NEWS

It’s 0230 in the morning and we’re sailing close-hauled mid-Channel with the breeze gusting to 30 knots. In the strongest puffs our heading feathers up a little into the wind to avoid excess heel, while simultaneously maximising VMG. Equally, in the lulls we bear away a little to power the boat up and build speed.

This is exactly what you’d expect of a skilled helmsman, but I’m alone on deck, focusing on sail trim and maintaining a look out, rather than driving, while racing a Class 40 equipped with a B&G H5000 pilot system, plus additional overlays from Pixel sur Mer’s Exocet Essential system. The latter is a multifunction device that includes data logging, sophisticated sensor management and improved autopilot functionality, with both safety and performance overlays.

It’s among a number of top-level pilots that are widely recognised as offering exceptional performance. Legendary French sailor and Route du Rhum winner and record breaker, Loïck Peyron, for instance, told an audience at last year’s Yacht Racing Forum: “The new generation of pilots we have today are absolutely amazing.”

While these systems were originally developed primarily for Class 40s, IMOCA 60s and Ultime trimarans, many of the benefits they bring are equally relevant to cruising yachts, whether large high-performance catamarans or more modest monohulls. Optimising windward performance may not be a high priority for most cruisers, but a great pilot that’s properly set up will make for a more comfortable motion in challenging conditions, with less heel in gusts.

Autopilot reliability and safety

My own experience of using the Exocet Essential and B&G H5000 combination also shows it being very stable with a quartering sea, even when pushing hard with boat speeds of 20 knots, with the pilot retaining excellent control. At these speeds even a small miscalculation of the required rudder angle can create major problems, making it a challenge to develop pilots for fast boats. And of course foiling adds a whole additional dimension.

Historically, pilots were most challenged in the big waves of breezy downwind conditions, with an awkward quartering sea. This, of course, is exactly the weather in which an accidental gybe can be particularly dangerous. In last year’s Rolex Sydney Hobart race, for instance, two crew members on different boats died as the result of a head injury and crush injuries in heavy weather.

While these vessels had full race teams on board and were being hand-steered at the time, a pilot that can steer reliably in these conditions can be a big boost to the safety of a cruising yacht, even if a preventer is properly set up.

A good pilot will also create a more comfortable motion in these conditions, markedly reducing the tendency to corkscrew. However, to be safe, the system must also have bulletproof reliability. More on that later.

The Exocet’s overlays take the form of an expert system – a type of AI – that sits between the user and the H5000 controller. The B&G unit sees it as a virtual pilot controller, while the expert systems change the requested pilot heading depending on inputs from sensor data, including speed, heel and wind data.

In effect, the pilot computer sees this as the same thing as a human pressing the +/- 1 buttons a few times to help the boat, for instance, to bear away in a gust when broad reaching, even before the heel angle starts to increase. The system is close to achieving the holy grail of steering in a pro-active manner, just like a skilled human helmsman. By contrast, traditional pilots are only reactive – they must wait for a parameter to change and then react to it.

The Exocet’s overlays also allow you to sail to a heel angle, for instance when downwind or blast reaching in exactly the same way as you would sailing a planing dinghy – bearing away in the gusts and coming up in the lulls. It can also steer to a target speed, heading up as much as possible, while trying to stay within the user’s requested heel angle target range, or to a wind angle target, and two overlays can be used simultaneously.

This may sound complex but the reality is it’s a bit like sail trim and French short-handed racers talk about ‘trimming the pilot’ in much the same way as trimming sails. For fast cruising you can pick settings that are approximately right to achieve great performance, but extra effort in this respect can pay dividends when racing.

Before choosing a system it’s worth being ruthlessly realistic about how much set up you’re actually going to do. I’ve sailed raceboats with complex and expensive electronics that require extensive set up to get decent performance, yet every setting was still on the factory default even after the completion of a Rolex Fastnet Race campaign.

The owners of these boats might therefore have been better served by a more economic plug-and-play system, such as Raymarine’s Evolution series, that uses AI originally developed by then parent company FLIR to improve performance without the need for users to tweak complex settings.

