Editors Ramblings
Diary Dates
Welcome to New Members
Two Bears Summer Cruise ‘98
Kawa’s Windscreen
For Sale
Letters
It is with great sadness that I have to report the death of Thelma Pack a short while ago. I’m sure you will all join me in offering Ken and his family our prayers and deepest sympathy.
Thelma has been the Association’s treasurer for many years, and along with Ken, was very much the life blood of the IOA. She considered members to be friends. She will, I’m sure, be greatly missed by all who met her.
Tim
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June 26th |
The Hoya Round the Island Race. Contact the Island sailing club: 01983 296621 |
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July 22nd - 25th |
IMM 99 in Ebeltoft contact Per Morch, see letters |
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August 6th - 15th |
MOCRA Channel Cruise to the West Country see attached sheet. This should be a well attended gathering and a chance for our west country members to get together |
I’m planning to join the channel cruise although if weather and work play the game I may leave the week before and join in Plymouth.
We are also still planning to have East and South Coast meetings this year.
Steve Taylor - Southport UK
Peter Castle - Scunthorpe UK
Joe & Lee Munch - New York USA
Here we are once again safely back home in Newmarket after an eventful very HOT Summer in Greece, where we had a different destination to the one we had so carefully planned! After the wonderful wedding of our eldest son Sam to Emma on 16th May, we set off to drive the long way to Greece on 19th May catching the 6.45am ferry, Terry was very keen to get away on our summer travels once again, our seventh. The weather was sunny and warm we had a very gentle channel crossing so indulged ourselves with the Big Breakfast provided by Stena Line which set us up for the long drive to "Dahn" near "Saarbrucken" in Germany, this is a lovely small campsite in a beautiful area of woodland and strange red rock formations, this was our third visit as it is the right distance and easy to find. Next stop Italy, at "Bozen-Boizano," a camp site just of the S12 motorway, once again easy to find also speaking English, not at all crowded as it was only May and friendly. We managed to reach Ancona by 15.00 hours the next day and hoped to catch a ferry to Greece but could not get one until the following evening. So we found a beautiful campsite about 10 miles south of Anconain high cliffs above the sea accessed down a twisty steep narrow road the village is called ‘Isirold’. Saturday 23rd at 12 mid-day we arrived at "Iganomitsa" Greece, and about 1500 hours at "Preveza", "Cleopatra Marina". All seemed well and we were very happy to have arrived safely. Terry drives the whole way as I am not happy to drive on the wrong side of the road, at very fast speeds. I am just the navigator which is stressful enough for me!
We had planned to do a few extra essential maintenance jobs this year before we set off, like re-sealing all the windows which had been leaking for some years. The old girl is 18 years young so we hear that this is not an unusual problem. We had managed to get the mastic from the original window supplier at Burnharn-on-Crouch, Essex. "HOUDINI". They kindly gave us the instructions on how best to do the job but it proved to be difficult and very messy! However the windows do not now leak. They also cut to size the smoked perspex for the main hatches which have become crazed, the refitting of the hatches is still a job to be done, always plenty of those! The Red stripe down each side of the hull had faded so we carefully repainted that too.
By June 3rd "TWO BEARS looking very smart was ready for launching, but we still had one task to do and that was to drive the car to "Porto Heli" in the Peloponnis on the Aegean coast, we had made arrangements with "FRANKS" boatyard to look after the boat next winter. This was a fascinating trip through the mountains crossing the Gulf of Corinth by ferry it took us seven hours, by the time we got there the boat yard was closing and we were asked to come back at 9am the following morning to ask if they would mind us leaving our car in their yard for the summer! Next door were some apartments to let, so we took one for the night with a balcony overlooking the beautiful bay. Next day they kindly agreed to allow us to leave our car in "FRANKS" boatyard ready for our future arrival with the boat. The German landlord of the apartment where we had stayed overnight kindly gave us a lift in his car to the next village where we had to catch the bus at 9.30am to Corinth a three hour trip through the twisting roads of the mountains, the Greek Bus drivers are so good they are definitely King of the Road!! We had a two hour wait for the bus to Preveza which when it arrived was already full. It seems it was the student’s Whitsun holidays and they were all heading for home. Terry stood for the five hour trip, one of the students kindly offered me her seat for some of the time. There were 2 extra passengers standing plus lots of extra baggage! We were so glad to get back to the boat at 9pm, how much more pleasant it is to travel by boat!
