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Inside The Rising Sun: David Geffen's $590 Million Superyacht

David Geffen's superyacht 'The Rising Sun' is certainly a playground for the rich.

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Details of the yacht, interior and exterior details, the rising sun’s onboard comfort and entertainment.

Billionaire and entertainment mogul David Geffen reportedly purchased the superyacht for $590 million from the Oracle founder Larry Ellison. It was reported that wealthy people love spending money on yachts, and about 88% of the luxury market can be associated to spending on yachts. For this reason, it is not at all surprising that billionaires are spending so much money buying yachts . Yachts can be considered as the pinnacle of luxury and decadence and about $22 billion annually are spent on Yachts by the wealthy people. The Rising Sun has hosted numerous famous celebrities including American talk show host Oprah Winfrey and Academy Award winner Leonardo DiCaprio on board and even Amazon founder Jeff Bezos was seen hanging out in the superyacht.

Geffen has cruised everywhere using the Superyacht from St. Bart's in the Caribbean to Portofino to Italy and even Ibiza, Spain. He loves travelling using his yacht but not without his friends and some high profile celebrities. Among the guests in his massive yacht are Julia Roberts, Maria Shriver, Steven Spielberg, JJ Abrams, Karlie Kloss, Peter Harrington-Cressman, Paul McCartney and even Michelle and Barack Obama. Take a look inside the majestic yacht of Geffen.

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The Rising Sun is a motor yacht which was designed by Jon Bannenberg and was built and constructed in 2004 by German shipbuilder Lürssen. The yacht reportedly costs $200 million to build. The yacht was built at Lürssen’s Bremen shipyard for the founder and CEO of Oracle Corporation, Larry Ellison. It was delivered to Ellison in June 2004. Since 2010, David Geffen has owned the yacht. Geffen bought half of the share of the 454-foot megayacht in 2007 and decided to buy the yacht in full in 2010 which totaled his payment for $590 million. The exact estimated value of the yacht is still unclear but as of 2019, the yacht was valued for $300 million. After Geffen bought it, he had the yacht refitted in the period of just six months.

The motor yacht has a tonnage of 7,841 GT and has a length of 138 m that is about 452 ft 9 in. It utilizes the installed power of the diesel engine of 4 × MTU 20V 8000 M90 with 36,000 kW. It also has 4 propellers as its propulsion and has the speed of 28 knots that can comfortably run at the speed of 26 knots but can run at the maximum speed of 30 knots. It was built with steel hull and an aluminum superstructure that includes a teak deck. It also features an anchor stabilizer which provides the people on board an exceptional comfort. Unlike some other luxury yachts, the Rising Sun is not available for private charter.

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The superyacht has about eighty two rooms and has the ability to accommodate about 18 guests and 55 staff and crew members. The eighteen guests can comfortably stay in the nine suites at the yacht which can ensure a relaxed luxury yacht experience . The massive yacht even has a basketball court on board. The top deck is entirely dedicated to the owner which includes a double-height cinema. Aside from the basketball court, there is also a wine cellar and a movie theater which can be found among the eighty two rooms of the yacht.

The interior design of the yacht was designed by design house Seccombe Design. The exterior design on the other hand was designed by Bannenberg & Rowell and was refitted in 2011 after David Geffen has requested for it. The builders of the Rising Sun have experimented with the extensive use of some structural glass that gives off a clean and stripped-down profile for the yacht. This includes the builders extensively working on the engineering and systems of the yacht. The exposure of the yacht’s structure is one of the overarching themes in the superyacht’s design.

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There is a reason why a lot of famous celebrities and public figure enjoy hanging out at the superyacht. For the added comfort and entertainment, there is a sauna, underwater lights, beauty salon, elevator and gym at the superyacht. It offers the luxuries of the land space on a secluded area which gives them the privacy that they need. The general arrangement of the layout of the Rising Sun has given the guests spacious cabins which have a direct access to the exterior side decks of the yacht. With the use of the 45-degree indents in the yacht’s superstructure, the guests are also protected from the weather.

The yacht has so much space that the guests can roam around and just party. The top deck was designed entirely for the owner’s entertainment. The guests can also enjoy the double-height cinema which was embedded just like the stone of the avocado.

READ NEXT:  Inside SYMPHONY: Bernard Arnault's $150 Million Yacht

Sources: Business Insider , Luxury Launches , Yacht Charter Fleet , Boat International

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Iconic yachts: Inside the design journey of the 138m Lürssen superyacht Rising Sun

Rising Sun was the last yacht that ever came from designer Jon Bannenberg’s drawing board (literally, as the office was then an almost CAD-free zone), and one that he was destined never to see completed.

To a degree, Rising Sun represented a back-to-basics approach and a final opportunity to work with Lürssen’s lean destroyer-type hull, which had been the platform 30 years earlier for Carinthia V and Carinthia VI (now named The One ). The similarities ended there. Rising Sun experimented with extensive use of structural glass for a clean and stripped-down profile that involved Lürssen and its sub-contractors working on engineering and systems.

Jon Bannenberg’s appointment to design Rising Sun came out of the blue after Larry Ellison had commissioned a number of studies from different designers. None seemed to have the impact that he wanted until Jon Bannenberg unveiled his initial study model one morning in London over a couple of lattes. Things moved quickly after that, and they reached an agreement in two emails without even a hint of a lawyer being involved. LE120 became the project’s codename but it did not need Enigma codebreaking skills among the yachting community to work out the vessel’s length and who had commissioned her.

Jon Bannenberg worked on many study models in the early months, including a colossal version that was shipped to Lürssen and used for an initial presentation meeting with the principal sub-contractors. The basic form did not change much from his first drawing. Among the spectacular concepts was a suspended, tube-like walkway through the main machinery spaces for visitors to see exactly what drove her at speeds of 30 knots, and an exposed Z frame structure separating the tender launching areas. This was monumental in scale but sculptural and simple to fabricate.