Choosing systems to suit

Different manufacturers take different attitudes to the amount of set up required to gain maximum performance from a pilot. Both Raymarine and Garmin, for instance, have opted for a simple approach with automated calibration used wherever possible. Yet this doesn’t necessarily imply a dumbed-down method.

Part of the rationale behind Raymarine’s recently launched RSW SmartWind sensor, for instance, was to improve performance of its Evolution range of pilots, without the need for either a time-consuming set up or a complex user interface.

Both a nine-axis sensor and a processor are built into the SmartWind masthead unit, enabling real-time cleaning of the wind data that takes account of the boat’s roll and pitch, factors that, of course, are greatly magnified aloft. The upwash from the top of the rig is also estimated for different wind angles and strengths. The result is significantly better pilot performance, especially upwind and downwind, when you’re most likely to be using wind modes.

While this is not as accurate as comprehensive calibration achieved over a long period of time by professional race navigators, it represents a huge step forward for everyone else.

“Our aim with this was to give 85-90% of the performance of very high end systems straight out the box,” Raymarine product management director Will Sayer told me.

B&G’s collaboration with Pixel sur Mer also includes markedly improved course keeping algorithms for the high-end H5000 pilot system.

“The H5000 pilot needs to function across a wide range of boats, from the Sun Fast 30 through IMOCAs to superyachts, as well as more modest cruisers sailing across the Atlantic,” says B&G product director Matt Eeles. After basic calibration procedures, it therefore performs well out of the box across all these boats and for all but the most demanding of users in high echelons of the racing world.

“Working with Pixel sur Mer we were able to test changes to the B&G algorithms one at a time in a controlled environment on a very wide variety of boats, for instance to see what standard settings needed to change to improve the weather helm algorithm,” Eeles adds.

“The process took years before it could be rolled out to the public, via a software update early last year.” This improved functionality is also available to existing H5000 users.

This system therefore gives users the opportunity to use it with a minimum of set up, while also having the benefit of more advanced settings that can be tweaked to improve steering response in a wide range of more testing conditions.

Features include a recovery mode that quickly corrects for sudden course deviations caused by out of pattern waves. Gust response takes preventative action based on instrument data to hold a more stable course in changeable winds. Thirdly, high-wind response bears the yacht away when wind speed increases while reaching, keeping the boat flatter and driving faster. There are also failsafe algorithms and user configurable hard limits that increase safety factors.

AI simplicity wins

Madintec, another small French company, was formed in 2017 with the express intention of creating the ultimate pilot system, creating an all-new platform from scratch that makes extensive use of AI to boost performance, streamline the user interface and improve sensor calibration.

Yet at the same time, a key principle from the outset was that it had to be simple. “Simple for pro sailors and simple for amateurs,” research engineer Pia Mathias told an audience at the Yacht Racing Forum. “If we look at the Vendée Globe, sometimes skippers haven’t eaten in a few days and they haven’t slept a lot. So a tired skipper has to be able to use our pilots and a new skipper also has to be able to use them.”

The company was founded by veterans of an America’s Cup campaign who saw an opportunity to transfer technologies and methodologies from both the Cup and the aerospace sector into offshore yacht racing and then into more everyday sailing. It has been hugely successful, with the system, for example, chosen by the last two Vendée Globe winners, Charlie Dalin and Yannick Bestaven.

While Madintec originally had Class 40s, IMOCAs and Ultimes in mind, it’s now also gaining traction among short-handed IRC racers and in the cruising world. The first four 33ft Pogo RCs, for instance, are all equipped with Madintec systems. It also worked closely with MODX to develop a fully automated control system for the inflatable wing sails on this extraordinary 70ft catamaran.

Time to hand over?

So, what about the question of whether today’s AI-enhanced performance pilots make for better helmsmen than humans?

While that’s the ultimate aim, and the very best systems are making great strides in that direction, they aren’t there yet. A lot of recent R&D has also been spent on controlling the flight of foiling boats, technology less relevant to the majority of cruising sailors. So, arguably no pilot is yet as good as a skilled and focused human driver, an important point for the crewed offshore racing world – but they can be a lot better than a less skilled and tired crew member on a cruising yacht!