Monday 8th June we were launched at 1400 hours and moored to a buoy ready for an early start the following morning before the westerly prevailing winds got up. We had only travelled for less than one hour, motoring out through the narrow buoyed channel, when I noticed a burning smell. On lifting up the engine cover we discovered the engine was so hot it was smoking. There was no wind at all, we sat and wondered what could be wrong as the engine had been totally overhauled in England over the winter by A & J Marine Services, at Levington, Ipswich at the cost of over £500. After an hour or two slowly drifting along a gentle Westerly breeze came up and we headed back through the buoyed channel picked up a vacant mooring buoy. We then went ashore to find George the engineer, luckily they are YAMAHA agents so he is familiar with our type of engine a Yamaha 9.9hp 4 stroke outboard. He instructed us to get the engine out of the boat and into his workshop by 8am the following morning which we did. By 11 am George had found the trouble, the paddle wheel of the water impeller was totally without blades, he reprimanded Terry as he thought him very neglectful he did not realise the engine had just had a major overhaul! The following morning June 1st we set off again with a new impeller installed plus a spare one in case of a future emergency. The engine was not running well and could not run at full power it was a constant worry with Terry checking absolutely everything.
The weather in June was lovely not too hot but quite breezy, so we had a nice sail to "Xiom"on the Island of Ithica F4/5/6 our first port of call. Next "Poros" on the Island of "Cephalonia", once again we had a good sail, the harbour is not very sheltered and there is a constant swell, also the big ferry boats from Patras comes in at least twice a day! Two fleets of charter boats also arrived so it was rather crowded with quite a few crossed stern anchors. The next morning it was so uncomfortable that we decided to make an early start however a German yacht had laid his anchor on top of ours so after he went out in his dinghy took his anchor in and re-laid it we were OK to leave, just one of the not unusual problems with this type of mooring common in the Mediterranean. A force 7 wind was forecast on the Navtex but we had a force 3. On the nose to start with a choppy sea and a dodgy engine, we were not making good progress, however the wind got stronger from the NW so once again we were sailing well heading for "Zakinthos" Island, it has a really big proper ships harbour which is where we stayed for three nights until the forecast improved The harbour has all facilities and is rather grand, surrounded by some lovely buildings built after the 1953 earthquake devastated the city!
We then headed for "Katakolon" in the Peloponnese not much here, rather scruffy. Next stop "Pilos", a spectacular high white rocky entrance leading into a large natural bay, where a bloody battle had been fought in 1827. Admiral Cadrington with 26 ships with the French had 1,270 guns, on July 6th met the opposing forces of the Turks/Egyptians with 89 ships and 2,450 guns. The battle was fought at anchor. After a bloody, destructive battle lasting four hours the enemy was defeated, this gave Greece its freedom. There are also some interesting ruined castles to explore if you are feeling energetic! The beaches surrounding the bay are sandy and practically deserted. The Government are building a harbour for the town which is not quite finished but which is in use, there were only a few boats using it while we were there, a small charge was made by the port police. Once again Terry gave the engine a thorough going over, he was quite sure that he had cured the problem of gasping and lack of power however on June 27th just at the entrance to a rocky bay at the first cape of the Peloponnese the engine seized. No Engine! Now we were true sailors having to rely totally on the fickle wind of the Mediterranean, at times we had to resort to lashing the inflatable dinghy to the side of ‘TWO BEARS" with the 2hp engine for power when there was no wind at all!
Looking at the chart and pilot the only proper harbour in the area was "Kalamata" which might possibly have engine repair facilities and this is where we headed with a nice force 3 wind to take us north into the gulf of Messina. The wind did not fail us and we sailed into the crowded marina which is another one of the EU sponsored ones which the government built, not quite finished projects. There was not a vacant berth to be seen, so we quickly rafted onto a steel boat lying alongside. Terry went ashore and luckily met a Greek on his boat who spoke English and was very friendly and helpful. This was such a lucky encounter and this was the start of our friendship with him and the other local Greeks whom Mike introduced us to. We told him that we had a problem with our engine, using his mobile phone, which incidentally are very popular in Greece, he contacted "John Varakas" who runs "The Messiffian Yacht Centre" he very quickly came to our aid. John helped us to find a secure place amongst the local club boats. He then tried very hard to find us another Yamaha 9.9 the same as our old engine but there was not one in Greece. He advised us to get one flown out from UK, he would help us in any way he could allowing us to use his Fax and relaying any messages to us. Even getting an engine from the UK was to prove difficult, in the end we had to settle for a YAMAHA l5hp 4 stroke, the very latest edition as there were no YAMAHA 9.9hp 4 stroke engines anywhere to be found. We were assured that it would fit in our engine compartment which it just did with an inch to spare! This engine of course is a bit more expensive, and we think not as good as the old engine, it certainly is faster but probably more thirsty on fuel - we shall have to wait and see! We joined the "Kalamata" Yacht Club, and were included in lots of their parties.
