OPTIMUM 3-ASPIDA-SAXOBANK enjoyed an uneventful passage from Athens to Valletta. Optimum crew members and guests arrived in Malta in high spirits after a 66-hour non-stop voyage under easy going conditions. Moonlight nights and sunny days attended by light to medium strength winds allowed for 50-50 motoring and sailing. The crew shifts was decided to be 3-hour watches of three people on deck and six people off watch, so lots of sleep and relaxation was recorded. Two sails were used, a mini dacron mainsail and an old No.3 Jib and we only used about half the diesel we had on board. Two incidents recorded on the logbook. A hard change of course, head to wind, an hour after we left Kalamaki, to allow a large merchant ship to cross clear of our bow and the sighting of two baby dolphins playing around us about 40 miles before Malta.
“The passage was great, I enjoyed the company of all on board and the Optimum guys provided great hospitality. The boat amazed me by how fasr and responsive she is. The fist night we were surfing down waves on 20-25 knots true wind speed at 145 degrees true wind angle at up to 16 knots! Although there is no privacy down below par the WC, I never felt ofended or anything. The Optimum team spirit was obvious and very welcoming for us the guests. No wonder why they have succeeded so much for so long; they are like a family!” states Alexia Despotopoulou from ALTER EGO crew that joined in for the passage.
“Well, you ‘ve got a serious Optimum Team fan in Thessaloniki after this. It was such an experience for me. Far better and enjoyable than I expected. The Optimum guys make it look really easy and understandable. The boat amazed me, this is serious 52 ft racing machine and I was steering it for hours under sail and engine. A mile-eater too. I feel really happy for the oportunity, thank you Bax and thank you guys for the experience. Am I lucky or what?” questions Evi Delidou with a huge smile on her face.
“It has been a few years that I wanted to sail with Team OPTIMUM. But I never had the time due to my various work commitments especially now that I am a professional skipper and travelling around the world more often than not. But when Bax mailed me of the Optimum opportunity I knew I wanted to take a rest from sailing as part of my work and sail for fun with a boat that I always liked to do so. And I enjoyed every bit of it. Optimum 3 sails like a dream, the guys are great fun, very organized and relaxed at the same time. During my night shifts, Periklis threw out a few intersting stories that allowed me to realize that there is lots of depth and background on this team that dates back to 1981 and a few key people and hard work that have elevated Team OPTIMUM to its world class status of today. I am sure they are about to lunch another serious challenge for the upcoming Rolex Middle Sea Race in a few days time” enthusiastically declares Portugese pro-skipper Roberto Rodrigues that was great honor to have onboard for the passage to Malta.
OPTIMUM 3 is moored now in Royal Malta Yacht Club dock, safe and sound excibiting proudly the clours and logos of her valuable sponsors ASPIDA Maritime Security and SAXOBANK. Lots o preparatory work need to be done ahead of the Saturday start and you may consider this as Malta News story No.4.
Photo gallery from the passage here: http://goo.gl/fxlGbd
Stay tuned for dock talk on Malta Story 4…