Review: Royal Huisman's Athena!

THE YACHT: INTERIOR...

Photo Caption: Exiting the stainless and getting to the wood of it all, this is the Media Lounge. If Athena's exterior is impressive, than the interior is a real treat. Soft earth tones envelope the senses in the media room, which features the requisite large plasma television screen and surround sound. It is layed-out with furniture to fit all, including dual sofas and recliners. Notice the Beeldsnijder designed coffee tables at center.

Photo Caption: The library is a study in woodwork. Cabinets, shelves and hutches line every wall with a setting that is informal, yet business-like. Rope lighting lines just about every interior soffit onboard Athena.

Photo Caption: When the solitude of the sea sets in, the library is stocked with stories to entertain. You can bet Athena's crew will have a few stories in due time too.

Photo Caption: This is the foyer seperating the main salon, dining room and corridor leading forward. Artistry in wood abounds in sequenced patterns of lightly stained Sweetania mahogany, a material becoming as rare as Athena herself.

Photo Caption: Although the lights were dimmed in this photograph of the main salon, it exemplifies the level of cozy comfort and old-world charm that transports you back in time. Lighting wasn't needed then... just a good conversation. The salon is split into two seating areas. The other side (not shown) features a game table and piano, just the sort of entertainment one would expect from this era.

Photo Caption: The main dining room seats ten people at an oval shaped, burl wood table. The setting is intimate and harmonious with the rest of Athena's interior, until you gaze upward and notice the lighting fixture which is identical to Athena's *exterior* name plate light-bar.

Photo Caption: Elegant and graceful, these are the midship stairs to the staterooms on the lower deck. Everywhere you look there are superbly executed details such as the pillars standing guard at the staircase, the carved sweeping hand rails, or the channelled routing under each of the steps.

Photo Caption: The Owner's suite is set furthest aft on Athena. Rich in wood and soft tones, it is comfortable yet spacious due to the owner's study being directly adjacent on the starboard side.

Photo Caption: There is nothing minimalist about the master bath. As if fashioned from a single block of marble, the bathtub/whirlpool sits upon a raised pedestal with a marble splash-well behind.

Photo Caption: Mirrors with etched glass add to the antique décor of the master bath. The sink features vanity lighting in tune with the time as well.

Photo Caption: The VIP suite is easily mistaken for the master. Self contained with its own en-suite head, a comfortable sofa and abundant storage space, it also has ample shelves and hutches with reading material for long voyages.

Photo Caption: There are four guest cabins; three are doubles and one is a twin bed. These rooms are built to the same level of finish and decor as the master, with sofas, dressing tables and en suite heads. Each has a subtle variation for individual feel, but for the most part, Athena's decor remains consistent throughout all of her rooms.

Photo Caption: One of several sets of crew bunks, each equipped with a hutch & desk, a computer workstation, reading lamps and shelves for books and CD’s. Notice the security bars lining the bunks. A reminder… you’re on a sailboat!

It's unclear how long Athena will hold the title of “the world's largest private sailing yacht”, for in early 2006, another Northern Californian will be launching the Perini Navi “Maltese Falcon”, which will be 289 feet. If you disregard the bowsprit on Athena, then Maltese Falcon will be even larger. But...

...sheer size is not the true measure of yacht. It is the spirit a yacht embodies and the sentiment it summons. Athena symbolizes a special period in time. She stirs the soul and instills a sense of wonder. Quite simply...

... Athena resurrects the spirited golden age of sail with granduer! ​

<end>


Photos: ​

Hans Westerink, Franco Page, Roy Roberts

Story: ​

Carl Camper​

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For more information, contact:

Royal Huisman
Flevoweg 1,
8325 PA Vollenhove, Netherlands
http://www.****************

Athena Front Page Pic...

Athena's Specs and Sail Plan...

Design:

Type: Three Masted Schooner Yacht.
Naval Architects: Pieter Beeldsnijder Design and Gerard Dijkstra & Partners.
Interior Styling: Pieter Beeldsnijder Design.
Builder:Royal Huisman Shipyard.