During Navy week we were invited aboard Mike’s boat. He runs a sailing school, most of the local yachts and fishing boats were dressed overall with flags and fairy lights twinkling in the rigging with a band playing on one of the boats. When it was dark we all in procession headed for the Big Ships harbour where we let off fireworks with a fireworks display by the harbour authorities on the shore. Later when we returned to the clubhouse we enjoyed a buffet supper and dancing under the stars way into the night, we left at 3am but it continued until 4am. Most Greek activities take place after dark and way into the night, it is just too hot at other times! We discovered that "Kalamata" was luckily a good place to have got stuck. It is off the beaten track, not frequented by the flotilla fleets or charter boats, and not spoilt by tourism, but a really nice big town with a lovely park with railway tracks with old steam engines and old railway carriages, well preserved which is a children’s play area.
The old station has been made into a Taverna where we had a number of delicious evening meals of Greek Salads and Pizzas with very good local wine at a very moderate price of £6.00 for the two of us! It also has plenty of shops including some big Super Markets where you can get everything at similar prices to the UK, and the choices of many Tavernas.
We were on a number of occasions taken by our Greek friends to more distant real Greek ones and also by George to one with a spectacular view, up in the mountains overlooking the harbour. They were as you can see so kind to us in so many ways! John Varakas and his wife Martina invited us back to their flat for a delicious meal which Martina had prepared where we met their sons and looked through family photos. The same kindness from Nick and Irene Vrahatis who took us back to their flat and fed us delicious Greek food. Ke’ililo Makporv’iloo having spent many years as a child in America and Australia speaks excellent English, she has several language sbhools, the very newest addition was opened just before we left Greece. She kindly invited us to the Grand opening and blessing by the Priest. It is a very impressive building with the latest computer technology. Kelly and her 16 years old son Gregory are also very musical and we spent many evenings at the club being entertained by them singing and playing guitars quite delightfully under the moon and stars! One of the last celebrations we went to was the Prize giving for the younger dinghy sailors of the club, once again after dark, a BBQ of two whole roasted pigs. The mums had made loads of salad dishes washed down with plenty of cheap very drinkable local wine, we had musical entertainment by some talented club members, everyone made us feel very welcome! Most of the children from 11 years onwards are learning to speak English. They are very good and liked to practise on us and so we enjoyed some interesting discussions with some of them. They take their education very seriously and seem to have a good general knowledge! As time crept on we decided that we did not feel like rushing on; we were happy with the friendship we had found, the harbour was good and so we decided to make Kalamata our base for the winter. It also has the benefit of an airport where charter flights and daily schedule flights from Athens arrive and depart only 4 kilometres from the harbour. We asked our friend John Varakas to arrange for the ‘Two Bears" to be craned out before we planned to leave, however a new rather unexpected development took place about a week before we were leaving. The marina was bought from the Government by a large company and some of the club members. We were to become its very first customer, so although when we left there were few facilities the changes began immediately. We expect to see a lot of changes when we return in May 1999, and hope that they will take good care of our precious catamaran.
After we decided to stay at "Kalamata" we had to go and fetch the car from "Porto Helf". This was to prove equally as interesting a journey as our previous one from "Preveza" when we took it to "Franks boat yard". We left at 6am travelling across the mountainous terrain. We had to take several buses, most of the journeys were of about two hours with two hours waiting for the next connection. Arriving at 4.30pm, just hoping to catch the boat yard open. It was as usual at this time of day extremely hot. Terry tried starting the car which was coated in a thick layer of dust having spent the past two months sitting in the sun, it was as dead as a Dodo, on further examination of the battery it was found to be totally dry. A visit to a nearby garage to buy distilled water then finding Frank to explain that we would not now make "Porto Helf this summer after all with the boat. With a jump start from his powerful booster she started and we were away. We arrived back at 9.30 PM dusk, Terry did not want to be on the twisty mountain road in the dark! Normally we do not have the convenience of a car on our summer travels but it was to prove quite useful when we had family and friends to stay.
