Upon hearing word that Mark Zuckerberg was “in town,” I thought I’d go see for my own eyes what a superyacht looks like.
While I like the idea of giving people their anonymity, I also figure that if you’re cruising around on a superyacht, you’re not looking for anonymity. We may have a cozy spot to hide from the world, and we are nice about giving people their space, but let this be a warning to other superyachters that if you seek shelter and safe harbor in our waters, you better get some lunch at the Lower Tavern, play a round of mini-golf, cruise the sunset spots with Orcas Towing, and join in with a local band for some evening entertainment.
Here are some closer photos taken by other people in other places…
Launchpad is the superyacht. The second photo is Wingman, its support vessel.
Facts from Chat:
- Launchpad is approximately 387–390 feet (118–119 meters) long, making it one of the largest private yachts in the world
- It reportedly cost about $300 million
- It was built by the prestigious Dutch shipbuilder Feadship
- The exterior was designed by Espen Øino International, one of the most famous yacht-design companies in the world
- The interior was designed by Zuretti Interior Design
- It can accommodate about 24 guests
- It requires a crew of roughly 48 people to operate and service it
- It reportedly has a helipad, gym, theater, beauty salon, and luxury guest suites
- It has a steel hull and an aluminum superstructure
- Four large MTU engines power the vessel
- Its top speed is about 24 knots (28 mph)
- Annual operating costs are estimated at around $30 million per year, or $90,000 a day
- Wingman houses a dive center, a hyperbaric decompression chamber, a helicopter pad, and deck space to store tenders, jet skis, and submersibles
- Wingman itself is enormous—about 262–263 feet long and is estimated to be worth around $100 million
- While functioning primarily as an auxiliary ship, Wingman carries its own crew of 20 and can act as a standalone explorer vessel in remote waters
- For perspective, Launchpad is so large that its length is roughly equal to a football field plus nearly 90 feet
Well, that’s about all the time I can spend on maritime opulence without feeling queasy.
May you have a wonderful day, grateful for your anonymous, humble abode. Unless you, too, have a superyacht.