The exposure of structure was one of the overarching themes of his Rising Sun design – no more clearly apparent than in the web frames of the superstructure, into which the full-height glass panels were set. The initial intent was to have these in raw finished aluminium, but this subsequently got ‘value engineered’ into a metallic paint finish.

His general arrangement layouts of Rising Sun gave spacious guest cabins direct access to the exterior side decks, protected from the weather by 45-degree indents in the superstructure. There was so much space to play with that the top deck was given over entirely to owner use, while a double-height cinema was embedded like the stone of an avocado, with the corridor arcing gently around it. And, of course, a basketball court was obligatory.

All in all, Jon Bannenberg’s original concept for Rising Sun survived relatively intact after his death. The yacht divided opinion, like many of his designs, and her sheer scale – eventually growing to 138 metres – made even Larry Ellison pause for thought. But she is certainly a Bannenberg original, and somehow neatly completed the circle that started with Carinthia V and Lürssen some 30 years earlier.

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A Closer Look at David Geffen's Yacht Rising Sun

"I wanna be rich" is the title of Calloway's song and it is a confession that most people make hoping one day it will come true. If it does, then spending money on all types of things will not be an issue and maybe a yacht like that of David Geffen's could be one way to spice up your life. Let's take a closer look at David Geffen yacht , so you can have an idea of what amenities to install on yours when the time comes.

Have you ever wanted to do more than sit around in a boat soaking up the sun? Well, Rising Sun offers guests the ideal opportunity to practice their dunking and dribbling skills. It has a basketball court which also serves as a helicopter pad because let's face it, only those with deep pockets ever get a chance to go onboard which means helicopters are the preferred means of transport.

If you choose to be on Rising Sun, it is more than likely that you are celebrating or looking to have a good time. As such, the yacht comes with a wine cellar which has an extensive selection of drinks to suit everyone's taste. It is, therefore, no wonder that Oprah Winfrey picked Rising Sun as the place to celebrate her 65th birthday in St Barts, as reported on Yacht Harbour. Most celebrities have preferred it, and top of the list is Julia Roberts and the former president of USA, Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle.

With such A-listers, it is not just the wine cellar that lured them in. The spa and sauna are more than enough to get you interested in boarding Rising Sun. For those who want to tone their muscles, the swimming pool caters to that need. Guests who want to ensure that the six-pack does not fade with all the merrymaking on the boat can thank the well-equipped gym for the service it offers.

It can be annoying when you are trying to get some sleep or sip your glass of wine, but the waves keep making it difficult. Consequently, you spill your wine or barely get your much-needed nap. Fortunately, guests of Rising Sun do not undergo that experience because the boat has at-anchor stabilizers to keep the yacht stable even at zero speed.

Entertainment has not been left behind, and movie lovers especially will appreciate the lengths that the designers went at ensuring the cinematic experience is over-the-top. According to Club Yacht, David's boat has a large plasma screen on which guests can watch whichever films they like, whenever they want.

We know that lifestyle diseases have been on the rise, and one of the things we have been advised to take up is exercise. Experts will tell you to ditch the elevator and take the flight of stairs, but not many of us are willing to give up some comfort. Rising Sun also does not want guests tiring themselves, yet they came onboard to relax. Therefore, it has an elevator to take them up and down the five levels so they can enjoy the more than 8,000 square meters of living area and 3,000 square meters of deck area.

Speaking of space, you must be wondering where the guests spend the night for their overnight stay. Rising Sun has it all covered. According to Yacht Charter Fleet, it can accommodate 18 guests overnight who sleep in 9 cabins, among which is a master suite and eight double cabins. Moreover, in case you are wondering who will take care of the guests, then you will be glad to learn that Rising Sun can accommodate as many as 45 crew members who will be at your beck and call for that royalty experience.

David Geffen was not the original owner

In 2004, Larry Ellison, the CEO of Oracle Corporation, decided he wanted a yacht, so he commissioned Germany Lurssen to build him one. Most Lurssen boats are always hitting the headlines, so Larry must have known that Lurssen would do a fantastic job. Rising Sun was built to a length of 138 meters, and it became the 12th largest in the world, but that is not what Larry was looking for in a yacht.

After a cost of $200 million, Larry put it up for sale. David Geffen bought half stake in late 2006 and the other half in 2010 becoming the full owner after having paid $300 million. Having gotten rid of the boat, Larry was now free to get his dream yacht, so in 2011 he commissioned Feadship to build him a smaller boat. Larry now owns Musashi, an 88 meters yacht that is valued at $130 million.

Learn more about the owner, David Geffen

If the only billionaires you know are Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg , then you should add David Geffen to your list because his net worth is at $8.4 billion. It is not education that has attributed to his success because he graduated high school with a 66% average, and his attempts at further education bore no fruits.

Final Thoughts

David went to The University of Texas and dropped out after a semester before joining Brooklyn College where he dropped out again. He still decided to give school one more try by attending Santa Monica College, but his dyslexia presented him with challenges, as revealed in Wikipedia . Lucky for him, education is not the mandatory key to success because today he is a force to reckon with in the entertainment industry. Perhaps understanding the challenges that he faced as a student is what has helped him get to where he is. He founded Asylum Records to support those artists who could not get a record company to sign them up. The truth is that even when Warner communications acquired asylum Records, David did not stop helping the struggling artists. He established Geffen Records in 1980 and was the only one confident enough to give John Lennon a chance without even hearing the record first. When John Lennon was murdered, his album "Double Fantasy" was a massive seller, and it became the start of the rise and rise of David Geffen.

Written by  Liz Flynn

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Rising Sun yacht: The luxurious world of Larry Ellison and David Geffen’s nautical retreat

Rising Sun is a notable super yacht known for its size and high-profile owners. Here are some key details about the Rising Sun yacht.

Brief Overview

Rising Sun was originally built for American business magnate Larry Ellison , the co-founder of Oracle Corporation. However, Ellison later sold a significant portion of the yacht to music and film producer David Geffen. Today it is co-owned by Larry Ellison and David Geffen.

