(this site reflects the views and opinions of the author - You may use or copy any of the contains provited you mention the source)
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The Return Trip of "KYRENIA 2" Paphos to Sounion |
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Draft sketches of ancient square sail and brails |
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Draft sketches of The Square sail of the ancient commercial ship |
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Draft sketches of the shell-first construction and ancient "rivets". |
K2 PROJECT PRESIDENT : MR HARRIS TZALAS
(Mr Harris Tzalas and the Hellenic Institute for the Preservation of Nautical Tradition
may be contacted at E-mail : c/o Joanna Tzalas : hmarine@hol.gr )
MAIN COORDINATOR : MR YIANNIS PANTZOPOULLOS
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From Left: Antonis Vasiliades, Glafkos Cariolou, Manolis Economou, Harry Tzalas, Prof.Michael Katzev |
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The KYRENIA-2 Sailing in front of spectators in the port of Yokohama Japan (1989) with Glafkos Cariolou, Kostas Agathagelou, George Paphitis and Japanese sailor. |
NOTE: Mr Antonis Vasiliades (Single Handed transatlantic Racer) was the First captain of KYRENIA 2 on the initial journey from Greece to Cyprus. (Summer 1986)
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ABSTRACT
By:
Glafkos Cariolou
Captain of KYRENIA II
Dipl.Yacht & B/yard Mgt. So'ton U.K.
The
Hellenic Institute of Nautical Archaeology with a carefully prepared experiment
investigates in to the ancient sailing routes and the probable sailing
performance of commercial sailing vessels of 400 BC.
An
almost 80% authentic ancient ship replica is sailed over 520 nautical miles
through the ancient port of Paphos in Cyprus, to Rhodos, Astypalaia, Syros, and
Piraeus. The findings are useful for Nautical Archaeology and these cover the
planning of the voyage, the preparation of the ship and crew, the sailing
performance of the vessel and other aspects of navigation and seamanship forming
an introduction into the vast amount of knowledge possessed by the ancient
Hellene Mariners and Shipbuilders as seen and experienced by a modern sailor and
a non-Archaeologist.
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MORE
INFO below in: CARI MONOGRAPH BOOK SERIES
"Cyprus
and the Eastern mediterranean from prehistory to late antiquity"
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THE RETURN OF
A HELLENIC
INFORMATION AS PRINTED IN THE : AMERICAN
SCHOOLS OF ORIENTAL RESEARCH ARCHAEOLOGICAL REPORTS.
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INTRODUCTION
The
ship since 1974, remains imprisoned with a doubtful future, in the hands of the
Turkish military. As you probably assume my deep sentimental connection drove me
in to this project and thanks to the Hellenic Institute for the Preservation of
Nautical tradition, Mr. Hary Tzalas and the Greek Ministry of Culture, I have
the honor to present my findings to you today.
I
often during the Symposium felt heavily handicaped as I am neither an
archaeologist nor a Naval architect, but I do hope you will forgive the mistakes
and sentiment of an amateur.
THE
OBJECTIVES
Sailing
230 Nautical miles from Paphos to Rhodos became a navigational exercise,
probably not encountered by sailors of our ancient ship. Using a (polar diagram)
and other records resulting from the 1986 trip from Greece to Cyprus, a
probabilistic route was formed with 34 alternative routes. The choice of each
route totally depended on the wind direction. The optimum route was :
The
plan of the voyage was submitted to the HIPNT and it was approved. By curtesy of
Mr. Latsis shipowner, the offshore tug boat "HELLAS" . (45m LOA, 5m
Draught, 13 Knots Max Speed) was to be our escourt safety vessel. The Tug boat
was to provite towage in and out of the port and to serve as a base station for
researchers, scientists and archaeologists. The duration of the trip of 520 N.M
was estimated to be between 12 and 15 days.
From
the previous trip the K2 remained in the moderately polluted (much less than ZEA
, port of Limassol 43v days. As a result (1) out f the total keel surface,
submerged (7.28 M.sq.), 11.5% (0.84 M.sq) was superficially affected by woodworm
which penetrated the pitch. In a similarway 7.9% (0.42 sq.M) of the first planks
on both sides on the rabbed line were also attacked by woodworm. In addition
most of the submerged hull had a 2-4 cm of Marine Algae or marine-growth. In
view of inadequate protection offered by pitch (the ancient ship had a 2 mm lead
sheething on top of the pitch) it was decided to protect the hull with
contemporary materials.
