flying fox yacht owner jeff bezos

Inside Jeff Bezos’ $400 Million Megayacht: The Flying Fox

With a net worth of $188 Billion dollars, Jeff Bezos owns some pretty incredible stuff. Let's take a look at his $400 million mega-yacht.

In July 2021, Amazon 's founder Jeff Bezos decided to finally leave the company he'd put much of his blood, sweat, and tears into, where he was not only the president but also the CEO - a position that was profusely intense and time-consuming, to say the least. With an estimated net worth of nearly $190 billion and an age of 57 at the time, it made sense for Bezos to leave his hard-working life behind to enjoy some of his well-earned bucks.

One of the first things Bezos did was what any billionaire would after or even before retirement: buy a massive yacht. Called 'The Flying Fox', the ultra-luxury boat was supposedly commissioned by the Amazon founder in 2019 to be built by Lürssen Yachts , and at a whopping price tag of around $400 million dollars, it's said to be the 18th largest yacht in the world in terms of overall size, and the 14th largest regarding interior space. Before getting on with this amazing yacht, make sure to check out this insane car that's also owned by Jeff Bezos.

The Flying Fox isn't just special because it's owned by Amazon's founder and one of the world's richest people, Jeff Bezos; it's also an incredible piece of machinery in its own right that's nothing short of a private luxury hotel that floats. Let's take a look inside:

Related: Future-E Is An Electric Yacht Concept With Retractable Foils

Jeff Bezos' Flying Fox: An Overview Of The Megayacht's Interior

With a length of 466 feet and a width of 74 feet, The Flying Fox's gigantic size accommodates 22 pairs of guests in 11 different rooms, all with their very own private terraces and ensuite bathrooms. While the exterior and body of the yacht were designed by the widely renowned Naval Architect, Espen Øino, the interior was actually imagined by Mark Berryman, and it features a theme that gravitates mostly around wooden trimming and decor.

The mega-yacht has a total of 6 decks, and amongst them, you can find a two-story 4,300 square-foot spa with a wide variety of amenities including rain shower massages and a cryotherapy sauna, a 40-foot pool that can go from cold to warm in 10 seconds, an enormous outdoor dining deck catered by world-class chefs, and a gym just in case you feel the need to work out in the middle of the sea. Most important of all, however, is the master bedroom, which takes up an entire deck with 348 square feet and is basically a house within the yacht.

Related: Does Elon Musk Have A Cooler Car Collection Than Jeff Bezos? You Decide

The Flying Fox Has An Entire World-Class Crew At Its Disposal

The $400 million yacht has a crew of 55 members, and all of them are the best of the best at what they do. There's a team of top-notch chefs, multiple masseurs, bartenders, gym and diving instructors, amongst many more. In terms of ship management, the crew is composed of members of the British military; which means they earn pretty high salaries for their efforts upon The Flying Fox. The captain of such a yacht can earn around $450,000 per year, while engineers make somewhere close between $100,000 and $150,000.

Passengers aboard The Flying Fox can expect an experience similar or even superior to that of an all-inclusive 5-star hotel; the added bonus is that this one can travel all around the world at an impressive top speed of 20 knots. Though it may not be as quick as this other mega-yacht you should take a look at later.

To summarize, The Flying Fox is a floating wonder that the overwhelming majority of us can only ever hope to experience, let alone own. We should clarify that Jeff Bezos' ownership of the mega-yacht is only alleged, and it cannot be confirmed for sure, but that doesn't change the fact that it's still one of the most exclusive and unattainable vehicles in the world.

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Flying Fox – The mega-yacht owned by Jeff Bezos

The Italian summer of Flying Fox, the imposing mega-yacht owned by Amazon’s number one, Jeff Bezos

Throughout the summer there were rumors that Jeff Bezos, creator of Amazon and one of the richest men in the world, was on vacation in Italy . What is certain is that the megayacht Flying Fox, owned by him, has been spotted several times in the Mediterranean Sea , more precisely off the Sardinia and Sicily Italian coasts.

Who is Jeff Bezos?