Rising Sun is approximately 454 feet (138 meters) in length, making it one of the largest yachts in the world at the time. Its impressive size allows for a wide range of amenities and luxuries.

Design and Features

The yacht boasts a stunning exterior design and a luxurious interior. It’s equipped with multiple decks, a swimming pool, a basketball court that can be converted into a helipad, and a variety of dining and entertainment spaces. The interior features opulent staterooms and lounges.

Cruising Range

Rising Sun is powered by powerful engines, which give it a a top speed of around 28 knots (about 32 mph or 52 km/h). This allows the yacht to cover vast distances on the open sea.

Part 1: Ownership of Rising Sun

Who are the notable owners of the rising sun yacht.

The Rising Sun yacht is co-owned by two prominent figures in the world of business and entertainment: Larry Ellison and David Geffen.

Who is Larry Ellison?

Larry Ellison is a renowned American entrepreneur and the co-founder of Oracle Corporation, one of the world’s leading software and cloud computing companies. With his immense success in the tech industry, Ellison has amassed substantial wealth and has used some of it to indulge in a life of luxury, including the ownership of Rising Sun.

Who is David Geffen?

David Geffen is a prominent figure in the entertainment industry. He is a music and film producer, co-founder of Asylum Records, and a co-founder of DreamWorks SKG. Geffen is known for his influence in the world of entertainment and, like Ellison, enjoys the opulent lifestyle provided by the Rising Sun yacht.

Part 2: Size, Design, and Features

How large is the rising sun yacht.

Rising Sun is a colossal super yacht, measuring approximately 454 feet (138 meters) in length. Its vast dimensions are a testament to its opulence and the array of amenities it offers.

What are the design and features of Rising Sun?

Rising Sun is an architectural marvel, featuring a stunning exterior design and an interior that exudes luxury. Onboard, guests can enjoy multiple decks, a lavish swimming pool, a basketball court that converts into a helipad, and a variety of dining and entertainment spaces. The interior is adorned with opulent staterooms and lounges, making it a floating palace on the seas.

Part 3: Cruising Range of Rising Sun

What is the cruising range of the rising sun yacht.

Thanks to its powerful engines, Rising Sun has an impressive cruising speed of approximately 28 knots, which translates to about 32 miles per hour (52 kilometers per hour). This remarkable speed allows the yacht to cover vast distances during its journeys across the ocean, providing its passengers with access to a wide range of destinations.

Part 4: Notable Guests of Rising Sun

Who are some of the notable guests who have been aboard rising sun.

Rising Sun has been a favored choice for hosting celebrities and high-profile events. Some of the notable guests who have had the privilege of experiencing the yacht’s luxury include:

• Oprah Winfrey : The iconic talk show host and media mogul has been spotted aboard Rising Sun, enjoying the yacht’s lavish amenities.
• Steven Spielberg : The renowned filmmaker and director has also graced the decks of Rising Sun, adding a touch of Hollywood glamour to its guest list.
• Tom Hanks : The beloved actor Tom Hanks has enjoyed the yacht’s hospitality during his time on the open seas.
• Bruce Springsteen : The rock legend Bruce Springsteen is another famous personality who has been a guest aboard Rising Sun, making his voyages truly unforgettable.

What makes Rising Sun a preferred choice for such guests?

Rising Sun’s opulent interior, world-class amenities, and exceptional service make it a sought-after destination for celebrities and high-profile individuals. Its spacious decks and luxurious accommodations provide the perfect backdrop for relaxation and entertainment, ensuring that every voyage is a memorable experience for its guests.

In conclusion, the Rising Sun yacht, co-owned by Larry Ellison and David Geffen, represents the epitome of luxury on the high seas. With its impressive size, breathtaking design, remarkable cruising range, and a list of notable guests that includes some of the biggest names in entertainment and business, it continues to be a symbol of opulence and indulgence in the world of super yachts. Whether you’re interested in its ownership, design, or the celebrities who have graced its decks, the Rising Sun yacht is a true icon of maritime luxury.

Technical specifications and additional details about the Rising Sun yacht

Length: Approximately 454 feet (138 meters)

Rising Sun has a steel hull and aluminum superstructure with a beam of 18.5m (60.70ft) and a 5m (16.40ft) draft.

Estimated to be around 7,500 tons

Cruising Speed: Approximately 28 knots (32 mph or 52 km/h)

Maximum Speed: Around 30 knots (34.5 mph or 55.5 km/h)

Crew Members

The Rising Sun yacht typically employs a large crew to ensure top-notch service and maintenance. The exact number can vary but may range from around 45 to 55 crew members, including officers, chefs, stewards, and technical staff.

Positions of Crew Members

The crew members on Rising Sun are organized into various departments, including deck, engineering, interior, and more. Specific positions can include captain, first officer, stewardesses, engineers, deckhands, and chefs, among others.

Number of Rooms

Rising Sun boasts an impressive number of rooms and accommodations, including numerous staterooms and suites for guests. While the exact count can vary, it typically offers accommodations for around 16 to 18 guests.

Other Amenities

Rising Sun offers a wide range of luxurious amenities, including:

• Multiple dining areas for formal and casual dining experiences.
• A stunning swimming pool with jacuzzi features on the deck.
• A basketball court that can be converted into a helipad.
• A dedicated cinema room for entertainment.
• An on-deck bar for social gatherings.
• A gymnasium and spa facilities for guests to relax and stay active during their voyage.
• A high-quality audio-visual entertainment system throughout the yacht.
• A library and study area for quiet moments.

Support Vehicles

Super yachts like Rising Sun often come equipped with support vessels, such as smaller boats and jet skis, for various recreational activities and transportation to and from shore.

Additional Information

• Rising Sun is equipped with state-of-the-art navigation and communication systems to ensure safety and efficient travel.
• The yacht’s interior is designed with opulent materials, including marble and rare woods, adding to its luxurious atmosphere.
• It has a range of environmental and sustainability features, including advanced waste management and energy-efficient systems.

