This Just Floated Into Seattle

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by Liunatic

I don't begrudge people their toys, but honestly, how big a boat do you really need? Unless you're in the cruise ship industry where is the benefit of having a megayacht that sits idle and mostly empty for vast amounts of time? I'm not impressed.

Most of these yachts are chartered when the owner is not using it. It is surprising how this industry has grown in the Bahamas. Ten years ago very few mega yachts cruised the Bahamas. Nowadays they're all over the place there.

[Vasco]

A proper yacht.

[HappySeagull]

Originally Posted by Astrid

Is it just my old-fashioned sense of aesthetics, or are some of those yachts profoundly ugly?

Bad taste is a minefield for the rich.

[hellosailor]

Is it true that Steve Jobs built his yacht like the rest of the Apple products?

You know, once the fuel tanks have been exhausted, you have to send it back to the builder to get it refueled? And the galley can only be stocked with authorized foods, from the builder's own commissary?

[Delancey]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Is it true that Steve Jobs built his yacht like the rest of the Apple products?

You know, once the fuel tanks have been exhausted, you have to send it back to the builder to get it refueled? And the galley can only be stocked with authorized foods, from the builder's own commissary?

I know poking fun at the dead guy is always good for a laugh. On the otherhand, when compared to your typical gaudy mega yacht, the Venus is actually a very cerebral and minimalist design that at the very least is fairly original, if not outright innovative.

I'm thinking the floor to ceiling glass provides for a pretty inspiring view when down below making the sea the focus of the experience rather than the furnishings.

[hellosailor]

He's not dead, he just was returned to the factory for a new battery.

(Now, that's poking fun at a dead guy.<G>)

Actually IIRC there was a major legal battle because his widow and estate were not interested in taking possession of the yacht from the builders earlier this year.

[Group9]

Originally Posted by RedHerring

Yes. In 1987, when Russian Wild West started, the owner of that particular boat was a 20 year old from a provincial town, no higher education. Deep contacts in KGB? Fieldcraft training? Give me a break.

The owner of another boat mentioned was a scientist and low level administrator in some research institute. I worked with a guy who was his subordinate at that point in his life.

Vast majority of Russian "oligarchs" had neither prominent parents, nor a successful security services career in their biography. Quite a few were Komsomol (Communist Party youth branch) activists though.

There were several million others playing the "get rich quick" game, most of them failed, a lot of them died, many succeeded moderately, and a few succeeded wildly. Products of natural selection in all of its beauty.

Your comment about dark alleys is rather accurate though - one had to be (or become) a predator to win in that environment.

Oh, that's right. Because, they didn't put it on their resume.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Aussiesuede

1 of world’s largest private yachts ties up on Elliott Bay

The Serene, 440-foot personal yacht of Russian vodka titan Yuri Scheffler, sits in calm waters reflecting its green neon glow while docked at Pier 90 in Seattle on Monday.

Mate, that has got to be the ugliest m/v that has ever floated! Looks like a vessel designed by a badly hung over Buck Rogers. All the others posted in this thread are made to shine by comparison.

I just wonder what drives folks to go this route when there are so many tasteful, graceful and functional big m/vs to inspire a designer... and owner!

Cheers,

Jim

[RedHerring]

Originally Posted by Group9

Oh, that's right. Because, they didn't put it on their resume.

Because field-trained, with deep connections and 20 years old doesn't compute. Because those who had deep connections with security services were smart to advertise them, especially in late 90s. Also because that particular guy's background was certainly not security services.

But hey, believe whatever you want.

[captain58sailin]

I believe, I would like the money that it cost to build any one of these yachts. I'd figure out what to do with it later. Like put up some clinics in impoverished areas, try to purify the water in those same areas. How about this, the Japanese have figured out how to turn all those nasty plastic bottles back into oil, why not buy a few of those machines and reduce the plastic littering up the beaches. How about coral reef reclamation? Maybe I am too poor to understand the dynamics of conspicuous consumerism. Yes a few yard workers got busy for a time, and for that I am glad. There are so many other ways that money could have been put to use in a positive way.

[Liunatic]

Captain58sailin -

[Group9]

Originally Posted by RedHerring

Because field-trained, with deep connections and 20 years old doesn't compute. Because those who had deep connections with security services were smart to advertise them, especially in late 90s. Also because that particular guy's background was certainly not security services.

But hey, believe whatever you want.

I'm an old cold warrior (from before the breakup). You really think a 20 year old, just up and stated a company, all by his lonesome, in Russia, after the breakup, when everyone who wasn't former KGB or GRU, or a member of the Russian Mafia, or both, was being eaten alive (or assassinated)? Really?

But, hey, believe whatever you want

[John A]

Originally Posted by captain58sailin

I believe, I would like the money that it cost to build any one of these yachts. I'd figure out what to do with it later. Like put up some clinics in impoverished areas, try to purify the water in those same areas. How about this, the Japanese have figured out how to turn all those nasty plastic bottles back into oil, why not buy a few of those machines and reduce the plastic littering up the beaches. How about coral reef reclamation? Maybe I am too poor to understand the dynamics of conspicuous consumerism. Yes a few yard workers got busy for a time, and for that I am glad. There are so many other ways that money could have been put to use in a positive way.

I don't know about the rest of the world but here in the US the top 2% has seen their standard of living increase 400% in the last 20 years while the rest of us has seen our standard of living increase less than 20%.
It takes enormous concentration and effort to devise ways to spend all your wealth on yourself.

[Geoduck]

Every time I see one of these so called yachts, all I want to do is puke!
It should be against the law to waste resources in such a way.

[Rubikoop]

Originally Posted by John A

This is Larry Ellison's yacht Rising Sun. Larry is the CEO of Oracle/Sun, and yes that's his boats in the AC. One New Years Eve in St Barth's I anchored close by and he had a 30' guard boat standing by. Oracle/Sun builts most if the servers for the internet.
Here's some more pics.
Rising Sun yachet - Bing Images

Yes Ellison was the first owner but it's current owner is David Geffen. The Rising Sun typically spends a couple of months on the dock in St Thomas at the end of the year when she is in between charters.