Back in early 2021, Yachting reported that the classic 122-foot Philip & Sons Atlantide—a storied yacht that originally launched in 1930—had arrived at Royal Huisman’s Huisfit facility in the Netherlands for a refit that was expected to be finished in spring 2022.
As it turns out, things took a little longer than that.
The shipyard recently released extensive details about the project, which didn’t finish until November 2023. By the time Atlantide was back underway, 40 percent of the yacht’s hull, deck and frames had been replaced, the interior had been reimagined, and every onboard system had been fully overhauled or replaced, except for the original Gardner diesels.
Royal Huisman’s team said the scope of the required work was unknown until Atlantide was hauled out of the water. For instance, they discovered what appeared to be a crack in the hull. It turned out to be filler material instead of steel that was falling to the shop floor, but the amount of damage was surprising—2 inches thick in some places. They blasted the hull and deck to raw metal and realized the structure was dented and deformed.
Then, when Huisfit’s team began to remove windows from the main deck so they could sand the superstructure, they discovered that the windows weren’t actually mounted in frames. They were instead glued into openings that had been packed and shaped with filler.
The more they looked, the more they found.
“A straightforward interior refit quickly turned into an order to replace everything,” according to the shipyard.
Atlantide’s postwar profile remains the same post-refit, but the interior was simplified. The previous owner, venture capitalist Tom Perkins, had installed elaborate Art Deco features. Now, Atlantide has a less-ornate 1930s style that complements the classic French walnut interior on Hanuman, a J Class yacht that Atlantide’s owner built at Royal Huisman.
Detailing for the antiqued finish was done with the help of Acanthus International of Palm Beach, Florida, whose team applied a 14-step finish of bleaching, coloring, French polishing and distressing, all by hand.
“While the paneling and cabinetry could be built offsite, the flawless finish could only be accomplished once it was fitted aboard,” according to the shipyard. “The result not only rivals collector-quality period furniture, but is perfectly in keeping with the yacht’s ethos.”
Who owns Atlantide? Tech titan Jim Clark. He has built three sailing yachts at Royal Huisman: the 156-foot Hyperion in 1998, the 295-foot Athena in 2004 and the 138-foot J Class Hanuman in 2009. He bought Atlantide on the brokerage market in 2020.
Where to learn more: click over to huisfit.com