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Every now and again something really different comes along, and this was one of those concepts you don’t think will come to reality. I say that, having spoken to the design team about it years ago, and seen plenty of renderings of what it might look like.

So, the curiosity of such a venture we expected. The fact that our video tour from its launch at the International Multihull Show in May was one of our fastest to reach 100,000 views, less so. Also noteworthy with that video is the sheer amount of largely positive comments supporting the technological development (when you consider that these comments stem from a typically sceptical audience).

Everything about this project is quite fascinating, from the VPLP-designed wave-piercing hulls to the automated power and sail systems. A primary goal for the MODX is to offer zero CO2 emission cruising by utilising completely renewable energies.

The scheme carries plenty of credibility, thanks to design by VPLP and construction by Océan Développement, the yard responsible for the fleet of MOD 70 ocean racing one-design trimarans built in 2008.

However, it’s those enormous wingsails which spike the most interest, of course.

Built by Aeroforce, a company set up specifically to develop the technology, these twin AF125s are each 125m2 inflatable wings with auto trim functionality. They’re claimed to be 1.7 times more efficient, safer (no winches/ropes), and create 20% more space aboard than conventional rigs.

Blow up sails

“Powerful and stable wings that can be automated is why we developed Aeroforce,” CEO Jean Guyon told me during the yacht’s premiere in La Grande Motte. “The MODX’s goal was to be energy independent. So we needed a fast boat, but it’s also why there are wingsails – the target was that in 10 knots wind, we should do 10 knots boat speed.”

The telescopic masts are formed of six sections which rotate around bearings at waterline and deck level. The masts are 23m high when fully raised and have a deep reef to reduce the sailplan to 65%. (It’s worth noting that most sailing footage so far shows the yacht in reefed format.)

The wings are housed in huge cradles above the coachroof and take eight minutes to hoist and inflate. Made from thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), these sails are inflated to a comparatively low pressure of 100 millibar, or around 10 times less pressure than a typical inflatable paddleboard – which allows pumps to be used for inflation rather than compressors.

The wings also have a trailing flap, which works like those of an aeroplane to increase lift by 30-40%, Guyon estimates. He explained how the airfoil shape increases airflow on both sides of the wing, “so pointing is quite good at 40-45° to the apparent wind.”

In terms of performance, the MODX has hit 21.5 knots in 25 knots of wind at 150° to the apparent, or 9.5 knots in 11.5 knots at 46° apparent – which is already very close to the initial target of 10 knots in 10 knots of wind.

The gearbox and rotating chain used at the mast bases allow for 360° rotation of the wings, providing a tangible benefit for spilling wind. Consider how smooth and quiet gybes can be when you can completely open the sails and rotate the masts downwind through the gybe. This brings us to the yacht’s impressive automatic operation.

Auto functionality

The MODX is piloted from a single wheel and internal helm station, adorned with touchscreens. “The project is trying to attract people from power without the complexity of sail,” is how VPLP’s Mathius Maurios explained the concept to me.
“It’s about being on the water without being stressed.” With this in mind, the project team wanted a fully automated sail/wing control system, as easy to use as cruise control.

They worked with Madintec to develop a highly sophisticated yet approachable wing, hydro and energy management system.

This French company has developed performance autopilot systems for many of the top IMOCA 60 teams. So when you look at the helm station on the yacht, on one side is the throttle control for the electric engine, and on the other, a more crude, simple throttle lever (which looks like something out of a Thunderbirds rocket).

So, in terms of piloting this 70ft performance catamaran, once wings are raised, the operator simply pushes the wing throttle lever forward, selecting from 0-100% of potential force. Therefore, it’s not just an auto-driving boat, but one that uses auto-tuned sails too. If you only want 50% of the power available, it’ll release the sails to spill more wind.

Silent sailing, silent power

With no running rigging, the coachroof can be pushed out to maximum beam, creating the largest area possible for solar panels. The MODX has 70m2 of panels, which provide a peak of 15kW, or up to 35% of its electrical energy mix. Although the company is looking into a flybridge alternative to cater to demand, this wide, flat surface on the first boat is also ideal for harvesting rainwater, and there are two 400lt tanks dedicated to this.