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Larry Ellison’s Yacht Musashi: Everything You Want To Know

American billionaire Larry Ellison was the co-founder of Oracle Corporation and is believed to have a net worth of nearly $114 billion. Ellison is no stranger to the yachting world and used to co-own a yacht with David Geffen for many years. There was a rumor he sold his stake to Geffen because he thought their 453 foot yacht the Rising Sun was just too big for him. That was back in 2010. Since that time, Ellison has gone on to purchase his own yacht

Design and Features of Larry Ellison’s Yacht

Ellison’s yacht is known as Musashi. It was built in 2011, just after he sold his previous yacht to David Geffen. It was built by the company Feadship with an exterior design by De Voogt naval architects and interior handled by Sinot Yacht Design.

The vessel has a steel hull and an aluminum superstructure. The decks are teak. The superyacht features at-anchor stabilizers to increase comfort. The on board water tanks store around 88,000 liters of fresh water.

What’s with Larry Ellison and Miyamoto Musashi?

Other yachts that Ellison has owned included the Ronin and the Katana. All four of these yachts have a noticeable theme in common and that is Japan with a strong leaning towards samurai culture. 

While Rising Sun is a reference to Japan itself, often called the Land of the Rising Sun, the other names are more samurai inspired. Ronin is the name of a masterless samurai while a katana is a type of sword that is often associated with the warriors. As for Musashi, that comes from a famous samurai warrior and Japanese swordsman named Miyamoto Musashi. It was said Musashi was a master swordsman and was undefeated in over 60 duels. 

This appreciation for Japanese culture also inspired some of the design elements of the yacht seen in the Sinot yacht architecture. That includes things like an overall minimalistic Japanese style, clean lines along the exterior to the materials and art found within which either reflect Japanese style or design esthetics.  One of the most notable pieces is a Hiroshi Senju painting.

Interior of Larry Ellison’s Yacht

The Musashi superyacht has been designed to accommodate up to 18 guests at a time, in addition to the crew who run the ship. That includes 10 guest suites, two of which are VIP cabins. Among the many features available for guests you can find

• a movie theater
• a swimming pool
• basketball court
• volleyball court
• beach and water toys

The 5 deck yacht can be accessed easily thanks to an elevator to take you where you need to go. Failing that, there’s a stainless steel and glass staircase that can take you through the structure. The design is a little unusual and where a tender garage would normally be kept on the lower decks is the gym and spa and then crew quarters as well as access to the inner workings of the ship are down below.

The Musashi also features a basketball court on board as well that can be converted for playing other sports like football and volleyball as a crane that can launch racing boats.

There is a tender garage, of course, but it’s located on the main deck as part of the giant beach club. You can also find a cinema on the main deck that converts to a lounge and then most of the guest cabins are on this level as well.

Heading to the upper deck, half of this entire space is reserved for the largest of the VIP suites. 

How Much Did Musashi Cost?

According to various reports, Musashi cost Ellison about $160 million. That doesn’t put it in the running to be the most expensive yacht in the world by any means, but it’s definitely an expensive superyacht.

The annual expense for running the yacht which includes everything from taxes and licenses, salary for the crew and fuel expenses is believed to run between $10 million and $20 million per year. That may seem like a lot but it’s pretty standard for a yacht of this size. This is part of the reason why many billionaire yacht owners will put their yacht up for charter during times when they are not using it. It’s much easier to cut those expenses when other people are paying them. 

That said, Ellison has not opted to make his yacht available for charter. At least not yet, anyway.

Speed and Propulsion

Musashi is powered by twin 5,766hp MTU 20V4000 M93L diesel engines.

• The yacht has a fuel capacity of 335,000 L (88,000 US gal).
• That means that Musashi has a maximum range of 6,000 nmi (11,000 km) at 12 knots (22 km/h).
• Cruising speed is 18 knots and a top speed of 21 knots.

The crew of the Musashi numbers around 24 and there are 10 crew cabins on board. This includes the crew needed to actually operate the vessel as well as additional crew members such as a chef and others who are able to see to the needs of the passengers for whatever they might require.

Musashi is a large yacht, though far from the largest yacht in the world.   It measures 288 feet in length, and has a beam of 45.6 feet. The draft is 13.5 feet and the gross tonnage of the megayacht is 2,463 tons. 

How Does The Musashi Yacht Compare to Other Luxury Yachts?

One of the most obvious comparisons you can make is between this luxury superyacht and Ellison’s previous yacht the Rising Sun , owned by David Geffen. The Rising Sun is 453 feet which is 165 feet longer than Musashi. The Rising Sun was also said to have a cost of around $200 million compared to the $160 million of Musashi. 

While $160 million is nothing to sneeze at, the current reigning title for most expensive yacht seems to belong to the Eclipse, owned by Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich which, after the initial purchase and various retrofits and upgrades, is said to have cost him $1.5 billion.

In terms of size, Musashi also falls short of the largest yacht in the world which is the massive Azzam. It measures in at 180 meters which is nearly 600 feet in length.

The Bottom Line

Larry Ellison was the founder of Oracle and is one of the top ten richest people in the world. He spent $160 million on his yacht Musashi, named after a historical samurai. Musashi measures in at 288 feet in length and can handle up to 18 guests on board. The yacht features a pool, spa, gym and other amenities and is very much inspired by Japanese design elements. 

My grandfather first took me fishing when I was too young to actually hold up a rod on my own. As an avid camper, hiker, and nature enthusiast I'm always looking for a new adventure.

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The Luxury Boats Owned By Some of the Wealthiest People in Tech, from a Yacht So Big It Has Its Own Support Boat to Superyachts with Swimming Pools and Basketball Courts Tech billionaires like Jeff Bezos, Oracle cofounder Larry Ellison, and Google cofounders Sergey Brin and Larry Page have all purchased mini vacation hubs at sea.

By Grace Kay and Sindhu Sundar • Jul 3, 2023

Key Takeaways

• Many billionaires like Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson enjoy spending their time on luxurious yachts.
• The boats are decked out with amenities that many Americans can only dream of.
• Here are some of the billionaires in tech who own private yachts.

