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[Update: 20200210_181822 UTC] The original source of the story reported the cost of the yacht to be £500; there were conversion errors in the stories quoted here. Click the spoiler for the details:
The Telegraph (a UK publication):
- Reports the price was: £500m
ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
- Referred to The Telegraph as its source.
- Apparently gets the value wrong and thinks the £500m was $US500.
- Then converts the $US500 to Australian dollars.
- Being an Australian publication, it converts the $US to $AUS.
- reports it as (local $AUS) as: "$747 Million".
BBC then steps in and reports:
- that there was no such deal
- and states the amounts to be: £500m ($644m)
According to https://www.x-rates.com/, the current exchange rates are:
- 1.00 GBP = 1.291 USD
- 1.00 USD = 1.498 AUD
- 1.00 GBP = 1.935 AUD
Which then gives us:
- 500 GBP = (500 * 1.291 USD) = $646 USD
- 500 USD = (500 * 1.498 AUD) = $750 AUD
[The original, unmodified, story appears below.]
Microsoft founder Bill Gates is one of the world's richest men, so it's no surprise that he can afford to splash out on luxury items every now and then. But, even for him, $US500 million [$747 million] is a large chunk of money.
And what has he spent it on? A hydrogen-powered superyacht, that he won't take possession of until the year 2024.
The yacht, designed by Dutch company Sinot, will be 112 metres long and run on liquid hydrogen.
It will feature an infinity pool, helipad and spa and will have room for up to 14 guests.
The yacht was first revealed in Monaco in 2019 and advertised as being suitable for a "forward-looking" owner.
"For the development of Aqua we took inspiration from the lifestyle of a discerning, forward-looking owner, the fluid versatility of water and cutting-edge technology, to combine this in a superyacht with truly innovative features," marine designer Sander Sinot said at the time.
But Arthur T Knackerbracket has found the following story reported by the BBC:
Billionaire Bill Gates has not commissioned a hydrogen-powered superyacht from designer Sinot, the firm has told the BBC.
It has been widely reported that Mr Gates ordered a £500m ($644m) luxury vessel, based on the concept which was displayed in Monaco in 2019.
Sinot said it had "no business relationship" with Bill Gates. It added that that the concept yacht, called Aqua, was "not linked" to either him or any of his representatives. "Aqua is a concept under development and has not been sold to Mr Gates," a spokeswoman said. She added that it was shown "in Monaco [and] meant to build a better future, and inspire clients and the industry."
Bill Gates has been contacted by the BBC for comment.
Also at:
https://nypost.com/2020/02/10/bill-gates-orders-644-million-hydrogen-powered-superyacht-with-gym-helipad-infinity-pool/
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/feb/09/bill-gates-orders-500m-hydrogen-powered-superyacht
Meanwhile escquireme.com is supporting the BBC story and reporting that this is not true.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday February 10 2020, @05:20PM (14 children)
That was Paul Allen, with his custom yacht.
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Monday February 10 2020, @06:00PM (13 children)
No, I mean Steve Jobs, and his Venus. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNOYIQ8V6C8 [youtube.com]
A sailor who has seen the worst that the seas can throw at you is horrified at all of that glass bulkheading. More, a sailor who has seen how hot a ship at sea can be, won't like all of that glass any better. Fair weather sailors should never be permitted to design a sea going vessel, of any sort.
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Tuesday February 11 2020, @12:07AM (12 children)
Only an engineering problem. Use acrylics or polycarbonate for that "glass" and it can be made safe.
Desensitize yourself going 1mile deep in one of these babies [tritonsubs.com]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Tuesday February 11 2020, @12:22AM (9 children)
Polycarbs and such are well and good. Fasteners are another question. So, the glass won't break when a rogue wave smashes into it. That won't make you feel especially good when the polycarb panel comes flying at you, with tons of water pushing it. Remember, you're in a salt water environment. The typical aluminum framed window with a little corrosion that a landlubber takes for granted can quickly fall apart at sea.
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Tuesday February 11 2020, @12:34AM (8 children)
Still an engineering problem, not an inherent unavoidable flaw of the "transparent bulkhead" idea.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 1, Offtopic) by Runaway1956 on Tuesday February 11 2020, @12:44AM (7 children)
Well, I'll state flat out that the ship in question is not seaworthy. I wouldn't want to go aboard for a party if it were tied fast to a pier, let alone go to sea on it. If it ever sails in rough weather, it will founder quickly.
Ditto that Zumwalt boondoggle that the Navy has bought. That one might have been seaworthy, if they hadn't made it top heavy. A typical destroyer can be rolled to either side, as far as 90 or 100 degrees, and still right itself. If Zumwalt ever reaches 60 degrees, it's all over. These high, tall yachts? Some are better than others, but none of them are especially good.
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Tuesday February 11 2020, @01:04AM (4 children)
Different purposes, different designs.
Nobody expects to go on a holiday cruise on a destroyer and I haven't heard of any enrolled in Sydney Hobart-Yacht Race (not build for speed with sails, are they?). Both cruise ships and sail yachts are sea worthy, tho', withing their envelope of expected sea conditions.
Btw, neither is a destroyer unsinkable in all conditions
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Tuesday February 11 2020, @01:14AM (1 child)
Seaworthiness is seaworthiness.
Cruise ships are mostly pretty seaworthy, based on size alone. They're as big as aircraft carriers in many cases, although configured quite differently. Many sailing yachts are as seaworthy as the destroyers I've referred to. They EXPECT to be bowled over by strong winds, since the wind is their power source. Sailing ships have survived all of the extreme weather conditions that today's destroyers have survived, and maybe worse sometimes.
And, I never suggested that a destroyer is unsinkable. God knows there are enough of them littering the ocean floor.
I look at many of these "motor yachts" and just shudder.
(Score: 3, Informative) by arslan on Tuesday February 11 2020, @06:21AM
Completely agree, but I suspect the 0.1% thinks differently than us peons. To them they can have a trophy floating thingie called a "yacht" purely for mooring near big city ports for the rich and famous to throw parties and a different real seaworthy thingie for actual sea travel. Different toys for different hours of the day and such - no need to debate or even think about whether the glass floating thingie is suitable for a sea voyage.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 11 2020, @02:00AM (1 child)
Does the 1998 Sydney Hobart-Yacht Race ring a bell?
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Tuesday February 11 2020, @02:09AM
No longer. For almost 21 years.
Now, my questions:
- were any of those 5 yachts that were lost not seaworthy?
- or did they have acrylics bulkheads and, demonstrable, it was because of this that they were lost?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 11 2020, @01:53AM (1 child)
Oh God, I actually agree with Runaway on something. I've ridden enough frigates in heavy weather to know he's telling the truth.
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Tuesday February 11 2020, @02:10AM
Opinion only: I think frigates are generally less seaworthy than destroyers. Anything with a hangar bay catching the wind is a handicap in foul weather. Still, very seaworthy - they'll take a helluva pounding, and keep coming back for more.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 11 2020, @01:46AM (1 child)
A typhoon ripped off 100 ft of bow from the cruiser USS Pittsburgh (CA-72) during WW2. Tell me again that it's just an engineering problem. I was almost nailed by a desk that was tied down when the frigate I was riding took a 45 degree roll during a tropical storm. The ocean will kill you if you're not careful.
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Tuesday February 11 2020, @02:05AM
And what's the relevance?
I asserted that making the bulkhead from acrylics or polycarbonate can be made as safe as the current seaworthy vessels by applying engineering, not that "seaworthiness == unsinkable/indestructible ships".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford