S/Y EFAKI is a Mirage 28 built in 1977 by Thames Marine (UK) 

S/Y EFAKI is a member of the SNAPDRAGON & MIRAGE ASSOCIATION

S/Y EFAKI is a member of the Piraeus Sailing Club (I.O.P.)

This year I had decided that I needed to haul out the boat for a longer period in order to dry as Efaki was in the water since September 2003. The Koupetori yard at Salamina (Salamis) island was chosen since the cost was logical and the services offered (if needed), adequate. Although in order to go to the boat I need to drive from home for more than an hour including a small ferry ride, the price difference was so significant in contrast to other nearby choices that the decision was easy.

So the morning of the 15th of November 2005 with my dad we set sail for the almost 21 miles to the yard from the home port of Microlimanon. The weather was fine though with no wind as a severe weather change was expected for the next day. So only with the engine and no sail set, we cast off at about 9:30.

Despite the fact that Efaki was in the water for more than two years and had been scrubbed at least two times so that (as was later proved) virtually no antifoul was left at her hull, the speed was not at any point less than 5 knots and so at about 13:30 we were at our destination. During the four hours of our trip I had the chance to catch up with my dad and also to discuss various things about his youth aboard my grand fathers caique (fishing boat) in Crete.

Left picture: On the right side is the Koupetori yard where Efaki was hauled out while on the left side is another yard that works mainly with wooden caiques.

Right picture: This trailer was expecting Efaki to haul her out. Usually in Greece cranes are used to haul out/launch boats and this was my first time with this system that is positioned underneath the boat and then with hydraulic levers holds it in place.

The bow was centered on the trailer and then Efaki's weight secured the position as the hydraulic arms were slowly lifted. 

Then the trailer with Efaki aboard came out of the water. This particular trailer can hold 45 tons with 5 movable arms so it was a piece of cake to hold the 3.5 tons of Efaki.

Immediately after exiting the water the hull was washed with pressurized fresh water so as to clean up the sea organisms attached as if this is not done immediately, these become so rock hard you have to hammer them. As you may see, almost no antifouling was left on the hull of Efaki after two years in the water but especially after at least two in water scrubs. Conclusion: don't scrub your antifouling in order to clean the hull, it only makes things worst.

After completing the clean up, Efaki was positioned on her allocated space where she'll stay until the middle of next March. The yard has purpose build steel bases that are used instead of cradles to secure the boats. This is probably because it saves space and permits more boats in the limited yard area.

First remarks about Efaki: no osmosis problem, the anodes were half eaten away so they work as they should, the fenders must be renewed as their plastic has been polymerized and leave difficult to remove marks on the hull. More remarks after my next visit to Efaki which will be in the middle of December as I have a few difficult weeks in front of me with several business trips abroad.  

This page was last updated on Nov 17th 2005.