(2)
The underhull was treated - painted with modern "INTERNATIONAL"
black antifouling paint. (3) 4 areas were purposefully left with ancient-method
protective coating (pine-pitch + linseed oil) in order to measure the degree of
fouling.
(4)
3 coats of rentokill were applied outside and inside of the area below
the waterline prior to applying the antifouling in order
to protect the wooden hull from worm action. (5) The main halyard and 7
of the sail brails (Μαντάρι Κεραίας, Συστολείς‘)
were changed including the two major brails (Θριοί).
(6)
Τhe sail tabling was checked and resawn were necessary on the boltrope
.In the same way all lead brail rings on the sail were reinforced in their sawn
stiches.
(7)
The steering arm, hallyard block system was
changed from 1/2 purchase to 1/3 and was tested..
(9)
The broken stansions were replaced by two new stansions.
(10)
The wooden rings of the major brail were respliced..
(11)
Finally the entire vessel as weel as all the ropes and blocks were
thickly coated with linseed oil.
The
total area treated, below the first whale, was 64.8 Sq.M. We used 185.9 person
hrs or 2.9 person hours per Sq.M. Plus 96 person hrs for ancilliary works.
the
total ship pr3eparation time was 281.9 person hrs.
Those
were:
NIKOS
MERTIRIS: Age 40. A professional seaman with trawler fishing experience both in
the Atlantic and the Mediterranean.
With
a possibility of an Atlas de[pressuion approaching and the time constraints we
departed Paphos with all crew on board having light westerly unfavorable winds.
We had to sail on a starboard tack on a course heading to Alexandria Egypt for
apprx 50 N.M from Paphos. Changing to a port tack towrds the coast of Minor Asia
heading for ancient tristomon and cape chelidonia. The expected Atlas depression
arrived causing a storm of gusting Easterly winds
of 53 Knots and waves up to 3.5 to 4 metres. Inspite of the fearsome roar of the
Easter Mediterranean Kyrenia 2 with no significant problems, succesfully arrived
after four days, on the 12th of April 1987, in MANDRAKI RHODES. From Rhodes we
departed on the 14th after waiting for favorable weather and reinforcing
KYRENIA2 rigging as well as preparing for colder temperatures. After sailing a
distance of 124 NM in adverse weather conditio ns we were forced to seek refuge
on the island of ASTYPALEA after heading at a close hauled into a storm of
gusting 55 knots (10B) of wind very close to the island of AMORGOS with most of
the sail lead-brail-rings comming off the sail and one of our two quarter
rudders broken on its loom. Inspite of the storm, the freeboard of the vessel
(1.5 metres) was proven to be quite enough to prevent swamping by the stormy
seas. Canvas and awnings had to be kept out as we had to have freedom of
movement at night time with visibility less than 50 metres. With temperatures
close to zero due the wind speed coefficient handling at nighttime the sail and
ropes without sailing gloves was an extremely difficult task. After sailing to
the lee of Amorgos in to safer waters we were towed in Scala Astypalea where we
had to wait for four days before the wind speed decreased to a reasonable level.
In Astypalea all the damegaes were repaired in 24 hrs. The loom was repaired and
the new steering oar was reinforced. We departed Astypalea on the 20th. For the
third time after sailing 110 NM we were forced by gusting head winds of 40 Knots
outside Syros and a broken steering oar to stop at Syros port. At Syros, we had
the chance with the assistance of the local shipyard to overhaul KYRENIA 2 with
a new forebeam, two totally repaired and reinforced steering oars and other
minor repaairs and improvements.
From
Syros we departed on the 25th of April after waiting for weather conditions to
improve for 4 days. After sailing 10 NM we entered an anticyclon with absolute
calm. Constarint by time we had to be towed into Zea Marina on the leg from
Yaros to Kythnos. We arrived at Zea on the 26th of April 1987 at 02.40 in the
morning.
From
Limassol Cyprus to Zea Greece, we sailed a
distance of 495 NM (70%) and we were towed for a distance of 212.5 NM (30%). We
have sailed 181 hrs and 15 min (84.5%) and we were toed for 33 hrs and 15 min.
(15.5%).
We
were able to follow the best possible rumpline route at apprx. 75% of the trip.
From
Rhodos to Astypalea conditions were mainly unfavorable with head winds and 8/8
octas cloud coverage, low temperatures and almost continuous raining. Low clouds
and fog made the vcoyage after Kos more difficult and dangerous. Out of Amorgos
we entered a violent storm of gusting head winds up to 55 Knots very low
visibility rain and high waves. The leg from Astypalea to Syros was carried out
in fair weather with sunny and clear skies and light to moderate favorable
winds, it was only out of Dylos that we experienced head winds gusting up to 40
Knots. With an anticyclone from Syros to Zea, we had a complete calm with clear
skys and comfortable temperatures.
