Warsaw-Greece 2015, Family trip+HIGHFIELD OM540DL

[MatFromPoland]

This is not exact route.
It was something like that:

Warsaw - 7AM
Czech, Austria (Vienna, Gratz), Slovenia, Italy (Trieste) 00.30

Red (car + boat on trailer, black trace - ferry Triest -> Patra)
Ferry starts from Trieste, next step Ancona (Italy), Igumenisa (Greece),
Patra (Peloponnese - Greece)

Now I'm in Argolid Gulf - between Mili and Kiverion (between 2 villages)



I have added some SOLAS 3M tapes because boat is wider then trailer


Campers, cars awaiting for ferry (normally you can go on board at 3 AM)


Unfortunately due to storm in North Italy ferry have had some delay:


Finally on board (parking in Greek ferry is always a challenge - for me)


After few minutes my set has been covered by bunch of campers and buses


GO !!!



On place (Argolid gulf)



First trip

[MatFromPoland]

Relax at 40 km/h











Full speed 74 km/h (Family on board 4 x 50 kg and me 92 kg)

Cruise speed depends on wind and conditions (between 40 and 55 km/h)
One day we have faced storm so speed was limited to 35 km/h

Weather is different this year than usually (every evening late evening - some rain) - early morning very calm Sea

[Andre]

Well done Mat, keep the photos coming , make us wish we were there to enjoy the scenery. I trust you have stuffed your pockets with Euros

[MatFromPoland]

Originally Posted by Andre

Well done Mat, keep the photos coming , make us wish we were there to enjoy the scenery. I trust you have stuffed your pockets with Euros

I still can pay for petrol by payment card.
This is my way to help Greece - a lot of taxes are in a price of gasoline.

So I use a lot 40 l per 100 km when cruise is 41 - 43 km/h

Still less than 50 l per 100 km when cruise over 50 km/h.

Tomorrow good test - 120 km one way from Kivieri to Monemvasia.
I hope that they still offer delivery of petrol to port in Monemvasia.

Today destination Spetses island (50 km one way)

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

For folks thinking that I'm crazy ... - probably yes

But I could not find RIB rent service in Argolid or Lakonia Gulfs.
There is not (for sure) in fantastic Nafplion, Kiwieri, Mili (did not check Astros)
There are some companies near Athens but they count for delivery boat into Nafplio more than 1500 EUR and there are really big boats (8 - 8.5m Scorpio RIBS).

I have been spending 1 month in Greece every year since 6 years.
I always go by car and ferry from Triest

Without trailer it is much faster:

Warsaw 11 AM - start
Triest 00.30 - finish - pick up tickets for ferry, 1 hr walk around Trieste
On board - 2 AM - go to cabin and sleep
Next day 15 PM - Patra

[Andre]

Originally Posted by MatFromPoland

For folks thinking that I'm crazy ... - probably yes

Mat, I do not think anyone here thinks you are crazy. You are just like many of us who share the same passion for ribs.

I am sure many would do the same given the opportunity however Greece is much closer for you from Poland but I believe some here have done the distance, towed and enjoyed the ribbing in Greek waters like you are.

Will you be visiting the Wiatr i Woda boat show first weekend in August if yes then it will be an opportunity to meet up.

[MatFromPoland]

Today's trip. Kivieri - Spetses Visit Greece | Spetses

125 km in total, average speed 31 km/h (it includes some breaks and petrol tank in Porto heli). To Spetses I kept 55 km/h, back 44.
Last 10 km to our apartment we faced real storm (lights, ice balls, 7 BF).

Wind was against us but it was from land so waves were not higher than 1 - 1.5m I have never faced such weather/storm in Greece in summer time



On the way: strange looking hotel - castle architecture (must be expensive -
not a lot of people on the beach)


Private island. They have place for helicopter, private fireman car and small nice boats



I do prefer such architecture personally:


Porto Heli - a lot of big yachts



We tank here. ICOM shows that we have only 25% of petrol. It is not properly configured. Our tank is 100 l and I could tank only 35 liters. 70 km (2 km per liter). Can I configure ICOM EVINRUDE to show proper fuel level or it is work for service ??


