Conference unifix::sailing

... Mike did the first leg single-handed!

Brian and I will join him for the second leg from Bermuda to Barbados.

--RS

    Has anyone heard anything on TELIBA? The were heading south from
    Bermuda last monday the 7th. That Tropical storm in the Caribbean this
    weekend had me thinking about Mike, Brian and RS. I hope and pray that
    they are safe. The Seas have not been very friendly this past week with
    all the problems reported 2177.
    
    Bob P
    
     

We arrived safely at Barbados on Saturday after 12 days on the water.
The trip was marked only by lack of wind and some minor equipment failures.
Hurricane Gordon was never a threat to us, although of course we monitored the
weather forecasts closely.

Brian and I returned home yesterday by plane. Mike T will stay a week or so
in Barbados and then will continue on single-handed to Grenada, followed by a
winter of island-hopping.

--Reinhard

    Our trip was anything but exciting.  No wind was the norm.  We ended up
    motoring nearly a 1/3 of the way.  The weather and daily SSB check in
    with Herb @ 16:00 gave us the update for weather and other sailors
    transiting.  TS Gordon was far to the west and didn't even give us the
    slightest push unforunately.  The trip was safe and slow.  I'll post more 
    when time permits. 
    
    Brian

    Is this the herb from BDA that does the data gathering and forcast
    forwarding? I had read he had to leave BDA? Did he get a stay?

    p.
    

    Yup, same Herb but a new location.  He is transmitting from Ottawa now. 
    I found his reports to be better than the National Marine forecasts
    plus it was good to talk to a human in the middle of the ocean as well
    as getting updates on the other folks out there.  There were several
    vessels in our vicinity so we more or less had company on the way down
    even though we did not see more than one other sailboat.  Call sign is 
    VAX 498 or Southbound 2.  Frequency is 12.5390.  He braodcasts between 
    20:00 and 21:00 UT.  
    
    Brian

>    VAX 498 or Southbound 2.  Frequency is 12.5390.  He braodcasts between
     ^^^

     couldn't we get him an AlphaStation?

     :-)

     Sounds good. Santa is getting me a SSB soon and i'll be starting to
     listen into to some of this.

I just got my June 1995 copy of Cruising World. Gues who is on "Passage Notes"
on page 12? Mike Ktistakis.

I am going to read this magazine and then send it too him.  I think he might
like extra copies.  Any help on his address would be appreciated.  At the least,
post his address in Shrewsbury.  I think he lived on Mercury Dr.

Here is the text, without permission from anyone, but I think Mike would like
this.  Incidently, he was a great fan of this conference.

================================================================================
"Repairs were the first order of the day for Mike Ktistakis when he arrived in
Bermuda this winter aboard Teliba (named after his wife and children - Doug) his
Downeast 32.  A contrary wind and current in the Gulf Stream made for a rough
ride, but 60 miles out of St. George's, a cold front roared in and the boat
suffered a knockdown.  A deck pad eye broke and he lost a baby stay as well as
his wind vane.  Mike was down below at the time, 'hafing a shave', he said. 'But
you know, after the event while downing a cold one in a dockside pub, everything
seemed worth it."
================================================================================

re .8 The events recorded in this article transpired in Nov 94. After
that, Brian McBride and I sailed with him from Bermuda to Barbados, a
relatively uneventful trip.

Last I heard (in Jan.), Mike was island-hopping in the Carribean, but
planning to sail home soon. You can reach him through his wife Barbara
who works at TAY2. She's in ELF.

--RS

Mike Ktistakis is back in MA. He called me yesterday. He spent the winter sailing
all over the Carribean, eventually ending up in Fla. He sold the boat there,
and is now facing re-entry into the real world. 

--RS

When MIke left, I think he was on a leave of absence.  Does anyone know if he is
returning to Digital?

Doug 
dtn 592-4787

    Mike retired from Digital.  He will not be returning but is looking for
    something to do.  Golf was not high on the list :-).  Several post
    cards from various ports of call were received.  He is in good spirits
    after his second happiest day after selling the boat in Florida.  Missed 
    Peter Maier in Marigot by a day.  Ran aground off the keys, lost his 
    anchor and basically had an adventure of a lifetime.  
    
    Brian

    
    Barbara Ktistakis #118684
    node:  JPS1::KTISTAKIS
    DTN:  227-3231
    
    This note is from my husband Mike Ktistakis.
    
