SNAME’s Participation in 2010
Posidonia Cup
by Paris Dimitriadis
On Friday 4th June, 2010 the SNAME Greek Section participated,
for the 3rd time round, in the 5th Anniversary Posidonia
Cup, ably organized by the Hellenic Offshore Racing Club (HORC Piraeus).
S/Y Semele II, was chartered and once again skippered by Mr. Elias
Vassiliades and manned by SNAME members
Paris Dimitriadis, Nicos Dionyssopoulos, Christos Chrissakis and Vassilis Tsartsitalidis, Eleni Kafetzidakis,
Elias Zilakos, Michalis Pytharoulis SNAME student members of NTUA School of
Naval Architecture.
Prior to racing, there have been two training outing sessions for all
participants to get acquainted with the boat and to distribute complementary
functional roles.
Pre-race briefing was efficiently delivered, followed by drinks and
tasty food, in HORC quarters during the pre-racing day evening. In the
following morning a good breakfast was served at HORC, for foreign crews who
had boats moored near-by.
The Racing committee finally selected race course “B” that was a
triangular 12.5nm course, its two longest legs matching Attica’s shore line and
affording maximum shore viewing spectacle for interested on-lookers.
Weather was sunny, temperature being around 23oC, with an
initial mild southerly breeze of 3 Beaufort scale, later picking up to F4…
We had a rather slow upwind start, doing 4.8Kts, as we were cautious
with our prestart maneuvering, behind a tightly packed narrow starting line.
Then we tacked-out of competing boats congestion and headed for the
windward mark which we reached after five lightning tacks.
Passing the windward mark we put-up the spinnaker, keeping a left-hand
course and doing over 6,5Kts.
When we rounded the final mark we opted to keep the spinnaker flying in eager
coordinated trim and started catching-up with our competitors, doing over 8kts
as the breeze was freshening!
Unfortunately the course length was not long enough, for us to benefit
from our belated performance. Still we were all pleased with our impeccable maximization
of our boat’s performance.
There were 64 participating yachts, with about 500 colorful crew, all
involved with the Athens Posidonia International Exhibition.
Semele II was in ORC Club class of 10 boats and was finally placed 5th
in its class on corrected time, finishing less than 3 minutes after the 4th
boat in same class.
The awards ceremony joyfully took place in the evening, at the “Ble”
Seaside Club, with high participating crews and sponsors spirits, being
uplifted by good wine/spirits and ample food for all who competitively strained
in the previous hours.
We all agreed it was a worthwhile “small scale nautical effort” that
forged SNAME relationships and character. Our effort had next to concentrate at
the SNAME Posidonia exhibition stand!
Mr Lalangas With our crew, just before departure
The crew. From left: front row: Elias Zilakos, Nikos Dionysopoulos, Paris Dimitriadis, Vasileios Tsarsitalidis, Eleni Kafetzidaki. Back row: Michalis Pitharoulis, Elias Vassiliades (skipper) Christos Chrissakis.
Photo taken by Mr lalangas during departure.
picture taken on board by Vasileios Tsarsitalidis: from left: Christos Chryssakis, Eleni Kafetzidaki, Paris Dimitriadis
from left: Ilias Zilakos, Nikos Dionysopoulos, Paris dimitriadis. Front: Elias Vassiliades
the tight starting line
sunset at "BLE" moments before the awards ceremony