Late last year, a rumor started making the rounds online: Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook and one of the richest and most secretive men in the world, had just bought his first superyacht. As it turns out, that rumor is true.
For all his billions (some 170 of them at the last count), Mark Zuckerberg never owned a superyacht. Whether that was because he was more focused on buying islands and building underground compounds that would help him survive the apocalypse, we might never know, but we do know this: it's no longer the case.
In mid-December last year, word got out that Zuckerberg had been spotted in the Netherlands at the Feadship shipyard, where he'd shown a clear interest in Project 1010. In fact, he'd been there for a viewing of the megayacht, which, as of the time of press, is the biggest to come out of Feadship and the largest by volume to be built in the country: 118 meters (387 feet) in total length and over 5,000 GT in interior volume.
Starved of oxygen on purpose by Zuckerberg's PR, the rumor died within days. But it's not the end of it: Feadship has just delivered 1010 to the owner, and with this piece of news comes indirect confirmation that this owner is none other than Zuckerberg.
Photo: Facebook / Mark Zuckerberg
Sources from the shipyard have confirmed this much to eSysman Superyachts, arguably one of the most reliable sources of superyacht content online. Trade publications also confirm the megayacht's delivery, though not the owner.
Project 1010 has a somewhat controversial back story, though through no fault of its own. The fully custom vessel was built for Russian oligarch Vladimir Potanin, the same guy who previously made headlines for his super-costly divorce, which coincidentally involved another megayacht, the $300 million Nirvana.
Another reason why Potanin's name might ring a bell is the fact that he's on multiple sanctions lists. As a consequence, Feadship could not deliver 1010 to him under current Dutch laws when it was completed in August 2022. So they put it up for sale. Project 1010 might have been associated with Potanin, but he never owned it in the strictest sense of the word.
Zuckerberg does now, if sources at the shipyard are correct. Project 1010 has been renamed Launchpad and is now traveling to St Marteen, broadcasting on AIS under its new name. Launchpad is just one of Zuckerberg's latest purchases: the same sources claim that he's also bought a shadow vessel to go with it, and it's an impressive one.
Zuckerberg is also the new owner of Dapple, a 2014 Damen Yachting support vessel that was previously owned by Valve founder Gabe Newell. At 67 meters (220 feet) in total length, it offers incredible features that go beyond the ability to carry all the gear that the mothership can't or won't, including luxury accommodation and a mobile hospital. By spec, Dapple is a superyacht explorer.
Dapple is estimated at $30 million, and while it's still officially called Dapple, its new name is believed to be Wingman. Launchpad and Wingman, a $330 million pair of toys for Zuckerberg.
Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News