This article originally appeared on Business Insider .

A regular Jane celebrating a personal renaissance after a long-term relationship might commemorate the new era with an ankle tattoo of a spiritual saying. When you're a billionaire, you could do it instead with a $500 million megayacht .

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos made waves in May riding around the roughly 127-meter "Koru," a Māori term that may signify a fresh start, with his reported fiancée Lauren Sanchez. (In 2019, Bezos finalized his divorce from MacKenzie Scott, whom he was married to for 25 years).

Beyond the private planes occupying the hangars of billionaires, yachts have come to symbolize the highly private sites of leisure and networking reserved for the ultra-wealthy .

Tech billionaires like Bezos, Oracle cofounder Larry Ellison, and Google cofounders Sergey Brin and Larry Page have all purchased their own mini vacation hubs at sea, decking their boats with amenities like gyms, spas, pools, nightclubs, and movie theaters.

For those wishing to experience life aboard these multi-million-dollar yachts, some are available to rent out for a few nights or weeks at a time. Late Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen's yacht can be booked for $2.2 million per week or more, according Bloomberg .

Chartering yachts owned by billionaires like Alphabet cofounder Sergey Brin has previously cost customers anywhere from $773,000 a week to $1.2 million .

It remains to be seen how these vessels will fare against the apparent Orca uprising.

Take a look at some of the yachts that have been owned by tech billionaires.

A mystery buyer bought a 414-foot superyacht that was once owned by late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen for $278 million. Allen had the boat, which was named "Octopus," built in 2003 for $200 million. Since the tech billionaire's death in 2018, the boat had been listed for as much as $325 million.

Octopus in Canary Wharf, London, in 2012. Ki Price/Reuters Source: SuperYacht Times

The wealthy can book the yacht for a weekly rate of $2.2 million or more, through the luxury company Camper & Nicholsons, Bloomberg reported last year.

414ft luxury yacht 'Octopus' owned by Microsoft co-founder, Paul Allen, is moored to fuel up at Ege Ports in Kusadasi district of Aydin, Turkey on April 27, 2015. Ibrahim Uzun/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

Sources: Bloomberg; Insider .

Amazon founder Bezos' $500 million megayacht, the roughly 127-meter "Koru," sparked attention in May for its artistic decor. A sculpture of a woman on the boat appeared to observers to be the likeness of Bezos' reported fiancée Sanchez, who was also seen that month on the yacht sporting a large ring.

Jeff Bezos was spotted aboard his megayacht "Koru" in May. Lift Aircraft.

Even before its completion, "Koru" drew the ire of Dutch people vowing to hurl eggs at the boat if it would require a historic bridge in Rotterdam to be taken apart to let it through. An egg crisis was averted however, as the company making the ship found a less-irksome alternative.

View of the Koningshaven Bridge, known as De Hef in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Peter Dejong/AP

Bezos has long been interested in yachts. In 2019, he was spotted aboard entertainment mogul David Geffen's superyacht.

David Geffen's superyacht Flickr via BI

Oracle cofounder Larry Ellison owns a 288-foot yacht named Musashi that he acquired in 2013. The yacht has several amenities, including an elevator, swimming pool, movie theater, and both an indoor and outdoor gym.

rulenumberone2/Flickr, Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Source: Yacht Bible

Ellison has owned several superyachts over the years, including the Katana, the Ronin, and the Rising Sun.

Courtesy of Lurssen Source: Forbes .

The Oracle cofounder also has a knack for competitive yacht racing, and helped to found and back a racing team, called Oracle Team USA, in 2000. The team has found success and won several prestigious titles over the years.

Xaume Olleros/Getty Images Sport Source: Telegraph

Ellison previously owned a bigger, 454-foot yacht called Rising Sun, which was designed specifically for the CEO in 2005. That yacht reportedly has 82 rooms, a movie theater, a wine cellar, and a basketball court. However, Ellison sold off the Rising Sun to Geffen for a reported $300 million.

Kimberly White/Getty Images Source: Forbes , Boat International

Ellison's boat, Musashi, is a sister ship to the yacht of another billionaire, former Sears CEO Eddie Lampert. However, the yacht, named Fountainhead, is often mistaken for belonging to billionaire investor Mark Cuban. "The guy who owns the boat tells everyone that it's mine," Cuban told Page Six in 2016. "It's so crazy ... I don't even own a boat."

Mark Cuban. Steve Marcus/Reuters

Source: Page Six

Ellison's yacht reportedly influenced the decision of late Apple CEO Steve Jobs to get a boat himself. However, Jobs never set foot on the boat — the yacht was commissioned in 2008, but wasn't completed until 2012, a year after his death.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Source: Business Insider

When Jobs died in 2011, his yacht — along with his $14.1 billion fortune — was inherited by his wife, Laurene Powell Jobs, founder and president of a social-impact nonprofit called the Emerson Collective. The 256-foot yacht is named Venus, and is worth $130 million.

AP Photo/Peter Dejong Source: Business Insider

Google's billionaire cofounders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, are known to splurge. An Insider feature in December documented some of the trappings of their luxury, including planes and yachts.

Sergey Brin (left) and Larry Page. Getty / Michael Nagle

Source: Insider .

Page owned a yacht named Senses, a $45 million, 194-foot boat that he bought in 2011 from a New Zealand businessman. He's since sold the yacht, Insider reported in 2021, a vessel that had a private beach club with a Jacuzzi and sun beds, both indoor and outdoor dining areas, and a helicopter pad. It's unclear what other sea vessels he owns, though Insider has previously reported he might have another yacht.

Ari Helminen/Flickr, Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Sources: Boat International; Insider .

Brin meanwhile owns a number of yachts and vessels including the 73-meter Dragonfly, and the 40-meter Butterfly, Insider reported in January.

Abell Point Marina/YouTube Source: Insider .

Dragonfly, the $80 million boat that has a movie-theater, shares a name with Google's once-secret project to launch a censored search engine in China. Google said in 2019 it had officially terminated the project.

