Saturday, January 28, 2012
TOURISTS COMING TO GREECE PLEASE READ THIS
After what seems like forever, our home country is finally out of the international headlines. What started as an interesting exposure to the international community quickly develped into massive negative press and the possibilty of Greece becoming a major contributor to a whole another world economic crisis.... Weeks, months later we are still here, some how.... the people of greece have been bloodied, bruised and most of all finacially raped by thier government and the powers of the EU...but some how like war veteranans we are still here standing, dazed and wondering whats coming next....hopefully nothing much more becasue as a people we have nothing left to contribute... I do not have to give endless examples a quick drive around the local nieghbourhood tells it all, for rent signs everywhere, businesses shuttered up and an ever increasing population of illegal refugees from the rest of the world standing on street corners with nothing to do...
A pretty damn grim picture of ATHENS and its suburbs I just painted, I live here and its all true, Athens SUCKS, however the Greek islands and summer are coming a time to escape this 'Dune' of a city and go back to the real greece where every day is another in a row of glourious sunshine and sea.
The islands will suffer badly this winter, no tourism and little to do for work. So when summer comes the islands need to be ready to welcome all those thousands of returning foreign toruists..... well here is where things will get sticky.... may be you will decide that a holiday in the greek islands sounds like fun and will definately be cheaper than a lot of other places ... then perhpas you will be of the mind that coming here will be a problem... riots, strikes, unhappy people, expensive... I honestly wish that I could gurantee that none of that will happen.... ITS GREECE... any thing can happen, we are proving that now.... What we need to do is have out tourist freinds return to the islands again to see for them sleves how they can help by taking a holiday and letting us show you how much better we can make it then it was in the past.
Friday, January 27, 2012
SILVER SPIRIT BECOMES 'SPIRIT OF POROS'....
Latest News:
After talks with the mayor of Poros, we will be renaming our Whitbread 60 , “Spirit of Poros Island”. The idea is to advertise the island and show it as an Ideal place for yachts to visit and stay. To start the ball rolling we will be entering the Yachting spring Series. Starting with the Hydra race in March, the Poros Race in April finishing with the Kythonos race at the end of April.
We are looking for Crew, we need 15 new crew members. These are volunteer places you pay your own expenses. The yacht will supply basic services during the race weekends only. Starts and finishes will be in Athens, off Palio Faliron, Marina Flisvos.
Monday, January 23, 2012
TEAM NEW ZEALANDS ''RULES OF THE ROAD"'
Team New Zealand's Rules Of The Road
Racing, Miscellany, Team New Zealand
An excellent set of guidelines for conducting yourself like a professional sailor.
Rule number 1
No phones at dinner. As soon as a phone comes out the offender is fined. Fines are immediate and can be paid at the bar. Sounds old school but it really bugs me to have a get together and someone is Skyping their sister, surfing the net, or on Facebook. It’s not right!
Special permission can be granted to have a phone on the table. I think we gave permission once in France. At the time some questioned the wisdom of allowing any exception to the “rules are rules” policy, but Burg’s wife was in labour back in New Zealand.
Rule number 2
Change the shirt or change your beer. It never fails to amaze me how many people just don’t get it. An example from the past: How can a team member wearing the Emirates Team New Zealand shirt, proudly displaying our sponsors, including Estrella Damm, order a competing beer? In the bottle no less! Imagine if a director of Estrella Damm was socialising with his/her team and seen drinking a competitors’ product. Not a good look for anyone.
Rule number 3
While we are at it, clear away the empties. As the team has matured over the years I don’t have to use this line much. Picture this: You see yachties sitting, having a good time, perhaps a bit loud, at a table littered with empty beer bottles. Now picture the same scene but the only bottles in sight are those in use. A very different perception of the same situation. Better yet, no bottles and the beer is in a glass. All Black management discovered long ago that people tended to drink less if they drink from a glass.
Rule number 4
No job is too trivial. Wash the sails, clean the container, take out the rubbish or get lunches; doesn’t matter if you the youngest or oldest, skipper or a rookie boat builder. No matter where you are in the pecking order, you do whatever needs to done. Just get on with it, no complaining. And no festering. Festering is where you are hanging out just…….festering. Not getting anything done. Everyone get the jobs done and leaves.
Rule number 5
Win, by all means but make it fun. Little things like dinner together, having a beer together after sailing regardless of the day’s results or just being happy. It’s contagious, if you’re upbeat and looking forward the others will fall in line. If you’re walking depression you will drag your comrades down with you.
Life is too short not to enjoy it.
