The Atlantic was the largest private yacht ever built when it emerged from a New Jersey shipyard in 1903. Two years later, it set a record for the fastest transatlantic sail crossing for a monohull yacht that would remain unbeaten for nearly 100 years. Sadly, the Atlantic suffered the “ultimate ignominy” in old age, said James Stewart in the Financial Times, becoming a floating tea room, before being broken up in 1982.
Later, however, a faithful replica, also called the Atlantic, was built. Completed in 2010, this 65-metre three-masted schooner is “a vision from yachting’s golden age to inspire romantics and dreamers” – and, following a refit last year, it will be available from this December to book on a weekly basis as it embarks on an “epic” journey around the world. “Few objects inspire devotion like great sailing yachts” – and on a recent day trip from Saint-Tropez, I found that the new Atlantic’s dozen crew (all dressed in matching navy trousers and monogrammed shirts) spoke of it with a “zeal” that was “way beyond professionalism”.
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