Captain: Costas Hiotis

Captain Costas Chiotis

Costas is one of the most experienced sailing yachts skippers in Greece. He was born on the island of Hydra. He is married and has two daughters. Started sailing at the age of 13 and is a professional skipper since 1989, on 50 to 65 feet mono-hulls and catamarans. He has sailed more than 200.000 nautical miles, and has been the Captain of Nova since she was launched in 2011.Costas has all the training and experience to sail you safely in order to relax and enjoy a wonderful cruise! Costas knows the Greek islands and coasts like nobody else: idyllic remote bays, good fishing spots, nice harbours and their best restaurants and bars, interesting sites to visit, etc. Costas has a relaxed and outgoing personality, and adapts easily to new people. On board he is warm and discreet at the same time. His hobbies include sailing, scuba diving, fishing, water skiing, cooking, and models making. He speaks fluent Greek, English and Italian.

Captain class b diploma from Greek merchant marine academy of Aspropyrgos
Officer in charge of a navigational watch
Master of yachts of less than 500 GT
RYA ocean yacht master UP TO 200 GT
Power boat certificate
Holder of Greek seaman’s book
RO/RO passenger (a-v/1, a-v/2, a-v/3)
SSO diploma (ship security officer)
CSO diploma (company security officer)
Risk assessment & risk management
General operator diploma – GMDSS / Inmarsat/ ECDIS
Offshore personal survival training course by USAF
Small craft radar certificate
First aid certificate
Fire-fighting certificate
RYA diesel engine maintenance
CYA race management
Certificate in incident investigation
Certificate in chartering & brokering
PADI diving open water license
Lifeguard – rescue certificate
Seminars in yachting for crew members
Extensive yacht maintenance experience

Chef Sotiris (Takis) Bembedelis

Sotiris is a professional Chef. He graduated in 2004 from the Private Institute of Vocational Training “LE MONDE”in Athens, with specialization in culinary arts. He also holds a degree in tourism management from the Public Technological Educational Institution of Athens. Since 2004 Sotiris has worked as a chef or as the head-chef for various luxury hotels in Athens and on the islands, for Agnanti, the best restaurant on Skopelos island, and on Nova since 2017. His delicious and inspired Mediterranean cuisine will contribute to making your cruise onboard Nova unforgettable ! Calm, easy going and hard working, with a very good sense of humor, Sotiris speaks fluent Greek and English, and has good notions of French and German. His hobbies include Playing football 5×5, traveling, beer brewing, and wine making. He is married and the father of two little girls.

Diploma from Private Institute of Vocational Training “LE MONDE”in Athens, specialization in culinary arts
Degree in tourism management from the Public Technological Educational Institution of Athens.
Numerous trainings and seminars and notably:
‘Sushi’ By Nick Politakos, Chef in Kinjo Japanese Restaurant.
‘Restaurant Desserts’ by Thodoris Moisidis Chef Patissier in Varoulco restaurant (One Michelin Star)
‘Modern Patisserie’ by Raul Martinez (LA Boqueria, Barcelona).
‘Molecular Gastronomy’ by Chef Alexandros Charalampopoulos author of the award-winning book ‘Senses’.

Hostess Konstantina Belsi

Konstantina worked in different areas before she started sailing, and was notably a Greek dance teacher. Konstantina has been the hostess onboard Nova since 2012.
She is a charming, energetic and clever young lady. Her strong empathy and attention to others help create a relaxed and well-being atmosphere onboard. When it comes to setting up the table, Konstantina is an artist, who will make your meals a pleasure for the eyes as well. She speaks fluent Greek and English, and holds the Greek speed boat and sailing boat licenses, and the medical first aid certificate from the European Red Cross. Konstantina is also an excellent masseuse, trained in Swedish and Thai massage, and aromatherapy.

MCA (STCW 95) Basic crew training
Diploma of offshore sailing up to 20m from Hellenic Yacht Fed
Holder of license for power boat up to 20m.
RO/RO passenger A/V1
Holder of Greek seaman’s logbook
Fire-fighting certificate
MCA Proficiency in Medical First Aid Aboard Ship.
Massage training: Swedish with essential oil, Thai, Chair (face)
Training in personal make up
Seminars in yachting for crew members