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Hecate and Astarte Pahi 53 catamarans maiden voyage
12 months apart, 2 Pahi 53’ catamarans are launched at Seascape boatyard on Phuket Island (Thailand) and sail from there to Paros Island (Greece). It’s February 2005 & 2006 and in spite of the murderous 2005 Tsunami and the scorching heat in 2006, both boats and crews were ready to face the Ocean on this race against time.  Other teams are expecting them in Greece, in April, in order to take the boats over and ready them for the charter season.

A travelogue in pictures and words

Hecate's delivery:
 
Catamaran Hecate
Hecate’s crew consists of 3 men. From left to right: G. Corianitis (movie director), G.Gritsis (captain & offshore sailor), C. Caramanis (photographer & cameraman).
Catamaran Hecate
Hulls prior painting, Seascape shipyard. [ The Owners, George & Vanessa Gritsis, and their children survive the Tsunami ]. The traditional stepping of the mast. Start of Hecate’s maiden voyage. Phuket, Feb. 12th 2005. G. Gritsis at the helm.
Phuket-Paros: 6000 NM. Estimated time to reach Greece : 60 days. Itinerary : Phuket - Sri Lanka - Yemen-Sudan - Suez - Port Said - Paros. Expected conditions: favorable winds in the Indian Ocean, pirates in the Gulf of Aden, contrary winds in the Red Sea, foul weather in the Mediterranean.
Catamaran Hecate
The crew gets to learn the Pahi. For G.Gritsis, the moment of truth has come, 3 years of dreams and planning facing reality: how does a charter catamaran behaves on an ocean passage. With a crew of three, night shifts are single handed and a good lookout is paramount. Hecate follows a busy sealane connecting Asia to Europe (Bengal Gulf, Arabian Sea, Red Sea, Mediterranean Sea). Smaller vessels and trawlers are also frequently encountered.
Catamaran Hecate
Hecate did only spend 2 days for bunkering in Galle, in Sri Lanka. The southern coast been devasted by the Tsunami. On board, everyone does his bit in the galley, with mixed results. Navigation remains G. Gritsis responsability. His tools are chart plotter, GPS and radar. In case of electronic black out, plan B consists of paper charts, tables and a Plath sextant.
Catamaran Hecate
A dream comes true for movie director G. Corianitis: leaving behind everyday life for 3 months he becomes an ocean sailor. Traditional fishing craft in the Maldives. Flat calm on the Indian Ocean. Being twin engined, the Pahi can double her range by running one engine at the time and travelling at 5 knots.
Catamaran Hecate
Gulf of Aden, the easy part of the voyage is over. Hecate must now play hide and seek with the local pirates. She escapes trouble thanks to her superior speed before making for the port of Aden. The crew meets there an unlucky american yacht that was shot at.
Catamaran Hecate
After the calms of reef strewn southern Red Sea, Hecate’s crew has to fight strong contrary winds in order to painstakingly reach Suez.
Catamaran Hecate
Oceanic seclusion is over. Hecate transits through the Suez canal and reaches under 4 days her home port of Paros, in the Cyclades. The ground crew warmly welcome the exhausted sailors and starts working on her in order to prepare the catamaran for its first charter cruise in the greek islands.