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Remember Atlantis foul-weather gear? Decades ago, these distinctive yellow foulies with a soft finish were ahead of the curve in terms of style and comfort, but were known to lack durability and water-resistance. In recent years, the company that owned Atlantis achieved success in other areas (specifically women’s field hockey and cheerleading uniforms) and began looking for buyers for the Atlantis brand name.In 2006, two Marblehead, Massachusetts-based sailors, Bill Lynn and Chaz Bertrand, got wind of the opportunity and, after extensive research, bought the Atlantis name and the company’s remaining inventory. “The people who owned Atlantis weren’t sailors,” says Lynn. “They’d hired an ex-collegiate sailor who helped them design a pretty decent salopette, but when the other part of their business took off, my sense is that they realized they didn’t want to dedicate any more effort into the Atlantis product line.” Lynn, a top amateur helmsman, and Bertrand, a former Navy diver, are both familiar with what recreational sailors look for in performance sailing gear. What they didn’t know, they learned from Chris Neary, a fellow sailor who has experience developing and manufacturing technical fabrics. Lynn and Bertrand dropped by the Sailing World offices in late March with some samples of the new Atlantis line and a boatload of enthusiasm for their new venture. First up was their top-of-the-line offshore jacket, the Aegis, which is made from a three-layer, waterproof, breathable, windproof, Teflon-coated material dubbed AWG Typhoon fabric. Designed with an articulated, athletic fit, the Aegis has a low-profile, high-visibility hood with a contoured visor, a back longer than the front (perfect for rail-sitting), deep pockets protected by waterproof zips, an internal “personal electronic device” pocket, and a “watch window” in the sleeve so you can keep the waterproof cuffs sealed tight. Other neat features include sleeve and chest pockets-designed specifically to be embroidered-and storm-flap protected “pit zips” under each arm.Atlantis’ Grand Prix line includes a softshell jacket and vest, the “workhorses” of a sailor’s inventory, say Lynn and Bertrand. Made of 12.2-ounce, breathable, windproof, waterproof membrane with a durable water repellent finish, the garments are also abrasion resistant. Atlantis also offers wicking undergarments made of QuickDry, a microfiber polyester that is anti-microbial, anti-static, and breathable. Hats, visors, belts, and bags with the new Atlantis logo are also available. One legacy from the previous owners is a salopette that Lynn’s been frostbiting with this winter. “They’re actually pretty good,” he said. “All they need are a few tweaks like Cordura patches and they’ll be perfect.” Lynn let us that the line will be continuously updated as technology changes and they consider feedback from users.The official launch of the new Atlantis is set for April 19, when their website, www.atlantisweathergear.com, will go live. We’ll be testing various pieces of the Atlantis gear this season, so stay tuned.