Eric Risberg/Associated Press Source: Insider , Forbes .

The former Google CEO picked up the Alfa Nero yacht for nearly $68 million in an auction in June, according to a Bloomberg report. The yacht had apparently been left amid Russia's war in Ukraine, according to the report.

Eric Schmidt REUTERS/Brian Snyder Source: Bloomberg .

For Skype cofounder Niklas Zennstrom, his interest in yachts skews toward racing and competitive sailing. Zennstrom has gone through a succession of boats all named Ran.

Co-Founder and CEO of Skype Technologies, United Kingdom Niklas Zennstroem listens during a plenary entitled 'Digital 2.0:Powering a Creative Economy' at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, AP Photo/Michel Euler

Source: CNN

The Ran VII yacht is among the most advanced of Zennstrom's boats. The racing yacht uses electrical power, which Zennstrom has said makes it "lighter, less drag, quieter, and most importantly it is environmentally friendly."

Carkeek Design Partners/YouTube Source: CNN

The 40-foot yacht has been meant to compete in regattas through the racing team owned by Zennstrom and his wife, Catherine. The Ran racing team launched in 2008, and has won some prestigious regattas.

The Ran racing team. Carkeek Design Partners/YouTube Source: CNN

Barry Diller, chairman of digital media company IAC, co-owns a $70 million yacht with his wife, fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg.

Diane von Furstenberg, left, and Barry Diller. Scott Olson/Getty Images Source: Business Insider

The sailing yacht, named Eos, is 350 feet long with six bedrooms. The power couple has hosted many celebrities over the years — a few that have been spotted aboard Eos include model Karlie Kloss, actor Bradley Cooper, journalist Anderson Cooper, and singer Harry Styles.

snowwahine/YouTube Source: W Magazine

For Jim Clark, the cofounder of Netscape, one yacht hasn't been enough. Clark has owned boats for more than 30 years, and in 2012, he put up two of his sailing yachts for sale.

Jim Clark, right. Cameron Spencer/Getty Images Source: Business Insider

Clark listed the boats for a combined $113 million: the 136-foot Hanuman for $18 million, and the 295-foot Athena for $95 million. However, Clark has yet to offload Athena. Clark also previously owned a 155-foot yacht named Hyperion, and currently also owns a sloop called Hanuman.

The yacht Athena. Fosnez / Wikimedia Commons Source: Boat International , Forbes

Charles Simonyi worked at Microsoft until 2002, and oversaw the creation of Microsoft Office software. A few years before he left, Simonyi decided to purchase a yacht. He told the designer that wanted his yacht to be "home away from [his] home in Seattle."

Reuters/Sergei Remezov Source: Boat International

The product of that conversation in 1999 is Simonyi's yacht named Skat, meaning "treasure" in Danish. The yacht measures 233 feet long, and is unique with its nontraditional design and gray color. Skat features a matching gray helicopter, a gym, and motorcycles.

Christopher Hunt/Getty Images Source: Yacht Charter Fleet

Opulent British billionaire Richard Branson owned a yacht until he sold it in September 2018. The 105-foot catamaran sold for $3 million, significantly lower than the $9.6 million price Branson listed the boat for in 2014.

Anthony Harvey/Getty Images, Virgin Source: Business Insider

Branson, the founder of Virgin Group, bought the boat in 2009. He named it Necker Belle, a nod to his private Caribbean island, Necker Island.

Necker Island Source: Business Insider

Additional reporting by Paige Leskin.

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The luxury boats owned by some of the wealthiest people in tech, from a yacht so big it has its own support boat to superyachts with swimming pools and basketball courts

• Many billionaires like Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson enjoy spending their time on luxurious yachts.
• The boats are decked out with amenities that many Americans can only dream of.
• Here are some of the billionaires in tech who own private yachts.

A regular Jane celebrating a personal renaissance after a long-term relationship might commemorate the new era with an ankle tattoo of a spiritual saying. When you're a billionaire, you could do it instead with a $500 million megayacht . 

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos made waves in May riding around the roughly 127-meter "Koru," a Māori term that may signify a fresh start, with his reported fiancée Lauren Sanchez. (In 2019, Bezos finalized his divorce from MacKenzie Scott, whom he was married to for 25 years).

Beyond the private planes occupying the hangars of billionaires, yachts have come to symbolize the highly private sites of leisure and networking reserved for the ultra-wealthy .   

Tech billionaires like Bezos, Oracle cofounder Larry Ellison, and Google cofounders Sergey Brin and Larry Page have all purchased their own mini vacation hubs at sea, decking their boats with amenities like gyms, spas, pools, nightclubs, and movie theaters.

For those wishing to experience life aboard these multi-million-dollar yachts, some are available to rent out for a few nights or weeks at a time. Late Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen's yacht can be booked for $2.2 million per week or more, according Bloomberg .

Chartering yachts owned by billionaires like Alphabet cofounder Sergey Brin has previously cost customers anywhere from $773,000 a week to $1.2 million .

It remains to be seen how these vessels will fare against the apparent Orca uprising.  

Take a look at some of the yachts that have been owned by tech billionaires.

A mystery buyer bought a 414-foot superyacht that was once owned by late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen for $278 million. Allen had the boat, which was named "Octopus," built in 2003 for $200 million. Since the tech billionaire's death in 2018, the boat had been listed for as much as $325 million.

Source:  SuperYacht Times

The wealthy can book the yacht for a weekly rate of $2.2 million or more, through the luxury company Camper & Nicholsons, Bloomberg reported last year.

Sources: Bloomberg; Insider . 

Amazon founder Bezos' $500 million megayacht, the roughly 127-meter "Koru," sparked attention in May for its artistic decor. A sculpture of a woman on the boat appeared to observers to be the likeness of Bezos' reported fiancée Sanchez, who was also seen that month on the yacht sporting a large ring.

Sources: Insider ; People .

Even before its completion, "Koru" drew the ire of Dutch people vowing to hurl eggs at the boat if it would require a historic bridge in Rotterdam to be taken apart to let it through. An egg crisis was averted however, as the company making the ship found a less-irksome alternative.

