Sail Number: K36
Type: International 8 Metre
LOA: 46′ 10″ / 14.26m – LOD: 46′ 10″ / 14.26m – LWL: 30′ 0″ / 9.13m – Beam: 8′ 7″ / 2.60m – Draft: 6″ 5″ / 1.96m – Displacement: 8.65 Tonnes – Hull material: Carvel mahogany on part composite frame – Designer: William Fife III – Built by: Holms Båtvarv, Gamleby – Year Built: 1939 – Original Name: ILDERIM – Original Owner: Marcus Wallenberg, Jr, Swedish banker – Current Name: ATHENA – Current Owner: Jonathan Cork and David Glasgow – Engine: Beta 25hp Diesel – Location: United Kingdom
Historical:
ATHENA was designed and built as ILDERIM in 1939 to 3rd International Rule for Swedish banker Marcus Wallenberg Jr at Tore Holm’s Gamleby yard, Sweden. Wallenburg had been disappointed in his attempt at the 1936 Olympic title: sailing the previous ILDERIM, a politically influenced decision had found him relegated from the Gold Medal position to fourth. Wallenburg subsequently challenged the Germans and Italians for Coppa d’Italia, the European championship for the 8-Metre class, at Genoa in 1937 and 1938, winning on the second occasion and taking the cup home to Sweden. For the 1939 defense, he commissioned this ILDERIM, again from the board and yard of Tore Holm. She too was successful and won the last challenge for the Cup before the Second World War, beating, among others, such renowned 8mRs as PINUCCIA, SIRA, and GERMANIA III.
In her design, the ever innovative and competitive Holm exploited a then loophole in the rule by raising the deck height at the mast. The initial design actually had no coach house as we know it – simply an extension aft of the raised deck. But in consultation with the IYRU this radical departure from the norm was toned down to the very attractive as-built and instantly recognizable configuration. Her forward crew also find it very comfortable when heeled!
Wallenberg named all his boats ILDERIM: a Turkish word which can be translated as “Thunderbolt”. He retained the name when he sold this one to one of his employees in 1945, and after the war he built other ILDERIMS. She later had a variety of names in her native Sweden including SILVERVINGEN, again ILDERIM, AMIGA and under the ownership of her last Swedish owner, Ingmar Bergman’s photographer Bengt Wanselius, AMORITA.
On being brought to the UK in 2002 by Avia Willment she became AMOREVITA, undergoing a major refit at Casse Tete, Hamble Point. When the present owners acquired her in 2006, it was decided to revert to a more classical name, and since the ILDERIM of 1936 had recovered that name, the new name ATHENA was chosen. This reflects the legend that ATHENA was the daughter of Zeus in Greek mythology. Zeus, who owned the Thunderbolt, gave it to his daughter to assist her in conquering the Athenians.
At the Metre Regatta in the Solent in 2007, ATHENA found herself on the same racecourse as PINUCCIA for the first time since 1939, and the result was the same. She forms part of the “Neptune” group of boats within the 8mR class. The Neptune Cup is awarded annually to yachts sailing with rigging and equipment which would have been available when they were built. Ironically, she was the first boat in her class to be built with a full metal rig – in this case steel, which is now barred under the Neptune Cup rules for classic boats, which require wooden rigs.
Athena has competed at World Championships in 2007, 2009, 2012, 2014, 2017 and 2019, travelling all over Europe to do so.
Owners Comments:
Having bought the boat in the autumn of 2006, our first racing season was 2007. In that year, we took her to the Clyde to take part in the Centennial World Cup. She later competed at World Cup regattas at Hyeres (2009), Cowes (2012), La Trinite (2014), Hanko (2017) and Cowes, again, in 2019. Fortunes varied, but with an amateur ethos in the crew we have thoroughly enjoyed sailing this beautiful boat against the best in the World. She has also taken part in the Panerai Classic series in the Solent for the last ten years.
Restoration
ATHENA has been sailing and racing pretty well continuously ever since she was built, but she has nevertheless had two major refits. The first of these was in her home country of Sweden over the period 1985-1989, and the second was shortly after arriving in the UK in 2002. Since then she has been boat-yard maintained, initially by the Metre Shed at Universal Boatyard, Hamble, and latterly by Lallows at Cowes. Both these yards have highly professional and experienced wooden boat building personnel, and she has spent every winter out of the water and under cover.
Provenance (The Wall of Remembrance – The Owners, Crew & Notable Guest):
Owner/Guardian: (1939) – Marcus Wallenberg, Jr, Swedish banker
Owner/Guardian: Ingmar Bergman
Owner/Guardian: Avia Willment
Owner/Guardian: (2006 – Current) Jonathan Cork and David Glasgow