Good Story Behind Athena

More Photos and a sales pitch to Mr Clark

There are some interesting construction photos and interior photos at http://www.****************/index1.htm

I can't find the reference right now, but I read somewhere that Jim Clark's idea for this vessel came about when he saw another model of something smaller there in Huisman's office. This was just as he was finishing up the tallest sloop rigged vessel at the time, "Hyperion" (and his first vessel). Already he was thinking, something larger. This fellow definitely got bit by the 'boat bug'.

I made a little sales pitch to him via letter, kind of tauting his BIG mainsail and the fact that I did not have one.....some excerpts..
"Recently I've read with considerable interest several articles from Fortune, ShowBoats International, and other publications, about your boat building projects, along with your apparent genuine interest in sailing ,"I like to sail. Period". I thought you might find some of the enclosures interesting. I hope you do not mind that I've included a considerable amount of material, and some of it tech-oriented, as I have read that you can and will appreciate these subjects.

As owner of the world's largest mainsail, you should find my treatment of this subject rather interesting in my article, "Revisiting the Mast-Aft Sailing Rig". You'll find that I've also chosen a cutter configuration, but with a ketch variation; you will notice that I eliminated the second mast, and the duplicate rigging required of the conventional ketch, and the MAINSAIL.

......next "Gamefishing For Sail Under Sail", which addresses other features of this 65' motor-sailer which enhance its capabilities of global fishing & exploration. Note that this vessel's mission need not just be fishing, but rather might be fishery research by colleges/universities for which there could be sizable tax incentives.........

Thus far, I have not been able to attract a client for this vessel. Maybe it is perceived as too specialized a vessel, or possibly I have just not exposed it enough (I was not internet savy at this time). It would be a real shame if it were never built. The sailing world might never know the potentials that exist with this rig. ...........And this little "fishing boat" with only a couple of crew could have outperformed most all of those superyachts racing in the Millennium Cup in New Zealand

I am petitioning yourself as you apparently love to create sailing craft and you like the technology aspect. The price of 1.5 or even 2 million is quite small compared to your other projects; and the risk factor as a spec boat I feel will be low once some enthusiastic buyers experience her performance and versatility."

Well needless to say he didn't take me up on this proposal. But then I didn't realize he had already begun dreaming of Athena !!