Source: Insider . 

Bezos has long been interested in yachts. In 2019, he was spotted aboard entertainment mogul David Geffen's superyacht.

Oracle cofounder Larry Ellison owns a 288-foot yacht named Musashi that he acquired in 2013. The yacht has several amenities, including an elevator, swimming pool, movie theater, and both an indoor and outdoor gym.

Source: Yacht Bible

Ellison has owned several superyachts over the years, including the Katana, the Ronin, and the Rising Sun.

Source: Forbes .

The Oracle cofounder also has a knack for competitive yacht racing, and helped to found and back a racing team, called Oracle Team USA, in 2000. The team has found success and won several prestigious titles over the years.

Source: Telegraph

Ellison previously owned a bigger, 454-foot yacht called Rising Sun, which was designed specifically for the CEO in 2005. That yacht reportedly has 82 rooms, a movie theater, a wine cellar, and a basketball court. However, Ellison sold off the Rising Sun to Geffen for a reported $300 million.

Source: Forbes , Boat International

Ellison's boat, Musashi, is a sister ship to the yacht of another billionaire, former Sears CEO Eddie Lampert. However, the yacht, named Fountainhead, is often mistaken for belonging to billionaire investor Mark Cuban. "The guy who owns the boat tells everyone that it's mine," Cuban told Page Six in 2016. "It's so crazy ... I don't even own a boat."

Source: Page Six

Ellison's yacht reportedly influenced the decision of late Apple CEO Steve Jobs to get a boat himself. However, Jobs never set foot on the boat — the yacht was commissioned in 2008, but wasn't completed until 2012, a year after his death.

Source: Business Insider

When Jobs died in 2011, his yacht — along with his $14.1 billion fortune — was inherited by his wife, Laurene Powell Jobs, founder and president of a social-impact nonprofit called the Emerson Collective. The 256-foot yacht is named Venus, and is worth $130 million.

Google's billionaire cofounders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, are known to splurge. An Insider feature in December documented some of the trappings of their luxury, including planes and yachts.

Source: Insider .

Page owned a yacht named Senses, a $45 million, 194-foot boat that he bought in 2011 from a New Zealand businessman. He's since sold the yacht, Insider reported in 2021, a vessel that had a private beach club with a Jacuzzi and sun beds, both indoor and outdoor dining areas, and a helicopter pad. It's unclear what other sea vessels he owns, though Insider has previously reported he might have another yacht.

Sources: Boat International; Insider . 

Brin meanwhile owns a number of yachts and vessels including the 73-meter Dragonfly, and the 40-meter Butterfly, Insider reported in January.

Dragonfly, the $80 million boat that has a movie-theater, shares a name with Google's once-secret project to launch a censored search engine in China. Google said in 2019 it had officially terminated the project.

Source: Insider , Forbes .

The former Google CEO picked up the Alfa Nero yacht for nearly $68 million in an auction in June, according to a Bloomberg report. The yacht had apparently been left amid Russia's war in Ukraine, according to the report.

Source: Bloomberg .

For Skype cofounder Niklas Zennstrom, his interest in yachts skews toward racing and competitive sailing. Zennstrom has gone through a succession of boats all named Ran.

Source: CNN

The Ran VII yacht is among the most advanced of Zennstrom's boats. The racing yacht uses electrical power, which Zennstrom has said makes it "lighter, less drag, quieter, and most importantly it is environmentally friendly."

The 40-foot yacht has been meant to compete in regattas through the racing team owned by Zennstrom and his wife, Catherine. The Ran racing team launched in 2008, and has won some prestigious regattas.

Barry Diller, chairman of digital media company IAC, co-owns a $70 million yacht with his wife, fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg.

The sailing yacht, named Eos, is 350 feet long with six bedrooms. The power couple has hosted many celebrities over the years — a few that have been spotted aboard Eos include model Karlie Kloss, actor Bradley Cooper, journalist Anderson Cooper, and singer Harry Styles.

Source: W Magazine

For Jim Clark, the cofounder of Netscape, one yacht hasn't been enough. Clark has owned boats for more than 30 years, and in 2012, he put up two of his sailing yachts for sale.

Clark listed the boats for a combined $113 million: the 136-foot Hanuman for $18 million, and the 295-foot Athena for $95 million. However, Clark has yet to offload Athena. Clark also previously owned a 155-foot yacht named Hyperion, and currently also owns a sloop called Hanuman.

Source: Boat International , Forbes

Charles Simonyi worked at Microsoft until 2002, and oversaw the creation of Microsoft Office software. A few years before he left, Simonyi decided to purchase a yacht. He told the designer that wanted his yacht to be "home away from [his] home in Seattle."

Source: Boat International

The product of that conversation in 1999 is Simonyi's yacht named Skat, meaning "treasure" in Danish. The yacht measures 233 feet long, and is unique with its nontraditional design and gray color. Skat features a matching gray helicopter, a gym, and motorcycles.

Source: Yacht Charter Fleet

Opulent British billionaire Richard Branson owned a yacht until he sold it in September 2018. The 105-foot catamaran sold for $3 million, significantly lower than the $9.6 million price Branson listed the boat for in 2014.

Branson, the founder of Virgin Group, bought the boat in 2009. He named it Necker Belle, a nod to his private Caribbean island, Necker Island.

Additional reporting by Paige Leskin.

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RFK’s diary: stars, yachts and falcons

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The Post recently reported how Robert F. Kennedy Jr. grappled with his “lust demons” and kept a scorecard of more than two-dozen conquests in a secret diary . He also used the diary to bash everyone from then-brother-in-law Andrew Cuomo to the Rev. Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson . But the 2001 journal also offers a glimpse into the not-so-ordinary life of one of the nation’s most storied political families.

The Kennedys are not like us. Just ask Larry David.

