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posted by Fnord666 on Monday February 10 2020, @03:36PM   Printer-friendly
from the not-available-from-the-windows-store dept.

[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.]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-10/bill-gates-drops-24500-million-on-hydrogen-powered-superyacht/11949380

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.


Original Submission

 
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  • (Score: 2) by c0lo on Tuesday February 11 2020, @01:04AM (4 children)

    by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday February 11 2020, @01:04AM (#956640) Journal

    Well, I'll state flat out that the ship in question is not seaworthy....

    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.

    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

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  • (Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Tuesday February 11 2020, @01:14AM (1 child)

    by Runaway1956 (2926) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday February 11 2020, @01:14AM (#956643) Journal

    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

      by arslan (3462) on Tuesday February 11 2020, @06:21AM (#956757)

      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)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 11 2020, @02:00AM (#956661)

    Does the 1998 Sydney Hobart-Yacht Race ring a bell?

    • (Score: 2) by c0lo on Tuesday February 11 2020, @02:09AM

      by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday February 11 2020, @02:09AM (#956665) Journal

      Does the 1998 Sydney Hobart-Yacht Race ring a bell?

      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?

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