Matthew and Charmion came for eight days, we went out for some short trips to some lovely bays anchoring and swimming in the clear blue water, this area is supposed to have the warmest seas. We visited the spectacular Dylos caves - they run underground with stalagmites and stalactite formations which must have taken thousands of years to form. We were punted around in a flat bottom boat, you could in the dim lights see that they ran out on either side for great distances. They were simply huge, it was so lovely and cool underground, and quite amazing well worth a visit. Matthew is very keen on archaeology and he wanted Charmion who is Australian to visit some of the ancient Greek ruins. So in the car we set off to find ancient Messina, we saw on our way through the mountainous countryside the devastation caused by fires which had raged for weeks during the very hot summer. The olive groves had been wiped out with huge areas of woodland. We had watched the helicopters with bags of water suspended beneath them trying to dampen the flames day after day. Some of the trees were hundreds of years old, it is a national tragedy. We found "Ithonii" which is 500 BC a large ruined area still being excavated. The day that Matthew and Charmion went home, saw the arrival of John and Ann Bone they had a few days holiday left. From our post card to them they saw we were at "Kalaina" so on the off chance they sent a fax to the Harbour Master there, for us to contact them. We got the fax and they joined us for a few days which was very enjoyable.
We as usual like to leave "TWO BEARS" on terra firma, this was the first time that a mobile crane had to be used so we were rather apprehensive but after a few hitches we were out without any damage. A new hoist is one of the improvements planned for the future of the harbour. On our way to catch the ferry from Patras for Italy, we almost passed ancient Olympia so we stopped and spent an hour or so visiting the site and museum, it had actually been raining for the first time this summer which cooled it down.
We had a fast safe journey except that it took three hours to disembark from the "ANEK" line ferry because the Italian customs men, all three of them, were searching every lorry as they came off the ship stopping them just past the ramp which stopped any other vehicles from getting off the ship. They were looking for illegal immigrants, they did not have dogs or any type of aid. Everyone was very frustrated as we had arrived at 7am nice and cool and started our long journey after l0am when the sun was up. However we made up for lost time, first stop the Austrian Alps near "Innsbruck", there was snow on the mountain peaks and it felt very cold to us. Then "Dahn" where it was pouring with rain as usual, just a taste of things to come. We gather that the summer here at home has been a wet one! Arriving at Calais we had only a 2 hour wait before catching the STENA ferry to Dover. It took about 15 minutes to disembark and we were almost the last, what a difference from Italy! Even though we met the rush hour traffic through the Dartford Tunnel we were safely home by 6pm. Now where shall we go next year?
Angela & Terry Moody
PS I forgot to mention, if anyone is thinking of chartering a yacht in Greece try:
Anastasia and Panagoitis Kastanos
8 Solonos str
Kalamata
Greece
Phone :- 003-0721-21548-90674
Mobile :- 095371484
A Dromor Discovery 3000, "Aygi", either Bare boat or skippered charter at very reasonable rates. A charming friendly couple. The boat sleeps six.
Through these columns I would like to thank Bob Hawkins and Philip Corridan for their most successful and enjoyable East Coast meet in September 1998. It was an excellent get together and Kawa’s first official meet in her 23rd cruising season. Now that I’m fully retired I hope she’ll get to more of these, preferably with Janet.
Some years ago we gave Kawa a geriatric rig of luff furling main and head sail and that has proved extremely successful. This year, my 70th, Janet presented her with a windscreen for my birthday.
Because on a Mkll the companionway hatch is offset to port and the port head sail winch is well over to port, the only sensible arrangement was to extend the Screen sideways, to just inside the coach roof handrails. Even so, the port winch had to be moved 2" to starboard and the winch handle shortened by 1"(bottom action winch). By making the screen so wide we get very good shelter from rain and spray.
We started discussions with a local boat yard builder in Jan 98 and in late Feb 98 we looked at a full sized mockup on the boat. We were determined that all lines and angles would be in harmony with Rod McAlpine - Downie’s so that the screen would look as if born there.
Being a one-off it was originally planned to be a composite construction , but our GRP expert decided he couldn’t get a good enough finish that way, so in the end the final mockup was used as a plug from which a mould was prepared and in turn used to produce our screen. All that took time, so the screen wasn’t fitted until early June.
Then it was another 6 weeks before the garage was completed and the screen properly trimmed. Finally, the windows were fitted, made by Houdini, who made the originals for the Mk II’s, to complete the blend of line and detail. It looked great, but Janet was unhappy at the contrast between the beautifully varnished trim on the screen, and the plain dark teak finish on the wash-boards and hatch, so these were sanded back to clean teak and varnished; the final effect is very good (said he modestly).