For the few who don’t know him yet, it is right to make a premise and explain who we are talking about: born in 1964, Jeff Bezos is considered a pioneer of technology, a great American entrepreneur who was able to build a real empire based on Amazon.

Driven from an early age by a passion for technology, he studied computer science and electronic engineering, then landed on Wall Street, where he worked as the vice president of an investment company. When he has already reached what seems to be a well-started career, he decides to quit his job and launch himself into the Amazon project around 1995. From that moment on, growth has been exponential, as in 1997, when Bezos and his associates decided to launch into the world of e-commerce presenting itself as an online alternative for shopping.

In 2013 he completed his affirmation in the world of economics with the purchase of the Washington Post, paid for an incredible 250 million euros.

Related: VIPS and Yachts: A love story

What kind of yacht is the Flying Fox?

Defining it as a luxury yacht, even if true, is an understatement for this boat.

According to the world’s largest yachts ranking, Flying Fox is positioned at number 20 while instead, it is the tenth-largest yacht built by the German house Lürssen , based in Bremen.

Flying Fox is a 136-meter-long motor yacht delivered in 2019. If it is true that size sometimes doesn’t matter, with a width of 22.5 meters, a draft of 5.1 meters, and a volume of over 9,000 tons, designers did not want to run the risk of going unnoticed.

About the project, the exterior design was entrusted to Espen Øino International, while the interiors were signed by Mark Berryman Design Ltd.

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Flying Fox means huge spaces for guests

Up to 25 guests can be accommodated aboard the Flying Fox superyacht, which also can accommodate up to 54 crew members. The service onboard is therefore guaranteed.

Guests are split between 11 cabins, although calling them such doesn’t do them justice. These are luxurious mini-apartments studied in every detail. The master suite incorporates its own study and benefits from his and her bathroom. The remaining 10 are all top-notch VIP suites.

Fairytale quality and equipment the Jeff Bezos’ yacht

It is useless to list the countless comforts that can be found onboard.

Interiors, made of bamboo, teak, and oak wood, have space for a spa complete with a wellness center, sauna and steam room, a diving center with underwater lights, a real cinema, and even a lounge with a fireplace to relax after a “busy” day. All bridges are naturally connected with a comfortable and large internal lift.

The most sensational features, however, are found on the outside. On the main bow deck and on the upper aft deck there are not one but two helipads, while just above the aft beach club there is a beautiful swimming pool that covers almost the entire ship width.

Related:  Cristiano Ronaldo superyacht world rental champion

Flying Fox: Excellent performance for an oversized yacht

Built with a steel hull and an aluminum superstructure, Flying Fox offers greater stability at anchor thanks to its displacement hull.

It is powered by two MTU engines and sails comfortably at 15 knots but quickly reaches a top speed of 20 knots. Flying Fox is equipped with 682,500-liter fuel tanks that give it a range of up to 6,500 nautical miles at cruising speed.

Related:  Superyachts and helicopters

Where was Jeff Bezos’ yacht Flying Fox in the summer of 2021?

Bezos’ megayacht was spotted several times off the Italian coast this summer, attracting great curiosity from local and international media.

It is not certain who was on board, if the owner of Amazon himself or some other wealthy guest, as the stages and the route followed by the Flying Fox are not clear.

According to the various sightings that followed, it started from Nice , in France, would have sailed southwards, first touching the Aeolian Islands , then continuing towards Sardinia and Sicily where it was sighted in Balestrate, off the Palermo coast. Finally, head towards the Gulf of Naples and the Sorrento and Amalfi Coast .

What if we want to rent Flying Fox?

We can safely say it: it is not a yacht for anyone. Flying Fox seems to have been bought by Jeff Bezos for a figure close to half a billion dollars!

Although it is a private yacht, it is nevertheless possible to rent it but at a monstrous figure: The company that manages the Flying Fox rents this sea jewel for short periods at a cost that is around three million euros per week!

Contact  now YBH Charter Brokers:

You can contact us by sending an email at [email protected] or by phone, calling +39 33436 00997, available also on WhatsApp for both calls and texting.