Racing, Miscellany, Team New Zealand
An excellent set of guidelines for conducting yourself like a professional sailor.
Rule number 1
No phones at dinner. As soon as a phone comes out the offender is fined. Fines are immediate and can be paid at the bar. Sounds old school but it really bugs me to have a get together and someone is Skyping their sister, surfing the net, or on Facebook. It’s not right!
Special permission can be granted to have a phone on the table. I think we gave permission once in France. At the time some questioned the wisdom of allowing any exception to the “rules are rules” policy, but Burg’s wife was in labour back in New Zealand.
Rule number 2
Change the shirt or change your beer. It never fails to amaze me how many people just don’t get it. An example from the past: How can a team member wearing the Emirates Team New Zealand shirt, proudly displaying our sponsors, including Estrella Damm, order a competing beer? In the bottle no less! Imagine if a director of Estrella Damm was socialising with his/her team and seen drinking a competitors’ product. Not a good look for anyone.
Rule number 3
While we are at it, clear away the empties. As the team has matured over the years I don’t have to use this line much. Picture this: You see yachties sitting, having a good time, perhaps a bit loud, at a table littered with empty beer bottles. Now picture the same scene but the only bottles in sight are those in use. A very different perception of the same situation. Better yet, no bottles and the beer is in a glass. All Black management discovered long ago that people tended to drink less if they drink from a glass.
Rule number 4
No job is too trivial. Wash the sails, clean the container, take out the rubbish or get lunches; doesn’t matter if you the youngest or oldest, skipper or a rookie boat builder. No matter where you are in the pecking order, you do whatever needs to done. Just get on with it, no complaining. And no festering. Festering is where you are hanging out just…….festering. Not getting anything done. Everyone get the jobs done and leaves.
Rule number 5
Win, by all means but make it fun. Little things like dinner together, having a beer together after sailing regardless of the day’s results or just being happy. It’s contagious, if you’re upbeat and looking forward the others will fall in line. If you’re walking depression you will drag your comrades down with you.
Life is too short not to enjoy it.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
SPRING DATES AND NEWS UPDATE
Hello and Happy New year to all our students and colleagues
The summer is now long gone and winter is starting to settle in. It’s
time to think about warm sunny days and sailing in the blue waters of the
Aegean . This coming summer the school has lots going on,
i.
New programs
and a new yacht for novices to learn their basic sailing skills.
ii.
There are 2
opportunities for crews to join races in the Aegean and a Whitbread 60 that
will allow students to experience sailing at high speeds 20 knts +..
iii.
Plus we have
all the usual programs of mile builders and advanced sailing for offshore
experience.
Details are all below
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SPRING 2012 CLASS SCHEDULE
APRIL 15 - 25… CAPTAINS OPEN CRUISE AND
EASTER MILE BUILDER 10 DAYS NORMALLY €
1800 A PERSON, BUT WITH THIS EMAIL
DISCOUNTED TO €1500/PERSON
MAY
5- 14
NOVICE TO BAREBOAT SKIPPER 10 DAYS €1700/PERSON
MAY 18- 27
NOVICE TO BAREBOAT SKIPPER 10 DAYS
€1700/PERSON
JUNE 2- 11 NOVICE TO BAREBOAT SKIPPER 10 DAYS
€1700/PERSON
JUNE 16-25 NOVICE TO BAREBOAT SKIPPER 10 DAYS
€1700/PERSON
JULY 1- 8 . .
YACHT CREW TRAINING WEEK 7 DAYS €1200/PERSON
SO THAT YOU DO NOT FORGET WHAT’S INCLUDED IN OUR
SAILING SCHOOL COURSES AND OUR CRUISES :-
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This summer we have arranged to have 2 competitive race yachts
available for students to crew on and learn how to ocean race on either of
the 2 seasons Aegean race weeks. We have 2 yachts that will challenge you as
crew. A Whitbread 60 that will get you to the finish in record time, as well
as our school racing ketch. Each event is fully covered and paid for, that
means all you have to bring is your tooth brush and foul weather gear. Varied
crew positions are available from mainsail trimmers to bow men to hoist and
work the fore deck. Training/instruction will be available prior to the
racing.
Follow the link below to see
details and costs for these events
Read More>> |
EASTER SPRING MILE BUILDING CRUISE
Last years cruise was a huge success with over 400 miles
sailed and 2 students advanced by taking and passing their 106 exam. The
yacht sailed from Athens over to the Dodecanese and visited Leros and Patmos before returning to Athens
via Naxos and Kithonos. The weather
was everything, from glorious sunny warm days to full gale conditions and
blue skies.
