Filenews 26 October 2021
An unusual picture was spotted by those who were present this morning at the Limassol marina. It was the small voyage between the yachts and sailboats of the well-known primordial experimental vessel KYRENIA-ELEFTHERIA, the second in a row effigy of the ancient ship (4th century BC), discovered by Andreas Kariolou in 1965 in today's occupied Kyrenia.
After his participation in the events of the festival "Thalassa 2021", organized on Saturday, October 23rd by the Deputy Ministry of Shipping and the Limassol Municipality and took place at the Old Port of Limassol, the sailboat of historical importance and symbolic for Cyprus had to return by towing to its permanent position in the Limassol marina.
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We had the opportunity to admire up close the way such a boat was operated, which, as the captain George Pafitis assured us, does not differ from the manipulations by the sailors of antiquity. It was the process of tying and adjusting the height of the antenna with the wrapped sail by the three crew members, who apart from the captain were Glafkos Kaliolou (deputy commander - vice-president of the Kyrenia Nautical Club, former mayor of Kyrenia) and Charalambos Charalambous (sailor a – vice admiral in demobilization).
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As Glafcos Kaliolou explained, they had to lift the antenna slightly in the end (the long thin wood that hangs perched vertically on the mast and carries the cloth) and turn it upside down, because its wood was bent by the weight of the sail. On the occasion of this debate he also talked to us about the 10 ropes hanging from the antenna. It is five on one side and five on the other, helping to get the sail as desired by the ruler shape.
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Like the "pistons of the machine"
"But the interesting part of the 'engine' of this boat is the lead rings that are sewn onto the sail helping to raise-lower the sail with the ropes", stressed Mr. Kariolou. "They are the 'pistons of the machine'," he said, using vocabulary from modern engineering. "In the ancient shipwreck of Kyrenia, archaeologists found 167 lead rings. "
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Launching - Athens Olympics
The launch of KYRENIA – ELEFTHERIA took place on November 10, 2002 and was the first target of the Kyrenia – Chrysokava Cultural Foundation, founded in the same year, after the efforts and support of founding members of the Kyrenia Nautical Club, the Municipality of Kyrenia, as well as expatriate kyrenia residents and especially friends of Kyrenia from America and Europe. It was constructed as a result of the impossibility of using the previous historical model of the ancient ship of Kyrenia, the "KYRENIA 2", due to the damage it suffered (today it is in the museum "THALASSOS" of Ayia Napa, while it was depicted on the £20 note of the Republic, in a series of stamps, on the emblem of the YMCA, telephone cards, etc.).
Charalambos Charalambous remembers and talks to us about his shipwreck at the Limassol shipyard, stressing that as they assembled it they had in the back of their minds its participation in the Olympic Games of Athens in 2004. In April and May 2004, a scientifically counted autonomous sailing took place, from Cyprus to Greece, in combination with the transfer of Cypriot bronze talents and other gifts of the Republic of Cyprus to the Municipality of Athens and the Central Union of Municipalities and Communities of Greece, for the Olympic Games.
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"KYRENIA – ELEFTHERIA as an effigy of the ancient ship of Kyrenia was constructed with greater precision, compared to KYRENIA – 2, after corrections of the special scientist Dick Steffy, thus achieving unlimited research possibilities", stressed Mr. Charalambous. "For example, it is about 40 centimetres taller."
The importance of
"KYRENIA – ELEFTHERIA, as before KYRENIA-2, is considered of great importance for Cyprus, since both the State and other Cypriot and European organizations and universities, students, scientists, researchers have at their disposal this extremely important tool for research, education, experimental voyages, promotional programs, either for hosting distinguished individuals, or for any other purpose that aims to offer something important to the Republic of Cyprus", said Mr. Kariolou.
The planned objectives and objectives of the construction of the primordial vessel KERYNIA-ELEFTHERIA included:
• Completion of practical training of crews until January 2004
• April – May 2004. Planning and execution of scientifically measured autonomous sailing, from Cyprus to Greece, in combination with the transfer of Cypriot bronze talents and other gifts of the Republic of Cyprus to the Municipality of Athens and the Central Union of Municipalities and Communities of Greece, for the Olympic Games ATHENS 2004
• Distribution of the vessel to cultural events, major exhibitions and other related activities either in Cyprus or abroad in order to promote our cultural heritage.