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A Tour of Flying Fox: The World’s Largest Charter Yacht

A Tour of M/Y Flying Fox: The World’s Largest Charter Yacht

Rumoured to be owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos,  Lurssen’s  superyacht  Flying Fox is the largest charter yacht in the world. At 136m in length, it’s a truly incredible vessel, reflected in the eye-watering €3,00,000 weekly charter price. Amongst guests chartering the yacht are the likes of Logan and Jake Paul, and Beyonce and Jay-Z, truly making it a yacht for the elites of the world. We are taking you on a top-to-bottom tour of the Flying Fox, covering everything from guest suites to the tender garage.

Her exterior

The 7,000 square metres of Espen Øino’s undulating exterior contain a remarkable array of spaces, each conceived with originality by Øino, Mark Berryman, and the owner. These ideas were then completed with perfection by Lürssen. Imperial Yachts CEO Evgeniy Kochman, who personally attended over 50 meetings with the customer, studying over the GA for an average of 14 hours at a time, says the owner was extremely involved with every detail, “from the engine room to the observation deck.” The owner’s prior fleet of superyachts was instrumental in determining the design. “It seemed obvious to integrate their facilities into one fully operational superyacht,” Kochman adds.

Inside Superyacht Flying Fox

Guest accommodation.

Flying Fox features 10 spacious guest suites. They are arranged in a row in front of the gym, allowing visitors to go straight from their beds to work out or have a morning swim. These rooms are all of the same sizes and open onto one of the long side decks, which divides into large fixed balconies in various configurations by hidden sliding panels. The spaces are modern and calming, made to induce a state of relaxation for guests chartering the yacht.

On the upper deck, the master suite is located. It continues following the same design sensibilities and embellishments found in the guest suites, creating a cohesive experience throughout the vessel. A 48-square-metre bathroom is centred with an oval bath and a large shower that are all spaced outboard for views through double-fronted sliding doors onto the vast private terrace that runs around the front of the suite.

The owner’s suite is another spectacular space, fitted with his and hers dressing rooms, a cosy living room, and a spa pool, located on the enormous private terrace. Additionally, the suite houses multiple workspaces – a meeting room and the owner’s office, accessed through a studio.

Social living spaces

When it comes to social living spaces, the saloon found to Port on the Upper Deck is the perfect place for friends and family to gather. It’s a leafy space, full of plants including two spectacular ficus trees. The lush plants are all on automated watering schedules to ensure they remain healthy. Bringing a sense of cosiness to the saloon is a real wood fireplace. It works like a typical fireplace, but with insulated ducts that route smoke up the mast with the help of forced extraction.

A dining saloon adjacent to the bridge deck saloon features a large table to seat all the yacht’s guests. A centre tank, complete with vibrant artificial corals, gives a pop of colour while also separating the areas (which can be entirely sequestered using sliding screens). The dining area features an open, outdoor kitchen that allows guests to sit at the counter and watch the chef work, or at the extendable dining table.

The facilities

Alongside all the amazing living spaces, Flying Fox also houses many luxurious facilities for guests to enjoy.

There’s a well-stocked superyacht gym full of the latest gym equipment, a terrace for fresh-air yoga, and a gym “menu” spelling out what’s on offer for more energetic guests. It’s staffed by ex-British military instructors to give guests much-needed motivation to complete their workouts. 

Alongside the gym is the vessel’s impressive 400sqm 2-floor Spa. It features heated limestone floors and louvred oak panelling centrepieces, providing individuals wishing to escape the outer world. 

Perhaps the most breathtaking addition to the yacht is her spectacular pool. The 12-meter swimming pool, which runs transversely on the main deck, is a technological feat and a first for a superyacht of this size. 

Toys and tenders

Flying Fox yacht houses a wide range of toys and tenders in her expansive tender garage. Inside, you can find five tenders and a plethora of toys ranging from flyboards and hoverboards to Seabobs and windsurfs. The facility is also designed to suit the requirements for using gasoline to fuel the tenders. Here is a full list of all the toys and tenders onboard:

Toy Brands on board:

• Seadoo – 3x GTX 300 
• Seabob – 4x F5S
• Poseidon – 4x Se7en Rebreathers + diving equipment
• Zapata – 1x Flyboard
• Awake Boards –  Ravik 3 electric surfboard

Tender Brands on board:

• Windy Boats – Limousine 
• Compass Boats – Work tender
• Nautique – Wakeboarding tender
• Pascoe Tenders – 2x 6.8m tenders

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Inside The Flying Fox: Jeff Bezos' $400 Million Mega Yacht

The mega yacht 'Flying Fox' cost Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos a humongous $400 million.

