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Good Jibes Episode #88: Jim Antrim on Designing Boats

This week on Good Jibes, host John Arndt is joined by Jim Antrim to chat about his fulfilling lifetime of naval architecture. Jim founded Antrim Associates in 1979 and boasts one of the most diverse design portfolios in the industry, including boats that have set speed records and some of the most innovative boats on the planet.

Hear how to become a naval architect, about sailing and design lessons from Jim’s mentors, how to test and perfect new boat designs, about his most fun races to Hawaii, and why sailing is such a wonderful thing to do.

Good Jibes Jim Antrim
Hear about the difference between California Condor and Glass Slipper.
© 2023 Jim Antrim

This episode covers everything from naval architecture to the Transpac. Here’s a small sample:

  • What gave Jim the idea of being a naval architect?
  • How big a crew will he take on the Transpac?
  • What did he learn from his mentors Dick Carter, Britton Chance, and Gary Mull?
  • How common is it to use carbon?
  • What’s on the drawing board now?
  • How have boats evolved over the years?
  • What’s Jim’s favorite Bay Area race?
  • Short Tacks: Why should people sail?
Jim Antrim Webb Institute
Jim, upper right with naval architecture classmate Paul Kamen at the Webb Institute, looking tough as the captain of the dinghy racing team before going out to beat Webb’s keelboat team in their Shields one-designs.
© 2023 Webb Institute
Jim Antrim Naval Academy McMillan Cup
Jim, lower right, skippered the Webb Institute team in the US Naval Academy McMillan Cup along with Paul Kamen, lower left, and the rest of the Webb crew.
© 2023 Webb Institute

Learn more about Jim at https://www.antrimdesign.com/.

Check out the episode and show notes below for much more detail.

Listen to the episode on Apple PodcastsSpotifyGoogle Podcasts, and your other favorite podcast spots — follow and leave a 5-star review if you’re feeling the Good Jibes!

This episode is brought to you by SailGP. Don’t miss the SailGP Season 3 Grand Final in San Francisco on May 6-7, 2023. Get tickets at https://sailgp.com/races/season-3/united-states-sail-grand-prix-san-francisco/overview/.

Sailing

2 Comments

  1. JIm Antrim 1 year ago

    Correction: I’m in the upper left of the Shields picture, next to Paul Kamen. that’s Pete Canning in the lower right. He worked for Mull for a couple years, went on his own to design the Mariner 36 and a couple others, then went to work designing submarines for the rest of his career.

    • John Arndt 1 year ago

      How did we get that wrong? Thanks for the correction. Sometimes we think we have a five-knot brain in a 50-knot, foiling world.

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