The Legend of Atalanta
Atalanta, a heroine in Greek mythology, was a fleet-footed runner renowned for her hunting prowess. A devotee of Artemis, Atalanta was unbeatable in a foot race, was the only woman to sail with and fight alongside Jason and the Argonauts, and was formidable with a bow and arrow, ultimately slaying the Calydonian Boar .
Atalanta and Meleager hunting the Calydonian Boar
Marvel Comics version, updated with a Plasma Bow
When the sailing yacht of said name came into my hands, there was no question she would keep her moniker, albeit with an updated look. Like Atalanta’s namesake, the story of her origin and early years had been somewhat of a mystery. That was, until one day last November, I was contacted by Bill Gillen, one of Atalanta’s original owners who commissioned her build in Auckland back in the 1980s.
Bill Gillen with Atalanta half model, by Rob McGaffin
Bill has kept track of the boat over the years, which was Farr Yacht Design #154, having sold her to the second owner around 10 years after her commissioning. He was delighted to find she had a new life in Monterey, and he kindly offered to send me a half model made by the boat’s Kiwi builder, Rob McGaffin, which now hangs on my wall.
Additionally, Bill sent some photos from the build and shared a great deal of information about the boat. For example, Atalanta’s hull and deck are made of a Kevlar and Divinicell foam sandwich, which was a fairly new construction technique in the 1980s for which McGaffin Boatbuilders was known. This material results in a significant weight savings over solid fiberglass, steel or aluminum. It also has the benefit of being very quiet in a seaway.
Some images of the build
Bill was emphatic about Rob McGaffin’s reputation as a boat builder. He wrote,
“Robbie was well known in Auckland marine circles, not just yachting circles. In fact, on launch, Atalanta got a highly favorable review written by Bob Salthouse for one of the New Zealand yachting magazines. Bob was a highly respected designer/builder in NZ, and he made specific mention of Robbie’s yard as additional evidence of the quality of the build. A compliment from the likes of Bob Salthouse was high praise indeed.”
Atalanta under construction, circa 1988
Launch Day, Auckland, 1989
Robbie McGaffin
Bill also explained that Atalanta had received dockside visits from sailing royalty such as Lowell North when first launched, and that the boat had sailed extensively in the South Pacific before being delivered to its new home in Annapolis. Eventually, the boat sailed the North Atlantic for several years, then traveled through the Caribbean, transited the Panama Canal, and made its way to San Francisco, where it resided for the next 20 years.
Scale model in the St. Francis Yacht Club
During her time at the St. Francis Yacht Club, under the ownership of Ray and Janet Lotto, Atalanta was the club’s flagship during Ray’s tenure as commodore and led the stag cruise to Tinsley Island. She also cruised on multiple occasions to Mexico, and raced in double-handed races such as the Double-Handed Farallones Race. Ray reported reaching speeds of 20 knots returning from the islands surfing swells under spinnaker.
Stretching her legs
In 2020-21, Atalanta underwent an extensive refit in preparation for her next chapter with Shearwater Sailing on Monterey Bay. In June of 2021, she sailed under the Golden Gate, turned left, and headed south for Monterey where she continues her legacy as a comfortable and safe ocean going platform. Since then, she has introduced over a thousand guests to the beauty of Monterey Bay, and has helped train dozens of sailors in advanced offshore techniques up and down the coast.
Atalanta’s new chapter on Monterey Bay
Like her namesake from Greek Mythology, Atalanta is a swift and agile runner, and despite the upgrades, her essence has not changed since her beginnings in Auckland nearly 40 years ago. Her design provides ample room and systems for comfortable passage-making, and her exploits continue in 2025 much as they did in the South Pacific in 1989 upon her launch.
Shearwater Sailing is proud to continue Atalanta’s legacy, and we welcome you aboard to experience this remarkable yacht firsthand.