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A look inside and outside, additional amenities and engine capacity, what sets the flying fox apart.

When Jeff Bezos announced that he will be stepping down as the Chief Executive Officer of the multi-trillion-dollar company, Amazon, a lot of people assumed that he just wanted to relax and enjoy his life at this point as he was already the richest man in the world at the time. Just as his time as CEO has ended, Jeff Bezos immediately took off in a mini trip into the space through his aerospace company, Blue Origin. During that time, Bezos who has a current net worth of $200 billion in 2021 decided to purchase a mega yacht which costs about $400 million.

Bezos who is still a business minded individual, when rents out his yacht when he is not using it. It was reported that even the multimillionaires Beyoncé and Jay-Z rented the yacht on a weekly basis to go explore with their family. The couple reportedly spent about $4 million per week on the boat. What makes the yacht so expensive? Dive into the article so you can find out more about the superyacht of Bezos.

RELATED: Jeff Bezos Pledges $2 Billion To Restore Food Systems And Wildlife Affected By Climate Change

The impressive interior design of the yacht was done by Espen Øino who managed to give the yacht a sleek and elegant interior as well as exterior design despite the massive size of the yacht. The yacht can accommodate about 25 guests as it has about 11 cabins, all of which have a private sea view terraces. The master suite of the luxurious yacht takes up the entire top deck of the yacht with size of 30 sq m. Interior design which was created by Mark Berryman Design features a luxurious yet contemporary décor which gives the yacht warm tones because of the use of woods. The facilities include a nightclub, gym, water sports equipment and a sauna. There is also about 55 crew members on board to serve the rich people which includes chefs, housekeepers, medics, dive instructors, hairdressers, and masseurs.

When Jeff Bezos bought the super yacht in 2019, there was never a confirmation that the yacht was indeed his. While different news outlet and websites have gotten from several sources that the yacht was indeed under his name, some sources have claimed that he does not own it. The yacht named as the Flying Fox can provide absolutely everything a billionaire could ask for as it is named as the fourteenth largest yacht in the world. The yacht can provide relaxation, entertainment, leisure time and privacy to spend some quality time with your loved ones.

The impressive construction of the yacht measures about 466 ft which spans across four decks. It is has a beam of 73.8 ft, a volume of 9,022 GT and a draft of16.7 ft. The yacht which was built by Lürssen Yachts comes with two helipads, a two deck spa with wellness and health facilties, a 40 ft swimming pool and an in-house cinema. It is powered by two MTU 16V 1163 M84 diesel engines that can take a top speed of 23 mph. It has a cruising speed of 17.2 mph and a steel hull as well as an aluminum superstructure.

Looking at the finished arrangement of the superyacht of Jeff Bezos, it is clear that the yacht is differs from other yachts as it is defined by passion for watersports and wellness. The modern preference is also reflected on other yachts but not on this level. The entire aft end of The Flying Fox is about two decks of temple to fun water activities as well as relaxation. The tone set on the yacht is can be felt as soon as the guests step on the 22.5-metre-wide bathing platform which makes it by far the best super yacht spa to this date. The heated limestone floors and the louvred oak paneling, the centerpieces of the 400-square-metre is the vast spa pool and the waters which can be changed from icy to steaming in just about ten minutes as it has both hot and cold tanks. It can be a plunge pool as well following the sauna and hammam.

READ NEXT:  Supercar Of The Sea: Inside Conor McGregor's $3.6 Million Lamborghini Tecnomar 63 Yacht

Sources: Boat International , House Beautiful , Auto Evolution , Super Yacht Times , Forbes

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No, Jeff Bezos Didn’t Buy the World’s Largest Charter Superyacht

The tech titan doesn't own the 466-foot "flying fox" nor has he ever been aboard the boat, a source says..

