Sport catamaran on a long voyage: From Athens to Crete on the XCat - "The upper limit for man and material"
How does a sports cat sail in the Meltemi?
Well, the jet effect between the Greek islands is challenging, the waves were sometimes two to three metres high. But the hulls of my beach cat didn't have enough volume for that, so sometimes I was almost riding a submarine. It was the upper limit for man and material! I only sailed at the height of summer during the Meltemi because there was no other option.
Why couldn't it be done differently?
As a teacher, I am dependent on the summer holidays. I had also applied for special leave, so I had a total of seven and a half weeks: six for sailing, the rest for logistics.
Had you planned the route precisely in advance?
On the whole, I sailed from north to south just to avoid having to tack against the Meltemi. I wouldn't have been able to do that with the XCat. So I sailed through the Cyclades to Santorini and then 60 nautical miles across the open water to Crete.
Everything has to fit!
In any case. I waited for the right weather. There couldn't be too little wind either, because I don't have an engine. After all, it took me ten hours to make the crossing in 5 Beaufort. In any case, I tended to sail long strokes of 20 to 40 miles a day between the islands.
Where did you set up camp in the evening?
Twice I slept on the trampoline in beautiful little harbours, otherwise on the beach. But it wasn't easy at all to cross to the beach against the frequent squalls in the lee of an island. I often had to pass through an anchor field.
How did the other sailors react to you?
Already on my North Sea tour people were impressed, now it was even more extreme. The Greeks were incredibly helpful and nice. A captain of a luxury yacht once came on a stand-up paddleboard, asked if I needed anything and then brought me water. And a British shipyard owner invited me onto his 60-foot yacht. On board, we spent long evenings talking shop about boats and music over a glass of red wine.
You have already sailed with the Strandkat in the Baltic Sea, the North Sea and the Mediterranean. Which trip did you like best?
I can't say that. It would be like having to choose a favourite food and as soon as I say it, I get an appetite for something else. They were all highlights! The deserted Aeolian Islands over Christmas were sensational, the North Sea was more academic sailing where you have to plan and calculate everything, and sailing in Greece was my dream for a long time. Even though it was more of an expedition than a holiday, very sporty, it was worth it.
What are you planning next?
I dream of sailing around the world and have now bought the boat for it, a Malö 50, so I'll probably be sailing less with the cat in future. But maybe once more on the Amalfi Coast - I hear it's very beautiful there too.