    Hi folks.Just to let you know I am well and I did miss this notesfile 
    and sailing.
    I did retire from Digital on Oct.2 1994 and refused a transfer to
    Quantum.But that was planned in advance because I was going sailing.
    I had a great time sailing the Caribean,the Vergins(all of them)
    Bahamas and a couple ports of Florida.I did a total of 38 islands
    and about 40-42 ports.Barbara met me in Antigua and she did 8 islands
    with me including St. Barts,the Riviera of the Caribbean,and equal
    expensive $ 7.00 for a couple of small glasses of coke.However I have
    to say that the French administered Islands are the best.The Angels(about
    a mile off Guadeloupe) St.Barts and Maria Galante are like the best
    south France has to 0ffer.Same goes for English Harbour,Antigua(Enlish admini
    stered I believe).Easiest and best sailing, the Vergins.I was at Peter
    Island where Walter Cronkite anchored later.Saw him at Shoppers hole
    another time. My favorites are the outer Bahama islands.No boats there
    I had miles of beaches to myself I also had a whole abandoned marina
    at Cat Island miles away from everything.It was kind of scary to be
    so alone in such an establishment at no-where without anybody
    showing-up.
    With the exception of my knockdown going to Bermuda the only oter time
    that experienced bad whether was on my way to San-Salvator.
    There I saw some rollers(I wont even try to mention wave hight becase I
    probably won't be believed)that if anyone was to brake on the boat I
    would be history by now. Anyway they have a small marina there but
    because of the weather I couldn't enter and I had to continue for
    another island(cat island)Because of the weather the autopilot couldn't
    hold and the vain,as Reinhard and Brian know,was basted I had to be
    on the wheel for a total of over 30 hours.On landfall...I was asking
    the other person to be carefull we don't run aground.I was
    Hasilusinating of course since I was alone onboard.
    The boat was excellent,I really had more faith in her than I should but
    it was justified.Barbara came in Antigua and the plan was to sail for
    at least a year.Thank God she got a leave of absense from Digital for
    6 months because after she did 8 Islands and at St.Marteen she got
    so sick(I believe it was heat stroke) I had to take her with an
    ambulance to the hospital where we were told that she had to go home
    next day and she shouldn't sleep on the boat.So we spend $100.00 that
    night in a so-so hotel room overlooking my boat on the bay.
    After Barbara left I really was racing home because then started feel
    the lonliness.
    By the way I missed Peter Maier at Rodney Bay and not Marigot by one
    day.I was going to wait for him at Bequia for Christmas but when some
    uniform guys told me to move my boat to another location I piched my
    anchor and kept going.Another good place to visit are the Grenadines.
    Unbelievedable scenery.
    If someone asked me what i know or do best in sailing a boat,I would,
    without hesitation, say my anchoring since in eight years I had the
    boat I only paid once for trancient mooring(excluding the seasonal
    mooring at Jamestown)Well I did better than I thought.
    I anchored at Cat Cay(Different than Cat Island)at 18 feet of water.
    Forecast was good and I had all chain out,about 75 feet.During the
    night as always I was getting up and check the weather.About 2.00 A.M.
    a front came from knowhere and I had to pick the anchor and go.No
    big deal,because altough tha wind came up fast the seas were fairly
    flat on the beginning.Well I try to pick up the anchor but the last 18
    feet vertical wont come up Did all the manouvers of letting more chain
    out and then try to pick up the avchor from different angles but won't
    do.I even broke the manual winlass trying.Finally when the seas started
    coming from the stern I had to go and cut the rope that holded the
    chain on the balkhead.Cut my finger too,a lot of blood on the wheel
    and all over the place.Before I let my 45 CQR and all chain go i tied
    a plastic backet on the chain so it floats and some poor fellow
    find it and make a few bucs.Well no problem the engine was on from
    trying to manouvre to pick up the anchor before so I was home
    free,point the bow to open sea and I am O.K.
    Unfortunally the engine that had not stole since I had the boat it did
    then.Without control and by the time I raiset thestaysail the wave
    pushed me to a coral.The demage to the coral was probably graet but
    my boar gor a lot of scratces on the topsides and the underbody
    lost a fitting of the wind vain got two chartkits trenced with
    warer in the cabin coming from te stern and that's it.
    The Loyd's of London was very cooperative it wasn't abig deal,
    they even let me paint the topsides and paid me for it.They also
    copensated me for my anchor,chain,and chart kits.The yard did very
    little.
    After that I decided to sell it,changed my mind but the guy who wanted
    it really persuaded me and I delivered from Ft. Lauderdale to Cape
    Canaveral and sold it to him at a good price.
    Of course I changed my mind a week later but it is to late.Maybe
    another
    boat if Digital stock goes to $ 200.00.
    Finally, if anyone thinks about a similar trip my advise is do it if
    you know what you doing(without been captain know it all)have a boat
    that is proven sound  you costantly check the systems onboard and
    think personal safety all the time.My trip especially from Barbados
    to Bahamas was much easier than sailing Narragensett and I am serious.
    The Bermuda trip is another matter but it is be done everyyear by
    hundrends.
    Pirates and drug runners are real in the caribbean ask Barbara.
    Sorry for the lenthy note but you already know I talk to much and
    I had not talk to this file more than a year
    Wish well to everybody
    Happy sailing
    
    P.S.
    As before forgive my spelling and grammar.Must be a mess.