Senior Staff Writer

Bryan Hood's Most Recent Stories

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Jeff Bezos buys the world’s largest charter superyacht ? If it sounds like a headline too good to be true, that’s because it is.

This weekend, rumors began to circulate online that the Amazon founder and CEO bought the 466-foot Flying Fox superyacht . This speculation kicked off after journalist Yasher Ali posted a photo of the yacht docked in Datça, Turkey, to his Twitter feed. In the since-deleted tweet, Ali referred to the Flying Fox as “Jeff Bezos’s new yacht.” The journalist told Insider that he tweeted about Bezos owning the boat after seeing an Instagram post by jewelry designer Loree Rodkin which suggested the boat belonged to the tech titan. (The caption has since been edited.)

• This New 150-Foot Superyacht Can Cruise Through Shallow Waters in Florida and the Bahamas With Ease

But it appears none of that is true. A source with knowledge of the situation tells Robb Report that Bezos does not own the Flying Fox , nor has he ever been onboard it. (Insider also published a statement from Amazon denying that the billionaire owned the yacht.)

Amazon workers collapse from heat exhaustion in warehouses where the heat index exceeds 100° F so that Jeff Bezos can buy a new yacht pic.twitter.com/6nL1OXPDFg — Sam (@halaljew) August 3, 2019

Bezos has been linked to the Flying Fox as a potential owner since German yacht maker Lürssen first began construction on the boat in 2017. The yacht has previously been reported to be worth a mind-boggling $400 million, which might explain why the world’s richest man, according to Bloomberg and Forbes , is constantly proffered as a possible owner.

The “Flying Fox” superyacht.  Imperial

The PYT-compliant luxury vessel has ample room for 22 guests in its 11 staterooms, which include a private master suite on the top deck with its own jacuzzi, and a number of VIP suites with private terraces and ensuite bathrooms. It also features a two-story saloon, a wooden fireplace, a movie theater with state-of-the-art A/V capabilities, a 39-foot swimming pool, beach club, a gym, a 13,000-square-foot spa and, in case all that wasn’t enough, not one but two helipads.

Of course, a man with Bezos’s means doesn’t have to buy the Flying Fox to spend some quality time aboard the superyacht.  As Robb Report pointed out in June , the boat is part of Monaco-based Imperial’s fleet of yachts , and it’s available for charter.

Bryan Hood is a digital staff writer at Robb Report. Before joining the magazine, he worked for the New York Post, Artinfo and New York magazine, where he covered everything from celebrity gossip to…

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What Jeff Bezos's Super Yacht, Historic Architecture, and Rotten Eggs Have in Common

By Jessica Cherner

Jeff Bezos’s new super yacht is back in the headlines for a potentially smelly reason that has more to do with rotten eggs than it does naval design. Most people interpret the phrase, “the only way out is always through,” figuratively, but Jeff Bezos isn’t a regular person. After all, while some people took a drive to a nearby lake or boarded a plane to one of the coasts for their first pandemic trip, Bezos strapped himself into his rocket ship and journeyed to outer space. So it should come as no surprise that the billionaire behind Amazon is planning on doing something else equally absurd: He wants the Rotterdam government to temporarily dismantle a historic bridge so that he can pass through in his $500 million, three-mast, 417-foot yacht . It’s unclear whether or not the government will comply, but if it does, the locals plan on welcoming him to their city with eggs. That’s right: Rotterdam residents will egg the world’s second-wealthiest individual for all to see.

The Koningshavenbrug De Hef in Rotterdam may be temporarily dismantled to make way for Jeff Bezos’s new yacht.

The bridge in question is Koningshaven Bridge, known locally as “De Hef,” and it’s been standing—at 130 feet—since 1927. Bezos wants to take it apart so that he can bring his new sailboat, with towering masts, home. Jeff Bezos’s new yacht, which he is having custom-made at the Oceanco shipyard in the Netherlands, will be the world’s largest sailing yacht. It’s supposed to be ready for him to pick up and sail away in June of 2022, but he’s making plans to get it out onto the sea now because it’s not a typical boat that can traverse European rivers. Though Bezos surely has no issue inconveniencing locals or dismantling history, he is in a bit of a pickle because the only way to get the yacht from the shipyard to the open water is through De Hef.