The “Seinfeld” co-creator lunched with RFK Jr. on the late billionaire Teddy Forstmann’s 140-foot yacht in the summer of 2001. Kennedy later notes that David and his activist wife, Laurie, were nervous “about being on any kind of boat” and that David’s parents would never board a vessel.

“Our family is exactly the opposite of yours,” the comedian told Kennedy. “The Davids are antithetical to the Kennedys. With the exception of politics, we have nothing in common. We are appalled by the things you do, the way you people live your lives.”

David wrote in Forstmann’s guest book: “People and boats, what a terrible combination.”

Kennedy recorded David’s comments on Aug. 10, 2001, in his secret diary, a copy of which was reviewed by The Post.

The 2001 journal not only lists the political scion’s sexual exploits and provides a glimpse into his tortured soul, it reveals the rarefied world of a Kennedy — an existence peppered with boat races, ski trips, summering at the family compound in Hyannis Port on Cape Cod, and cocktails with celebrities.

It’s a world of White House invitations, falconry, regular television appearances, dinner with Leonardo DiCaprio and phone calls from Alec Baldwin.

Days after the yacht excursion, where the guests also included Arianna Huffington, Kennedy gushes, “I’ve got the best family ever! They love each other and love their lives and love the adventure. God bless us.”

Outwardly, the family was living a charmed life.

But the marriage was rotting from within. In his 2001 diary, Kennedy mentions 37 women, 16 of whom received a “10” next to their names — his code for intercourse, his wife believed.

By 2010, the union had completely unraveled and Kennedy filed for divorce. Richardson, who struggled with depression and alcoholism, committed suicide in May 2012 as the divorce proceedings grew uglier.

Even the most mundane rituals of suburban life were a trial for the slain senator’s son.

“I’m embarrassed to say we went to a mall today with the kids and Mary,” he writes on April 8. “I tried to be stand-up about the experience. But it was one of the worst nightmares of my existence.” Adding to the misery was a visit to a toy store where “the kids turned into savages. I had to leave.”

More common activities are “hawking” and “falconing,” including an outing at Martha Stewart’s house across town.

Kennedy is a master falconer and former president of the New York State Falconer’s Association. His home included falcon breeding aviaries.

The famously physical Kennedy clan hosted games of “capture the flag” at their home, and guests on Sept. 23 included Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins, who had a house in the next town.

“It was a perfect day,” he writes.

Kennedy’s social invitations came from no less than world leaders.

He writes that newly elected president George W. Bush asked him and Mary to dinner and to view “Thirteen Days,” the movie about the Cuban missile crisis and its handling by Kennedy’s uncle, President John F. Kennedy, and his father, then-US Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy.

Kennedy mulls going to a Republican White House, and even runs the invite by Al Franken, the comedian who later became a US senator.

“It’s being heralded as a brilliant political move by Bush,” he writes on Jan. 31.

He doesn’t record whether he attended the movie screening.

Kennedy later calls Bush an “idiot” and a “simpleton” in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

For someone not an elected official, Kennedy had easy access to those in power.

When he wanted to press his activist stance against the Navy using the Puerto Rican island of Vieques as a bombing range, he called newly named Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. He writes on Jan. 15 that First Lady Hillary Clinton urged him to make the call.

“He was very jolly and talked a lot about my mother and how much he loved her and how ‘tickled’ he was over his appointment,” he writes. “I gave my rap on Vieques.”

Bold-faced names sought Kennedy’s counsel. Alec Baldwin called Kennedy to talk about his divorce from Kim Basinger and his concerns about his daughter, Ireland.

“He is directing his first movie when she presented him with divorce . . . and moved to LA, a town he hates,” Kennedy writes.

Kennedy said he gave Baldwin “encouragement” based on his own experience with first wife, Emily.

Economist Jeffrey Sachs and DiCaprio were dinner guests at the Kennedy home in May 2001 and the actor played with Kennedy’s children, including Finn, then 3 years old.

“Finn, looking at Leo’s ponytail asked him, ‘Are you a girl?’ and was emphatic that he did not want such a haircut” writes Kennedy on May 21. “Leo was very sweet.”

Later that night, DiCaprio, who had recently started a charitable foundation, picked Kennedy’s brain on “environmental stuff.”

“He wants to spend his life and resources on a clean environment,” Kennedy notes.

Kennedy writes of his famous family, including some of its more infamous members.

Cousin Michael Skakel visited, Kennedy notes on May 5. He wanted to discuss their relationship, which had been strained since Skakel was fingered in June 2000 as a suspect in the 1975 murder of his 15-year-old Greenwich, Conn., neighbor Martha Moxley.

“I told him I’d never done anything except my best to help him — which is true. I loved him and forgave him, but that I would have a hard time trusting him,” writes Kennedy.

“He walked away from a 16-year friendship without explanation and spread lies about me and my family.”

Kennedy forgave Skakel during this meeting and they hugged when he left, Kennedy writes.

Kennedy vigorously defended Skakel in articles, and after Skakel’s conviction in 2002, Kennedy would go on to write a controversial piece for The Atlantic Monthly proclaiming his cousin’s innocence.

At a family celebration for Eunice Shriver’s 80th birthday party in August — an event that was attended by Kennedy’s uncle Sen. Ted Kennedy and his cousin Maria Shriver along with her husband, Arnold Schwarzenegger, he says he gave an impromptu toast to his aunt.

He “talked lots to Arnold and Maria about marriage and divorce and health and wealth,” he writes on Aug. 17.

After the party, Kennedy seemed to gain new appreciation for his own mother, Ethel Kennedy.

“It occurred to me that I’ve never heard my mother use a curse or say a bad word. That’s something!”

Despite his privileged life, Kennedy had his limits.

On Aug. 25, 2001, he flew from Cape Cod to the Hamptons to attend a Western-themed party hosted by socialite Anne Hearst to benefit the Peconic Baykeeper organization and the restoration of Hearst Castle in California.

“It was a show, a scene and made me so grateful to be at the Cape where people don’t put on makeup and fancy dresses on Saturdays,” he writes.

He notes that he returned at 10 p.m., in a private Cessna.

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