This year we will
be leaving a little later in April to try and avoid some of the early spring rough
weather. K3 will leave the dock form
Athens April 15th and return April 25th . The itinerary
will be open to the crew, and weather of course. There are 6 berths available
and if you book with this letter it we will honour a 25% discount off the
regular rate of €1800, that’s €450
saving…
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Our
10 day Novice to bareboat course has been a success now for many . It is a convenient
way for clients to get certified so that they can charter a yacht in some of
the glourious locations around the world. For the last few years we have used
a combination of on hands sailing on a 57 ft yacht and class room style
teaching (book learning) to teach our students. One of our concerns has been
the lack of small boat sailing that we would have liked to introduce the
students too. Learning to sail on a big comfortable sailing platform like a
57 ft yacht is fine . What was lacking was that seat of the pants sailing
that all dinghy sailors go though and teaches students more gently about what can go wrong during a sailing manoeuvre
as well as build confidence with the
student in their sail handling ability.
In order to make sailing
for our novice students easier we have purchased a 25 ft Farr designed school
teaching yacht. This yacht was designed specifically to help teach young
sailors the basic’s of sailing before moving on to bigger yachts . The
little yacht will be based on Poros Island. After leaving Athens on the main
teaching yacht you will moor in the Poros bay and the new yacht will moor
alongside and be available for 3 days of intense sailing practice in and
around the island of Poros.
As
well as the Farr 25 sailing dinghy we will also have a smaller 28ft cabin
cruiser available to be used for practice.
This
little cabin cruiser is designed to help the student gain confidence in manoeuvring
under power, as well as help him practice sailing in confined areas, like
river estuaries, and crowded marinas. The small cruiser is also a good yacht
to practice Med style mooring to the quay.
Read
More>> |
Jonathan
Friday, January 6, 2012
SPRING CLASS SCHEDULE AND SUMMER RACE PROGRAM
SPRING 2012 CLASS SCHEDULE NOW AVAILABLE:
- APRIL 7 - 16.... EASTER SAILING SCHOOL MILE-BUILDER 10 DAYS.. €1800 A PERSON
- MAY 5 - 14......NOVICE TO BAREBOAT SKIPPER 10 DAYS.....€1700 A PERSON
- MAY18 - 27.....NOVICE TO BAREBOAT SKIPPER 10 DAYS.....€1700 A PERSON
- YACHT RACING THIS SUMMER, 'AEGEAN RALLY'..'AEGEAN REGATTA'..
Yacht racing has for a long time been a sport that has challenged the masses. For many years it has been the sport of the rich and famous. However, to day it is possible to charter a fully equipped race yacht and go racing. That's assuming you know all about the racing rules and how to man oeuvre one of these complex machines.
So how about becoming part of a crew that races in the Aegean Summer series.
2 race series to choose from, 2 different island groups to visit
2 race series to choose from, 2 different island groups to visit
The ASA along with Athens Sailing Academy is offering the opportunity for sailors to participate in these prestigious events. The yacht you will Crew on is a 55ft performance Ketch designed by the French naval architect Guy Ribadeau-Dumas. KORALIA3 was built in the French yard of Jeanneau 1990. The yacht has the pedigree to be competitive on the race-course and is able to highlight well any sailor who wishes to see themselves in the winner’s circle. The Aegean Rally is a well-covered media event, both on television and on the radio.
There will be 20 crewing places available for each event. These are events are for people who enjoy or wish to experience offshore yacht racing, as crew you will sail between 300 - 400 miles. You will play a full part in sailing the yacht, including navigation, keeping watch, and taking a turn in the galley. You will have ASA Instructors on hand to help you should you require advice. Although aimed at the more experienced sailor, it is possible for members who have passed their ASA 101 to join these events.
JULY 14 - 23...... 2012
10 days racing price per person
WOR 60 per/p €2000
57ft ketch per/p €1800
Start in Athens Palio Faliron, racing to Crete the town of Chania then returning via the island of Milos and finishing in Athens
25 BERTHS AVAILABLE, CREW TRAINING INCLUDED PRIOR TO RACING.
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AUGUST 18 - 26.. 2012
7 days racing price per person
WOR per/p €1800
57ft ketch per/p €1600
Start on the Island of Lesbos, race to the island of Chios. Third leg will be to race around Chios Island. Final leg will be to race to Syros island in the Cyclades.25 BERTHS AVAILABLE, ALSO DELIVERY BERTHS, CREW TRAINING INCLUDED.
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