Luckily for anyone with a sense of humor who wouldn’t mind watching the billionaire take an egg to the face, Bezos will probably win this fight. Plus, municipal project leader Marcel Walravens announced that the complicated construction project would move forward for logistical and economic reasons. What the economic reasons he’s referring to are unknown, but with Jeff Bezos footing the bill, they will likely be quite compelling.

Another one of Bezos’s yachts is called “Flying Fox,” and it measures 446-feet-long.

None of that has been confirmed yet, though, which makes deciding whether or not to take the bridge apart a bit tricky—especially because dismantling it may cause permanent damage to the structure.

Whether or not the bridge suffers long-term damage, locals vow to show up to the bridge with cartons of rotten eggs. The only issue is: According to Curbed , the egg would have to fly more than 200 feet to hit the yacht’s hull, which isn’t impossible, but it’s not easy. Hopefully, former and current athletes with impressive throwing abilities will turn up armed with eggs.

De Hef isn’t currently in use because it was replaced by a tunnel and eventually decommissioned in 1994. That doesn’t mean it’s not an architectural treasure worthy of being left alone for the rest of time. Perhaps the only silver lining to its temporary deconstruction is the photos of Jeff Bezos’s new yacht covered in the putrid stench of rotten eggs courtesy of Rotterdam locals. Unfortunately, for now, the small European city won’t know the fate of their beloved bridge for another few months, but until then, they’re making extra stops to the store for eggs. 

By Katie Schultz

By Alia Akkam

By Audrey Lee

A photo of a $400 million yacht rumored to be owned by Jeff Bezos went viral, but Amazon says it's not his

• A mega-yacht rumored to cost $400 million spotted off the coast of Turkey in photos circulating on Twitter was rumored to belong to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, but a representative of the company told INSIDER it isn't his.
• The "Flying Fox" yacht was reported to anchor off Datça, a popular tourist destination in Turkey, in early July, but it was unclear whether Bezos was aboard.
• Rumors that the yacht belongs to Bezos have circulated since 2017 , when the Lürssen yacht-building company began construction on what was referred to as "Project Redwood."
• A photo of the Flying Fox gained traction on social media after the journalist Yashar Ali tweeted it was Bezos' new yacht, but Ali later deleted the tweet. Amazon told INSIDER it didn't know who owned the yacht.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

A representative of Amazon told INSIDER Saturday night that, despite reports that a mega-yacht spotted off the coast of Turkey in early July cost $400 million and was owned by Jeff Bezos, the Amazon CEO does not own the yacht and the company doesn't know who it belongs to.

Photos of the mega-yacht in question began circulating on Twitter Saturday, with rumors and media reporting that the vessel belonged Bezos, although it was unclear whether he was onboard at the time it was spotted in Turkey.

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Turkish media first reported that the yacht was anchored off the coast of Datça, a popular tourist destination in Turkey, on July 9. Original tweets claiming that the yacht belonged to Bezos have since been deleted, along with the original photo, but screenshots continue to circulate on social media.

—Sam (@halaljew) August 3, 2019

Yashar Ali — the journalist who tweeted the photo and caption in many of the screenshots circulating on Twitter, but who later deleted his tweet — told INSIDER that the picture was initially posted by the jewelry designer Loree Rodkin, who posted the photo on Instagram on Saturday with the caption "When u own amazon...(guess who)....your rental boat is bigger than a hotel....🙈...welcome to the neighborhood .🛳🇹🇷"

When u own amazon ... (guess who)....your rental boat is bigger than a hotel ....🙈...welcome to the neighborhood .🛳🇹🇷 A post shared by Loree Rodkin (@loreerodkin) on Aug 3, 2019 at 4:32am PDT Aug 3, 2019 at 4:32am PDT

Rodkin didn't immediately return Business Insider's request for comment.

