One of the nicest sailing yachts that I toured at last month's Antigua charter show was the 90-foot Atalante, which launched in August 2009 from the Claasen Jachtbouw shipyard in Holland. The builder has produced 19 of these Andrew Hoek designs, which are known as the Modern Classic. The idea is that the yacht has a classic look combined with modern performance abilities.

I spent a good deal of time inside the yacht with Capt. Toby Brand, who spent five months at the shipyard helping to oversee the build. We talked about how Atalante's maiden cruise included traversing 2,200 miles in just eight days, how the yacht had shown well at Les Voiles de St. Tropez in September, and how when he pulls into harbors to anchor at night, the classic styling "gets noticed."

We also chatted about Atalante's best charter features, the most prominent of which is the master cabin. "Andrew Hoek has this privacy concept," Brand told me. "The owner's cabin has its own exit into an aft cockpit, so the guests can do what they want whenever they want to do it."

It wasn't until I had gotten up to leave that Brand quipped: "By the way, on your way out, take a look off the port side. We have a really great swim step there."

I nodded and smiled politely, then made my way onto the deck for a cursory glance, assuming I would find what I do on most monohull sailing yachts: a skinny little step that's hard for anyone older than about 30  to use for climbing in and out of the water. How pleasantly surprised I was to see what you can now see in the photograph at right. I'd go so far as to call it a small swim platform, as opposed to a step, with a proper ladder for climbing on and off from the yacht itself. The platform is at least as wide as some swim platforms at the sterns of 50- to 60-foot motoryachts, with a length that should make it possible for an Atalante crew member to stand and help a guest out of the water if required.

Nifty. And definitely a feature that sets Atalante apart from other charter yachts in her size range.

Atalante is part of the fleet at Nicholson Yachts (which is one of my sponsors). She takes up to six guests at a weekly base rate of $40,000, and is expected to be in the Caribbean this winter followed by the Mediterranean this summer. Any reputable charter broker can tell you more or help you book a week onboard.

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