ATLANTIDE

ATLANTIDE (1940 Caleta)

Type: Motor Yacht

Length: 122ft

Beam: 18ft

Draft: 7ft

Displacement: 180 tons

Engine: 2 x 8cyl Gardner 8L3B

Construction: Steel hull, Teak superstructure

Builder: Philip & Sons, DartmouthYear: 1930

Designed by the gifted English naval architect Alfred Mylne and built in 1930 by Philip and Son at Dartmouth, Caleta has been in continuous commission until her recent rebuild.

In 1939 she was requisitioned into the Royal Navy and in 1940 she joined the mass of Little Ships to evacuate the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk harbour and the beaches immediately to the East. Caleta was an active participant, setting out for Dunkirk on 31st May in company with the yachts Glala and Amulree. She operated under intense enemy shell-fire and dive-bomber attacks through 31/05 and 01/06, during which time she assisted various vessels and embarked 35 troops from the disabled ALC5 which she took in tow. The tow broke on two occasions, but she was delivered safely at Sheerness on the 1st June.

Caleta was built for Sir William Burton KBE, a distinguished yachtsman who was helmsman of Shamrock IV, the Nicholson designed challenger for the America's Cup in 1920. Sir William owned and raced a succession of successful 12 metre yachts in regattas all around the East and South coasts, ending with Cowes week in August. Caleta followed the yachts, providing accommodation for the owner and his guests at each regatta.

After the war she was bought by a Greek shipowner who changed her name to Ariane in 1950. In 1960 she was renamed Corisande and based in Antibes where she was used in the film ‘Tender is the Night’ with Ingrid Bergman. In 1966 her name was changed to Atlantide and in the 1980’s she was bought by Count Nicolo delle Rose.

In 1998 she was acquired by Thomas Perkins of San Francisco, and she underwent a total rebuild. The hull was reconstructed at the Manoel Island Shipyard of Malta and the new superstructure and interior was provided by Camper and Nicholson, Gosport, and C & C Designs of Norfolk. Spars were constructed by Harry Spencer of Cowes. Overall external and internal design was undertaken by Ken Freivokh Design.

Relaunched in August 1999, Atlantide will be put to use as a support ship for her owner’s racing fleet, by coincidence the same use as her first owner intended.

In October 2020 Atlantide was bought by Jim Clark to act as a tender to Hanuman, his J Class yacht. She is currently in Holland undergoing a refit.

Updated: 24/02/21.

ATLANTIDE: Projects