Read more: Hondas, Toyotas, and a Morris Minor: These are the surprisingly modest car choices of the world's top tech billionaires

According to yacht statistics from the website Superyacht Times , the mega-yacht in question is called the "Flying Fox" and was constructed by yacht-building company Lürsen Yachts. The Superyacht Times says that it is 136 meters long and sleeps up to 22 guests with a 54-person crew.

The Times also says the yacht as having been completed and become operational in 2019, with 36 guest cabins, including 11 VIP cabins, and four decks onboard. It is also reported to have a 12-meter swimming pool and is pictured to have a helicopter pad.

Rumors that the yacht belongs to Bezos can be traced back to 2017 , when it was still under construction and referred to as Project Redwood. Since then, Bezos is estimated to be one of the world's richest people.

This post was updated on August 4, 2019, to include a statement from Amazon.

Watch: Jeff Bezos talked to us about leaving a steady Wall Street job to start Amazon, why his rocket company Blue Origin is his most important project, and what it's like to have Trump as your biggest critic

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Jeff Bezos’ New Yacht Is Finally Ready to Set Sail

Amazon’s founder has been spotted on Koru, a massive schooner with a design that evokes the golden age of sailing in the early 20th century.

By Kevin Koenig

Just in time for the high season of yachting in the Mediterranean, when multimillion-dollar megayachts descend on ports like Monte Carlo and St. Tropez, Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, has been photographed with his partner Lauren Sánchez on his new boat, Koru, off the coast of Spain.

Mr. Bezos’ vessel is a sailing yacht, a departure from the diesel-powered, floating palaces popular with other billionaires. But it is still massive. At 417 feet, Koru is the world’s largest sailing yacht, according to Boat International , and it cost an estimated $500 million to build, Bloomberg reported . (Parsifal III, the boat featured on Bravo’s reality series “Below Deck Sailing Yacht,” is 177 feet long — less than half the length of Koru — and cost $18 million , according to the website SuperYachtFan.)

A spokesperson for Mr. Bezos did not comment for this article; neither did Oceanco, Koru’s builder. Here is what to know about the boat.

For traditionalists, Koru is refreshing. At a time when yacht design skews outrageous — see the lizardlike, 262-foot Artefact or the otherworldly 463-foot Yas — Koru stands out as a schooner, a sailing vessel with two or more masts. Photos reveal a large sailboat with three masts, an on-deck pool and a voluptuous mermaid on the bow, that bears a resemblance to Ms. Sánchez. But otherwise, the sleek, classic lines suggest the patrician age of yachting in the early 20th century, said Robert B. MacKay, author of “The Golden Age of Newport Yachting: Between the Wars.”

“With the clipper bow and the dark hull and the masts,” Mr. MacKay said, referring to Koru’s concave, pointy forward section, “it reminds me of a boat built in 1930 for J.P. Morgan Jr., Corsair IV. It is almost like a reincarnation. It’s certainly at odds with the stuff the oligarchs are building — those look like bloated Clorox bottles.”

Compared with the world’s very largest motor yachts — built for sheer size and the accompanying bragging rights — Koru could almost be considered quaint. Azzam, one of the world’s largest motor yachts, is nearly 200 feet longer.

The Experience

Koru will be propelled primarily by the wind. “Sailboats are usually greener than most powerboats,” said Don Anderson, a former captain of M5 , the world’s largest single-masted sailboat, at 256 feet. “I’d like to think that Koru will be one of the most ecological yachts out there, with its sails and also with the technology that will be aboard.”

“When you’re on a sailboat, you’re more in touch with the wind and the waves than on a powerboat,” he continued. “You’re more susceptible to the elements, too. But you can leave California, and once you get past the Catalinas you can basically surf downwind all the way to Hawaii. All you need to do is run with the waves.”

Mr. Bezos has been a guest on similar boats, according to Bloomberg: In 2019, he was spotted on Eos , a 305-foot sailing yacht owned by Barry Diller and Diane von Furstenberg.

Bill Tripp, a Connecticut-based naval architect, said the appeal of this type of boat is clear: “When you are on a powerboat, you ask, ‘Are we there yet?’ and on a sailboat, you’re enjoying the ride and the ocean so much that you don’t ask that question.”