At the heart of the electrical system is a 250kWh LFP lithium battery bank – as a comparison a battery in a large electric car is around 90kWh. It’s enough for guests to live aboard for 10 days without sun, wind or engine use, or provides 110 miles motoring range at 5 knots. When sailing, the variable pitch propeller can hydrogenerate power back into the battery bank. So, at 15 knots boat speed, it’s possible to generate 16kWh back into the system.

Unfortunately, what we can’t show you is the nucleus of the MODX system: its technical rooms. I was granted a quick look but not allowed to take photos or video. These are located at the mast bases at the foot of each forward companionway and house the electrical and telescopic mast systems, in a cocoon of carbon fibre with significant bulkheads to help support the latter. Otherwise, the MODX is built in glassfibre, using bio-sourced resin and 40% recycled foam.

The rest of the interior in the first boat is suitably luxurious, particularly on the main deck, which offers motoryacht-style comfort, near-surround ocean views, and 135m2 living space in the saloon, fore and aft decks. However, we can’t go into more accommodation detail as it’s a largely customisable space to suit private, charter or ‘expedition’ use.

A MOD Future?

So what is the future for this concept, and what size vessels might the Aeroforce wings be practical for? “The initial design was for 55ft, but we needed more solar to reach the efficiency targets,” Guyon explained. The right balance of solar and boat speed was found at 70ft. He added that doing a 100-footer would be easier than a 55: “I don’t see the potential in less than a 100m2 wingsail size.”

Aeroforce is also looking at the obvious potential of its wings for commercial shipping, as well as for leisure monohulls, where they might provide less heeling moment and more thrust.

MODX specifications

LOA: 21.33m / 70ft 0in
Beam: 10.00m / 32ft 10in
Draught: 2.00m / 6ft 7in
Air draught: 4.60m / 15ft 1in
Wing area: 2 x 125m2 / 2 x 1,345ft2
Displacement: 30,000kg / 66,138lb
Electric motors: 2 x 20kW / 2 x 27hp

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If you enjoyed this….

Yachting World is the world’s leading magazine for bluewater cruisers and offshore sailors. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams.

Build your knowledge with a subscription delivered to your door. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

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You probably saw the collision between the Allagrande Mapei Racing and Team Holcim PRB IMOCAs just moments after the start of the Ocean Race Europe. In the way spectacular disasters are, it was as harrowing as it was addictive to watch. The ease at which Holcim’s foil cut through Allagrande’s headsail cloth was sickeningly impressive, and it’s lucky no one was hurt. But it was also proof of how remarkable these boats are.

The crash was a hearty reminder for us all: mistakes happen, even to the most skilled sailors. If you’re human, you make mistakes, especially in sailing. We need high-profile moments like this to change the culture around mistakes and to remind us that errors don’t make you a bad sailor.

There’s a story many new sailors tell themselves: “When I get good enough at sailing, I won’t mess up anymore.” Perfection feels like the goal, but that’s a myth: perfection is unachievable.

The reality is that mistakes are inevitable. Just consider all the factors that go hand-in-hand with sailing: fatigue, stress, appetite for risk, cognitive overload. Then combine it with the context of changeable weather, unpredictable competitors and high stakes decisions. It’s ludicrous to think otherwise.

I believe we all get allocated the same number of mistakes in life. They just scale relative to your environment and abilities.

Beginner sailors make ‘rookie’ mistakes like tying fenders wrong and dropping them overboard or putting up the wrong headsail.

Intermediate sailors make bolder mistakes, like reefing too late or making sloppy nav calls, usually just when they need a reminder to stay humble.

Pros make high speed, high stakes mistakes like aggressive start line tactics or split-second miscalculations. What changes as you progress isn’t the quantity of mistakes you make, it’s the type of mistakes. And while a crash in the Ocean Race might seem bigger than a poorly tied knot, I’ve seen beginners suffer near-panic over small errors. How awful a mistake feels has more to do with you than the slip-up itself.

I hate making mistakes. I hate looking silly or messing up, or worse: being blamed. It probably stems from a fear of rejection. It’s something I have to actively work on.