Based on google - empty and nice beach in Spetses island ...
I felt like my "dinghy" not fit here at all

[Jeff]

Looks fantastic Mat ,,,, I can understand why you keep doing the trip.There's nothing like havingy our own Rib in the sun and blue waters.
Weather in the Ionion is also a bit strange this year. Wind, rain, sun, flat calm for a few days then f6 + next. Looks like summer has finally arrived on 30 th June though - shame we set off home to the UK on Sunday ��

[Pikey Dave]

Mat, if you start another thread regarding your I-command fuel issues, we can discuss it on there. I'd hate to be accused of thread hijack

[mick]

Nice thread Matt 😎 pikey and I were on about a similar trip the other day 👍

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by mick

Nice thread Matt �� pikey and I were on about a similar trip the other day ��

Certainly looks tempting. You never know, this time next year Greece could be the "Go to" place for cheap holidays I think I've got some Drachmas hidden away somewhere

[TorontoDiver]

Spectacular scenery Mat. How are you liking the Highfield?

[MatFromPoland]

OK, let's continue the story ...



I reallocated to new area today. I have shifted from Argolic Gulf to Lakonian Gulf.
(Area between Mili and Kiveri villages to Gythio)

3 hrs by car towing trailer with boat. I do suggest this road to avoid road thru mountains.

After I arrived went to Police, they ask me to go to Coast Guard, they have copied all papers like boat registration and insurance and send me to Port Police ... and they did not work ....

Finally famous here ROZAKIS travel agency helped me and made some calls ... :

1. Can not park car + trailer in port (the only one area where I can fit my set)
2. There is big slip - I can stay car here (finally left car and trailer on the street - not perfect ), boat
3. Nobody knows if I will pay anything for port - will see tomorrow

Our hotel (Gythion HOTEL) is good for their money (50 EUR for apartment for 5 persons including breakfast). Do not drink a lot when you stay here ... stairs are very dangerous:




Boat ramp (slide):


Crew awaiting for me near boat ramp (after we put boat into the Sea)


Finally we park boat into port in a front of nice tawerna





Maybe tomorrow we will go to Elafonisos island (100 km round trip)

[MatFromPoland]

Originally Posted by TorontoDiver

Spectacular scenery Mat. How are you liking the Highfield?

It is OK. I'm not good person to spread opinion because it is my firs RIB.

Previously I have SIB HONVAVE T38 + HONDA BF20

This set OM540DL + EVINRUDE 115 HO has good performance.
40 knot max with 5 people, full tank 20l of spare petrol, a lot of bags (on calm Sea)

This is real Sea so we faced many different waves.
Trim, power and you can find optimum to force these conditions.

But sometimes boat is too small to go thru smoothly - or I'm still not to experience

[MatFromPoland]

Elafonisos:

[MatFromPoland]

Route:

[MatFromPoland]

Cave of DIROS







On Monday (trip to Elafonisos island) we faced strong wind. So we have tested boat in really hard condition. On last 5 km I was not able to be in plane (more than 1.5m waves against me). Every day we are more familiar with Sea conditions and better in jumping or cutting waves. Kids ask me to buy cabin RIB. They were wet in these conditions (but it is warm weather here)

[Trimix]

Looks great

You cant beat the blue sky and warm, clear waters of the Med. Ive just come back from two weeks in Corsica. But I leave the boat there instead of towing it.

Sounds like you had some interesting weather, I had one week of mild seas and one week of flat sea.

[MatFromPoland]

Maybe some meeting at Med Sea ?

Today short trip Gythio - ALIPA



ALIPA on google.maps

Approaching:



Anchoring:








Small tavern:


What you can find in Greece tawern:

[Trimix]

Greek cats, I remember there were hundreds of them last time I was in Greece. Ever wondered where the kebabs come from ?

[A1an]

Originally Posted by Trimix

Greek cats, I remember there were hundreds of them last time I was in Greece.

Their govt will be selling them before long.