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.)

On March 10th 2006 we launched Efaki following a period of winterization ashore that lasted almost 4 months. The plan was to launch her during the week of March 13 -17 but a severe weather change and multiple obligations at work forced a last minute change of plans that was supported by the fact that the whole process was possible since a boat that was blocking Efaki in the cramped Koupetori Yard at Salamina (Salamis) island was launched the same day. Here is the process:

The trailer is positioned underneath Efaki that has had a second layer of antifouling applied the same morning. You may notice how close the boats are in the yard and also that they were very well supported by several support pads.

Efaki was lifted by the hydraulic arms of the trailer and slowly was extracted between the other boats. The length of the boat was such that only three of the five arms were used, one on the bow and two on the stern. The operation was an everyday job for the yard staff but always a stressing one for me. 

Then the trailer moved Efaki near the launching platform where I had to antifoul the hull at the places that the support pads were holding her safe on the ground.

Antifouling the hull was the easy part with more care being paid underneath the keel. The barnacles were as stones hard and I really had to hammer a few places before applying the antifouling. Then I left about an hour Efaki standing there so as the antifouling to dry a little.

Then Efaki was splashed! The yard has a slipway with adequate depth and an open boat as platform where you can board your boat when the hydraulic arms of the trailer left her float. Immediately after securing Efaki I made a thorough check for leaks in the new through hull fittings and the ball valves that I renewed. Hopefully everything was ok and then I tried to fire up the engine with no success although two days ago I had installed two new 100 AH gel batteries. I was frustrated enough and I asked around for somebody to help jump start the engine with no success. To my amazement half an hour later the engine was easily started, this fact making me wonder whether the new batteries needed a heavy cranking to start delivering ample power. I suppose that they were not fully charged as new but can't really understand what made them later provide the cranking power needed. (*Update: finally it proved to be a bad terminal connection to the grounding of the engine that created the problem).

With the engine running and everything checked ok we left the Koupetori Yard for the twenty something miles to Microlimanon on the premises of IOP that Efaki has her permanent mooring. I had again this time with me my best friend Takis (shown on the above picture) who also took these pictures. The sail lasted 3 hours and forty minutes and was wet enough with a southerly force four to our bow.

The costs were as follows:

Hauling in and out: 210 Euros

Power washing: 80 Euros.

Parking: 250 Euros

Scrubbing and polishing of the hull: 300 Euros.

Launching permit by the Coast Guard: 3,88 Euros.

This page was last updated March 12th 2006.