Mistakes are part of learning and avoiding them means avoiding improving. And the more we fear mistakes the more likely we are to make them. Just put someone under pressure and watch them tie a knot while shouting the oh-so-tempting “hurry up” and you’ll see their hands shake, their brain fog over and voila, it will be tied wrong.

When mistakes happen, what matters most is how you manage them. My mother’s voice still rings in my ears: “I don’t care who started it. Just sort it.” She was talking to my brothers and younger self, but it’s just as relevant at sea. If mistakes are inevitable and we all suffer the same amount, then worrying about blame in the moment is useless. Just look at Kiel: both teams immediately set about repairing their boats to make the next leg. The protest will be resolved later, but the priority was getting back in the race.

Article continues below…

On the day the Kiel crash dominated my social news feed, I was helping friends handle a mini crisis of their own. One crew member’s passport had been packed in the wrong bag and was halfway to Hamburg on a Boeing 777. If we’d wasted time focusing on whose fault it was, we’d have missed the window to get the passport on the return flight. But we let it go, jumped into action, and two generous strangers ferried it back across the Atlantic just in time for departure. Faith in humanity, restored.

So, if you want to help make sailing more welcoming for us all, leave the blame behind. If you, or someone else makes a mistake, focus first on sorting out the problem then, second, reduce the chance of it happening again by analysing, learning and implementing better systems.

So, thank you Holcim PRB, Allagrande Mapei, and the Ocean Race team for giving us a real-life example of elite sailors learning from, not hiding from, their errors.

The goal isn’t to eliminate mistakes; it’s to handle them well. Sure, the crash was expensive, dangerous and costly in the moment. But maybe it will save others from similar fates – not by avoiding mistakes entirely, but by avoiding the catastrophic aftermath that comes when errors are buried instead of addressed.

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If you enjoyed this….

Yachting World is the world’s leading magazine for bluewater cruisers and offshore sailors. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams.

Build your knowledge with a subscription delivered to your door. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.

Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

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Contest Yachts, long celebrated for its deep family values and hands-on craftsmanship, will have a compelling presence at this autumn’s boat shows across Europe and the USA.

The Dutch semi-custom yard will bring four of its most storied models to three key boat shows. At the Cannes Yachting Festival, visitors will find the European Yacht of the Year 2025-winning Contest 63CS, alongside smaller sister and equally intriguing Contest 49CS. In Southampton, the multi-awarded Contest 55CS returns, while across the Atlantic at the Annapolis Sailboat Show, the Contest 50CS makes its US debut while participating in the Cruising World Boat of the Year 2026 programme which is judged during the show.

Cannes Yachting Festival: Contest 63CS & 49CS

From superyacht ideals to family cruising

At this year’s Cannes Yachting Festival (9-14 September), Contest Yachts’ headline model will be the Contest 63CS, which since announced as the winner of the European Yacht of the Year 2025 – luxury category, continues to draw consistent media praise. Designed by judel/vrolijk & co with interiors by superyacht stars Wetzels Brown, the 19-metre luxury cruiser clearly impressed the award judges. Features that particularly stood out included this yacht’s innovative, transformable aft social deck and the pair of mirror-image VIP guest suites forward of the saloon. This is a very unusual layout at this length and one that sets the yacht apart.

The design’s performance and bluewater pedigree have also been widely praised. Reviewers highlight the 63CS’s ease of handling and effortless performance in even the lightest winds, supported by high-spec systems including electric winches and hydraulic furlers. Below decks, the tranquil ambiance is a hallmark of a Contest yacht, while expansive coachroof glazing delivers superb natural light. As one reviewer put it, “Lusso allo stato puro… naviga con una leggerezza che non fa pensare a un peso… pure luxury sailing with lightness that belies its weight”.

Yachting World’s test team also praised the yacht’s “superyacht-level finish” and smartly thought-through ergonomics revealed at the 63CS’s initial Cannes debut last year. This momentum is amplified by the yard’s rich heritage, as Yachting World’s test editor Toby Hodges observed, “Contest Yachts is one of the largest and oldest family-run yards in the world, and conducts the whole build process on site – a yard with a rich past and a promising future.”