Then it was the turn of our sail maker to make the new sun awning - simple - and the new cockpit cover - tricky. Both are successful, in hot weather we sit in cool shade and even keep the interior of the boat cool. In windy and rainy weather the cockpit cover does all we want - it extends from the screen to a flexible jointed PVC rod attached to our central boom crutch aft and gives us total protection, at anchor or in port, as well as having lots of windows and easy access.
Janet adds ["the cockpit cover was Janet’s present to Janet! I was so impressed with our sailmaker Cindy Parker of Wilkinson’s Sails (Cowper and Burnham). She listened so kindly to my ideas (and Doug’s) and produced just what I’ve dreamt about for years. As the ‘team’ worked on fitting the covers, sides etc, someone was heard to ask whether it was my intention to have an hermetically sealed cockpit, ideal for growing tomatoes and geraniums? Of course!!! It has been money well-spent, improving life aboard, particularly in Holland where we go most often. And no - we were not put off by dear Pierre le Clay, HM at RYCO Ooslende who, gazing at our fully rigged cover, said ‘Aaaah, Camping!’ "]
The photos show Kawa’s new screen with and without Janet’s cockpit cover and I hope survive the printing process well enough to be clear. For any interested owners the local boat builder who pulled it all together is:
Alan S R SlaIey
Chambers Wharf
Faversham
Kent
MEI3 7BT
Re. Philip Corrigan’s query: "How do you use your boards?". What we do is:
It works for us. With all good wishes for a super
sailing season to all Iroquois Owners,
Janet & Doug Mackay, KAWA
Outboard for sale. Johnson 25hp, extra long shaft, electric start, new solenoid and power pack, low pitch propeller, to include remote, can be seen running on my Iroquois. £450 contact Steve Taylor.
Dear Thelma, Ken and Tim,
I am always looking forward to receiving a Newsletter from IOA, and I really do appreciate the work you are doing in producing it, thank you!
We bought our boat in Stockholm in 94 and we have changed a lot. Taken out a big 20 hp Bukh diesel engine from the cockpit and replaced it with a l5hp Honda four-stroke with electrical start, it really works superbly.
Replaced the wooden doors to the cabin with some made of very strong polycarbonate (looks like acryl but is much more flexible) and I have also replaced a majority of the sliding hatch with this, we do like the very light cabin we have now and it also looks very elegant from outside. The polycarbonate is produced in many colours, ours is a little brown.
One thing we have done which we really appreciate is to replace the original forestay with a Sailspar roller reefing forestay. I am a little surprised that this is not more known and used here in Denmark as Sailspar’s forestay has got such a small and elegant drum, it can be placed very near the deck. We got it as Allan Christofferson who lives near us wanted to get a new mainsail. He had the roller reefing standing vertically on his boom on his Chieftain cat no. 319, his boat had been born with this device as a main roller reefing. Allan wanted to have a more effective main, so therefore I could buy the roller reefing at a very good price.
Talking about boats; I can tell you that Iroquois no.97 which has got the name Hiawatha was sold from Poul Ibsen, Svendborg to Lars Rasmussen, Copenhagen: I helped to make the deal between the two and I asked Lars if I could give you the information, it was okay. Lars loves the boat, he is very young in his early twenties and he talks about when he has finished his education to sail south, work and sail from place to place.
As a Vicechairman of Danske Flerskrogssejlere, which means Danish Multihull Association I will inform members of IOA about an International Multihull Meeting which will be held in Ebeltoft on the Eastcoast of Jutland in the days 22 - 25 July 99. Ebeltoft and that part of Denmark is absolutely one of the most beautiful, worth a visit.
The boats participating will be placed in a harbour which has been built to an old battleship Fregatten Jylland, and the museum will be part of the event. For instance there will be a party Saturday which will be held at the Battleship.
The IMM is being held every second year and has started as a co-operation between Denmark, Norway and Sweden where the meetings have been held by turn among these countries, later also Germany has joined. Actually the meeting should be in Sweden in 99, but as Danske Flerskrogsklub has 25th anniversary this year we have asked to have the meeting.
We have had English guests before to our meetings though we know it is a pretty long trip to take. In 85 a Telstar participated in Bandholm, and in 93 Two Bears, with Angela and Terry participated in Ishoj, so of course I hope to see some of you.
Normally about a hundred boats participate. If some of you should be interested in participating please write to me and I will send you further information.
With kind regards,
Per Morch, Sosua MkII, #152