In
conclusion we had either very light or very strong winds. We had 2 storms of 10
Beaufort 53 and 55 Knots from 100 deg. and 340 deg respectively and one strong
wind of 40 Knots from 230 deg.
Speed
scale was from 0-12 knots. This was also used as a sumlog.
THE KYRENIA 2 TRIPS and whereabouts
for more details contact the Hellenic Institute for Nautical Tradition at : hmarine@hol.gr

The KYRENIA 2 was transported on a container ship and took part in the OPSAIL 1986 celebrations for the statute of LIBERTY in New York USA. Above the KYRENIA 2 , preparing to open sails on the fourth of July 1986 (Manhatan, New York).(Picture by Yannis Pantzopoullos HIPNT).
During the Asian Pacific exposition KYRENIA 2 joined the "SILK ROAD" project of the Japanese state radio and television NHK. The ship was unloaded in Yokohama with a crew of 3 Kyrenians. Skipper Glafkos Cariolou and her crew members Constantinos Agathangelou (Tatis) and George Paphitis. The HIPNT was represented by naval architect Spyros Karamalis.
The KYRENIA 2 was assembled in rainy weather in SUMITOMO pier and from there she was prepared to enter the port of YOKOHAMA. Thousands of Japanese enthousiasts gathered on the outer pier and waited patiently to see this strange sailing vessel comming under the Yokohama bridge from the depths of ancient history and the times of the Alexander the Great.
As the wind was favorable the ship sailed beautifully at about 4-5 knots and approached the pier under the cheering of an ocean of people, under the huge columns of water being sprayed by the welcoming flotilla of tug boats and the deafening noise of over flying television helicopters. The trip in Japan lasted 27 days. KYRENIA 2 succesfully sailed in OSAKA, and HAKATA (Fukuoka) and finally she was road-transported to NARA the ancient capital of Japan. Emperor Aki Hito visited the ship together with over 3 million Japanese within 30 days!. After the termination of the SILK ROAD PROJECT, KYRENIA 2 was transported back to Greece in order to catch up with other commitments. However the executive producer of NHK Mr.. Yasugi Hamagami and many other admirers of Hellenic History and Philosophy requested the permission of the HIPNT and the Cyprus Government to construct a replica of the replica, in order to be permanently exhibited in Japan (Fukuoka). Mr. Hamagami visited Cyprus and secured the permission of the Cyprus Government to go ahead. In approximately 8 months the Japanese traditional craftsmen constructed an exact full size replica of the KYRENIA 2. Following the request of Glafkos Cariolou, son of the man who discovered the ancient ship of Kyrenia the new Japanese replica was named after the beloved town of Kyrenia KYRENIA 3. KYRENIA 3 is since early 1990 the permament Ambassador of Cyprus in Japan and she is exhibited in Fukuoka with a cargo of 100 Rodian full size amphorae manufactured in Cyprus by a Kyrenian refugee pottery artizan .(Moyses) . The ships is exhibited in-doors, with open sails and surrounded with a lot of information documents about Cyprus and her 10.000 years old culture.
The Government of the Republic of Cyprus transported the KYRENIA 2 in Hamburg Germany to represent Cyprus during the Opening Sail for the 100 years of the Hamburg harbour. The vessel was skippered by Glafkos Cariolou and crewed by Kostakis Agathagelou and George Paphitis all of them refugees and victims of the Turkish crime against the people of Cyprus in 1974, from the town of Kyrenia Cyprus.
The 3 Kyrenians skillfuly sailed the square rigger ancient ship in the river Elbe on a sponsor sail for the handicapped children of Hamburg. All the money collected was given to the Habourg Red Cross.
During the World Exhibition in Seville Spain the ship was again trasported and was completely assembled in the Cyprus pavillion with fully open sails and loaded with ancient treasures from the unique wealth of Cypriot antiquities.
In the year 2001 KYRENIA 2 was in Kalamaria, Greece . Arrangements were made however between the HIPNT the Municipality of Ayia Napa (East Coast of Cyprus) and the PIERIDES - TORNARITES FOUNDATION so the ship is to be transported in Cyprus, be preserved and then be permanently installed in the AYIA NAPA MARITIME HISTORY MUSEUM which is at the moment under construction. The entire project is expected to finish in the year 2003 and its going to be unique for the Eastern Mediterranean Region.