Such words underscore that the 63CS isn’t just a design milestone – it is the culmination of 65 years of craftsmanship, innovation, and bluewater leadership.

Complementing the 63CS at Cannes will be the Contest 49CS, the yard’s first model in the 50-foot sector spinning the cabin arrangement to feature twin aft cabins and a forward owner’s suite, making it equally attractive for family voyaging or sailing with friends. A particular strength of the 49CS’s layout is that Contest has retained its hallmark dual-cockpit style with a spacious aft deck, generous lounging area, tender garage, and fold-down bathing platform – all while preserving the twin-helm’s secure position forward, a defining Contest trait.

Built with the same high-spec composite construction and Lloyd’s Register certification as its larger sister, the 49CS delivers exceptional volume and ergonomics for its class, a superb family cruiser with elegant detailing and serious performance credentials.

Southampton International Boat Show: Contest 55CS

Award winning design returns to UK waters

At the Southampton International Boat Show (19–28 September), Contest Yachts will present the Contest 55CS, a bluewater cruiser that has already earned significant accolades – including the European Yacht of the Year, and British Yachting Awards, again in the luxury performance category. At 17 metres, the 55CS offers the same power, performance, and build ethos synonymous with Contest’s evolved lineage.

Designed by judel/vrolijk & co and crafted to exacting Lloyd’s Register standards, the 55CS blends sumptuous styling, exceptional ergonomics, and robust sea-going ability. Inside, light-filled cabins with expansive hull windows and eyeline wraparound glazing are paired with Wetzels Brown’s thoughtful interior styling to deliver effective, practical opulence. The yacht also boasts intuitive control systems and meticulous soundproofing for a markedly quiet onboard experience, even under way. It’s a hallmark of the yard’s refinement: a delight below decks – restful, calm, with only the faint fizz of the passing seas.

Contest also emphasises owner operation as a cornerstone of its design. High-specification soft- and hard-ware run throughout, with powered systems at fingertip reach, retractable bow thrusters, self-furling gear, and automated conveniences all ensuring ease, confidence, and simplified maintenance. It makes for a superyacht-standard package, delivered in a size perfect for capable owner-sailors.

Annapolis Sailboat Show: USA Premiere of the Contest 50CS

A new generation dual centre cockpit contender

In the USA, the flagship arrival will be the Contest 50CS, making her American debut during the Annapolis Sailboat Show, where she’s also an invitee in the prestigious Cruising World Boat of the Year 2026 programme.

This latest-generation 50-footer revitalises the centre-cockpit concept with superyacht-inspired volume, assured performance – both upwind and downwind in all conditions, and with low angles of heel – and a remarkable ease of handling that allows even for confident single-handed sailing.

Judel/vrolijk’s modern hull form pairs with Wetzels Brown’s light-filled interiors, delivering a yacht that is as elegant as it is seaworthy. A generous aft master suite, a welcoming forward guest cabin, and the option of a third cabin reflect the yacht’s balance of luxury and practicality. On deck, twin helms, a clean walkthrough cockpit, protective curved-for-comfort coamings, and power-assisted sail handling all ensure safety and control. Below, carefully engineered composite structures and extensive noise-damping measures create a calm, near-silent motion under way.

Every element is conceived for long-range comfort and bluewater reliability, from the hydraulic transom platform to the neatly integrated stowage solutions throughout. The result is a contemporary cruiser that brings Contest’s hallmark craftsmanship and Lloyd’s Register-certified build quality to a size as manageable for a couple as it is welcoming for family and friends.

A rich past, a promising future

So, the Autumn 2025 Show Season sees Contest Yachts confidently presenting its latest models on the world stage, bringing together a fleet that bridges heritage with forward-looking design. The 63CS demonstrates the yard’s mastery of superyacht finish in a manageable length. The 49CS introduces a fresh family-friendly platform at the heart of the range. The 55CS continues to embody award-winning performance and practicality. And the 50CS, with its US premiere, signals Contest’s increasing presence in North America.

As Yachting World’s Toby Hodges observed when testing the 63CS: “Contest Yachts is a yard with a rich past and a promising future.” This autumn that future is firmly on display with a show line-up that promises to inspire sailors on both sides of the Atlantic.