts, but [OFAC] prevented them from traveling to Cuba, arguing that proceeds from Cuba’s Hemingway Museum benefit Fidel Castro’s regime.

Who knew you could make so much money in the museum business?