Hyperion (yacht)
Encyclopedia
Hyperion is the name of a 155.5 feet (47.4 m) sailing yacht
built by the Royal Huisman
in Holland in 1998 and designed by German Frers
. At the time of her launch, she was the largest sloop
ever build and the tallest mast
ever built. The 194 feet (59.1 m) carbon-fiber mast clears the deck of the Golden Gate Bridge
by only 30 feet (9.1 m).
However, Hyperion is famous primarily for its owner, silicon valley
entrepreneur Jim Clark
, founder of Silicon Graphics
and Netscape
, who built the yacht with the aim of replacing all conventional ship board electronics with an array of integrated, touch screen computers.
At the time of launch, all systems aboard the yacht including engines and sailing systems, environmental systems, lighting, HVAC and entertainment were controlled by a network of 30 customized Silicon Graphics computers and 22 LCD touch screens at various locations throughout the yacht.
Clark created a small company, Seascape, which worked in anonymity for many years above a Jenny Craig weight loss center in Menlo Park, California
, to create the software for this one of a kind project.
Much has been written about this project including a best selling book, The New New Thing
by Michael Lewis
.
She was surpassed as the world's largest sloop by the 48.5 m Georgia in 2000, which was surpassed by the 75.2 m Mirabella V
in 2004.
Yacht
A yacht is a recreational boat or ship. The term originated from the Dutch Jacht meaning "hunt". It was originally defined as a light fast sailing vessel used by the Dutch navy to pursue pirates and other transgressors around and into the shallow waters of the Low Countries...
built by the Royal Huisman
Royal Huisman
Royal Huisman, founded in 1884 is a family-owned builder of unique custom sailing and motor yachts, classic or modern, between 26 and 90 meters. The yard was awarded the Royal seal by Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands in 1984...
in Holland in 1998 and designed by German Frers
German Frers
Germán Frers is a naval architect renowned for designing successful racing yachts. He designed his first yacht in 1958. There is a design team consisting of Germán Frers and his son, also named Germán Frers, supported by a team of engineers, architects and designers, some of whom have been with...
. At the time of her launch, she was the largest sloop
Sloop
A sloop is a sail boat with a fore-and-aft rig and a single mast farther forward than the mast of a cutter....
ever build and the tallest mast
Mast (sailing)
The mast of a sailing vessel is a tall, vertical, or near vertical, spar, or arrangement of spars, which supports the sails. Large ships have several masts, with the size and configuration depending on the style of ship...
ever built. The 194 feet (59.1 m) carbon-fiber mast clears the deck of the Golden Gate Bridge
Golden Gate Bridge
The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Golden Gate, the opening of the San Francisco Bay into the Pacific Ocean. As part of both U.S. Route 101 and California State Route 1, the structure links the city of San Francisco, on the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula, to...
by only 30 feet (9.1 m).
However, Hyperion is famous primarily for its owner, silicon valley
Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley is a term which refers to the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California in the United States. The region is home to many of the world's largest technology corporations...
entrepreneur Jim Clark
James H. Clark
James H. Clark is an American entrepreneur and computer scientist. He founded several notable Silicon Valley technology companies, including Silicon Graphics, Inc., Netscape Communications Corporation, myCFO and Healtheon...
, founder of Silicon Graphics
Silicon Graphics
Silicon Graphics, Inc. was a manufacturer of high-performance computing solutions, including computer hardware and software, founded in 1981 by Jim Clark...
and Netscape
Netscape
Netscape Communications is a US computer services company, best known for Netscape Navigator, its web browser. When it was an independent company, its headquarters were in Mountain View, California...
, who built the yacht with the aim of replacing all conventional ship board electronics with an array of integrated, touch screen computers.
At the time of launch, all systems aboard the yacht including engines and sailing systems, environmental systems, lighting, HVAC and entertainment were controlled by a network of 30 customized Silicon Graphics computers and 22 LCD touch screens at various locations throughout the yacht.
Clark created a small company, Seascape, which worked in anonymity for many years above a Jenny Craig weight loss center in Menlo Park, California
Menlo Park, California
Menlo Park, California is a city at the eastern edge of San Mateo County, in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, in the United States. It is bordered by San Francisco Bay on the north and east; East Palo Alto, Palo Alto, and Stanford to the south; Atherton, North Fair Oaks, and Redwood City...
, to create the software for this one of a kind project.
Much has been written about this project including a best selling book, The New New Thing
The New New Thing
The New New Thing : A Silicon Valley Story is a book by Michael M. Lewis published in 1999 about the founder of several Silicon Valley companies, James H. Clark, and the entrepreneurial culture that dominated the area during the height of the Internet boom....
by Michael Lewis
Michael Lewis (author)
Michael Lewis is an American non-fiction author and financial journalist. His bestselling books include The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine, Liar's Poker, The New New Thing, Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game, The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game, Panic and Home Game: An...
.
She was surpassed as the world's largest sloop by the 48.5 m Georgia in 2000, which was surpassed by the 75.2 m Mirabella V
Mirabella V
Mirabella V is a sloop-rigged super yacht launched in 2003. At an estimated cost of over US$50million, she is the largest single-masted yacht ever built.-Ownership:...
in 2004.
See also
- Luxury yachts
- Large Sailing Yachts
- The Maltese FalconThe Maltese Falcon (yacht)The Maltese Falcon built by Perini Navi is a clipper sailing luxury yacht, commissioned and formerly owned by American venture capitalist Tom Perkins. It is one of the largest privately-owned sailing yachts in the world at , similar to Royal Huisman's Athena and Lürssen's Eos...
- AthenaAthena (yacht)Athena is a clipper-bowed 3-masted gaff rigged schooner built by Royal Huisman in 2004 for internet entrepreneur James H. Clark. Clark purchased a 47.4 meter sloop, Hyperion, from Royal Huisman in 1998...
- EosEos (yacht)The Eos is a three-masted Bermuda rigged schooner. The ship is one of the largest private sailing yachts in the world, and as of 2009 was owned by movie and media billionaire Barry Diller, husband of fashion designer Diane von Fürstenberg. According to a 2007 article in Harper's Bazaar, Eos...
- The Maltese Falcon
- List of large sailing yachts
- List of large sailing vessels