Specifications:

L.o.a. spars: 90.00 mtr. (295.28 ft.)
L.o.a. hull: 79.25 mtr. (260.01 ft.)
L.o.d.: 77.04 mtr. (252.76 ft.)
L.c.w.l.: 60.52 mtr. (198.56 ft.)
Beam max.: 12.20 mtr. ( 40.03 ft.)
Draft (incl. keel): 5.50 mtr. ( 18.04 ft.)
Mast height: 60.00 mtr. (196.85 ft.)
Bowsprit length: 13.97 mtr. ( 45.83 ft.)
Displ. c.w.l.: 1,068 tons (2,354,497 lbs)
Ballast: 221.5 tons (488,316 lbs)
Hull speed: 18.9 knots

Classification:

Built according to MCA and Lloyd’s X100A1, SSC, Yacht (P), Mono, G6, LMC, UMS and SOLAS.

Construction:

Corus “Alustar” Temper H321 (AA 5059-H321) aluminum for hull plating and Corus “Alustar” Temper H112 (AA 5059-H112) aluminum for extrusions.

Steering system:

Hydraulic power steering system 1x SR662 FCP Tenfjord/Rolls Royce rudder motor.

Main engine:

2x Caterpillar 3516B, 1492 kW (2000 HP) @ 1600 rpm.

Gearbox:

ZF 7540 NR CEW – Reduction 3,429:1.

Propeller:

2x Wärtsilä Propulsion (former Lips) automatic variable pitch propeller, diam. 1600 mm, four blades with high skew.

Generators: (4 generator sets)

Three Main Caterpillar Generators: 3408C, 340 BkW @ 1500 rpm,
50 Hz generator: Leroy Somer, LSAM 47.1 M6, 290 EkW

One Emergency Caterpillar Generator: 3304B, 97 BkW @ 1500 rpm,
50 Hz generator: Leroy Somer, LSAM 44.2 S7, 89 EkW

Bow / Stern Thruster:

Bow: Holland Roer Propeller 300-60 tunnel thruster, 275 HP
Stern: Holland Roer Propeller 300 tunnel retractable thruster, 275 HP

Black / Grey Water System: (vacuum system)

1x Hamann treatment unit; C-45, 12.150 ltr/day
2x vacuum pumps; JETS M25
23x local placed grey water tanks; custom built EVAC
23x vacuum toilets; EVAC VT900

Fridge / Freezer System:

1x compressor unit; custom built Heinen en Hopman
1x walk-in fridge; ± 6,4 m3, custom built Heinen en Hopman
1x walk-in freezer; ± 5,7 m3, custom built Heinen en Hopman
1x refrigerator; ± 0,8 m3, custom built Heinen en Hopman
1x freezer; ± 0,8 m3, custom built Heinen en Hopman
6x refrigerators; ± 0,3 m3, custom built Heinen en Hopman
1x freezer; ± 0,3 m3, custom built Heinen en Hopman
2x trash store; ± 1,9 m3, custom built Heinen en Hopman
9x refrigerators; Barco

Air-Conditioning:

Heinen & Hopman

Electrical System:

230 / 400 V AC 50 Hz parallel 3 phase system
Ricom 3500 Power Management System

Electronics: Alarm & Monitoring System / Computer systems

GPS - AIS
Radar with ECDIS system
Robertson Autopilot
B&G
Kongsberg Simrad Sonar system
Plath gyro
Computer based entertainment system

Winches:

25x Rondal reel winches
25x Rondal drum winches with cleat on top

Anchor System:

Bow...

2x Steen 23-9-13 electrical anchor winches
2x POOL High Holding Power anchors, weight 855 kg
195 mtr. 30 mm stud link galvanized anchor chain, grade U2

Stern...

1x Steen 23-9-08 electrical anchor winch
1x CQR High Holding power anchor, weight 180 kg
80 mtr 17,5 mm stud link U2 galvanized anchor chain

Spars:

Rondal tapered bowsprit fabricated in S/S
Rondal tapered Alustar H321 fore, main and mizzen plate masts with top sails furling in mast.
Rondal tapered carbon fibre gaffs
3x Rondal carbon fibre “in-boom furling system”

Tenders:

2x custom tender
2x Zodiac RIBs, 9-person

For a tour of Athena's original entrance into the world and her journey to get masted, follow these links...

Athena's debut...

http://www.yachtforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1007

Athena's journey to get masted...

http://www.yachtforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2372

Athena - as seen from the crows nest...