Koru will be trailed by Abeona, a 246-foot support vessel. Superyachts often have support vessels following along behind them. These “shadows,” as they are colloquially known, are for the “toys” — the ATVs, supercars, seaplanes, motorcycles, smaller boats, scuba gear, personal submarines and even helicopters that pleasure boaters might bring on a trip. According to its builder, this model of boat can carry these gadgets along with dozens of crew members. (Ms. Sanchez flies helicopters, and the couple was recently photographed taking a helicopter to board Abeona and then Koru.)

Abeona, a motor yacht, will have enough range to follow Koru from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean — a common course for yachts — on a single tank of gas.

The Kerfuffle

Koru set off a controversy last year — before it was even completed — in a face-off with the Dutch city of Rotterdam. The boat was built at Oceanco’s facility in Alblasserdam, the Netherlands, and needed to pass the historic Koningshaven Bridge, known as “De Hef,” in Rotterdam, to undergo testing in the North Sea.

When the city announced it would dismantle the bridge to allow the boat and its mainmast — an estimated 230 feet tall — to pass through unscathed, locals were angry. They planned a protest to throw eggs at the yacht as it cruised by. In the end, the bridge was not taken apart, and the yacht was towed to a different location to have its masts attached.

Koru is Maori for “coil” or “loop” and refers to the unfurling of a fern frond. The koru design is common in traditional Maori art, where it symbolizes new life, growth and peace. Mr. Bezos included a photo of a koru frond in an Instagram post on Jan. 1, 2022.

Brad Stone, who was the first to report on Koru, in his 2021 book “Amazon Unbound: Jeff Bezos and the Invention of a Global Empire,” said the name was “consistent with where we see him today.”

“He is no longer this single-minded tech guy,” Mr. Stone said. “He’s in media and Hollywood and has a new relationship.”

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Jeff Bezos' Megayacht Koru Is Getting Ready for Summer Cruising

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Ferretti Yachts and Riva to attend Moscow Boat Show 2013

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Written by Zuzana Bednarova

To be represented by Premium Yachts, Ferretti Yachts and Riva , two prestigious brands of the Ferretti Group, will be present at the Moscow International Boat Show 2013, displaying motor yacht Ferretti 530 as well as Riva Iseo yacht tender.

Luxury motor yacht Ferretti 530

Luxury yacht Ferretti 530 was very keen to undertake in collaboration once again with AYT – Advanced Yacht Technology, Ferretti Group Engineering Division and Studio Zuccon International Project . The compact dimensions, 16 meters long and almost 5 meters wide, allow the 530 yacht to deliver grand Italian luxury and cruising immersed in such comfort until now unheard of in a yacht of this size.

Ferretti 530 yacht boasts three revolutionary innovations: the full beam master cabin with chaise longue and two large open view windows that make it a real suite at sea level bathed in light, tones and the natural essences of teak. Moving the galley from the center to the aft section creates a unique open space that includes the saloon, galley, cocktail bar and the dining area, the cockpit area continues thanks to the tilting window. The roll bar free sky lounge and the spoiler allow the 530 a sporty appearance combined with elegantly formal lines.

Ferretti 530 Yacht - Interior

Riva , the iconic Ferretti Group brand, presented a new model at the historical Lake d’Iseo shipyards in July 2011. Featuring elegance and ease of transportation as its distinctive characteristics, Iseo superyacht tender , a 27 foot runabout, is destined to become a must-have for those who love cruising on both lakes and the sea, and, most importantly, design enthusiasts. It is also perfect for anyone wishing to enhance their yacht with an exclusive tender that will never go unnoticed.

Riva Iseo superyacht tender

Due to its ease of manoeuvrability and size, Iseo yacht tender is also ideal as a tender for large yachts. Innovative and elegant, it can also guarantee comfort in bad weather conditions. Besides the electrohydraulic bimini top, it was also designed with a waterproof, automobile-style soft top which protects those on board against water and the wind during cruising.

Please contact CharterWorld - the luxury yacht charter specialist - for more on superyacht news item "Ferretti Yachts and Riva to attend Moscow Boat Show 2013".

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