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127m Oceanco superyacht Koru spotted in Mallorca

The 127-metre Oceanco Koru , formerly known as Y721, has been spotted for the first time since she left the shipyard last week. The record-breaking superyacht began her maiden voyage from the Netherlands to Gibraltar on 6 April, and has since arrived at the anchorage in the bay of Palma, on the Balearic island of Mallorca. 

Now successfully delivered, the superyacht takes the crown for the world's largest sailing yacht and the largest yacht to be built in the Netherlands. 

The sailing superyacht first hit the water in August 2022 at Oceanco 's Alblasserdam shipyard and was transported to Rotterdam where her trio of masts was stepped. She later began transmitting as Koru on her AIS, which is a Māori word meaning "new beginnings".

The yacht is believed to have been commissioned for Amazon founder Jeff Bezos as revealed in an excerpt from a book titled Amazon Unbound . Previously speaking to BOAT International , an Oceanco spokesperson said: "Oceanco values the privacy and confidentiality of all our clients and prospective clients and therefore does not comment on our involvement or non-involvement in specific projects."

While her design team has yet to be confirmed, she features a black hull, white superstructure and classic exterior lines, which bear similarities to Lürssen superyacht Eos . Features of Koru include a large pool on the aft deck, a seating area on the bowsprit and multiple areas for relaxing across her open decks.

Koru is expected to be joined by a support vessel. Earlier this year, Dutch shipyard Damen Yachting delivered its largest-ever support yacht Abeona and the vessel is currently en route to Gibraltar, according to BOATPro . 

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Jeff Bezos’s $500 Million Megayacht Was Spotted Undergoing Test Trials in the North Sea

The amazon founder's y721 koru from oceanco has finally hit the high seas., louisa ballhaus, louisa ballhaus's most recent stories.

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Jeff Bezos has a new toy in the works, and it looks like he’s making sure it’ll be ready for summertime travels.

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Bezos ran into some trouble earlier this year when it came out that the Koningshaven Bridge in the Netherlands might have to be dismantled to let Y721 Koru pass through, as the megayacht’s 229-foot masts exceeded the bridge’s 131-foot clearance. City officials briefly agreed to disassemble the bridge but then decided against it in the face of public backlash, according to The New York Times. That negative reaction included a threat from residents to show up and pelt rotten eggs at the $500 million behemoth.

Oceanco, the company that built Y721 Koru, ultimately decided against applying for the permit that would be required for dismantling Koningshaven Bridge, and the boat was instead quietly towed to another shipyard without its mast.

Bezos’s completed yacht will be accompanied by a 246-foot-long “shadow yacht” called YS7512, Damen Yacht’s largest-ever support vessel. It will fit 45 people onboard, feature a helicopter hangar and storage for Jet Skis and other water toys and is reportedly called Abeona , according to Boat International .

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First look at Jeff Bezos’ new superyacht, the Oceanco Y721

Jeff Bezos Oceanco Sailing Yacht Y721 Launched

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has gifted himself a sleek new yacht.

A $ 500 million superyacht , which upon delivery, will break world records.

Oceanco project 721, allegedly bought by Jeff Bezos, is launched at the Zwijndrech shipyard

That superyacht is Project 721 or Y721, the largest superyacht from the luxurious Dutch shipyard Oceanco , just launched in Zwijndrecht. Delivery is scheduled for 2022 after it completes sea trials.

Upon delivery, the superyacht will hold a number of world records, including the title of the world’s largest sailing yacht, Oceanco’s largest superyacht and the longest ship built in the Netherlands.

Based on the Black Pearl, the most recognized built by Oceanco , and also the DynaRig sailing yacht, the world’s largest and most advanced, the Y721 has three decks, measuring 127 meters (417 feet) in overall length. She will feature three masts and a bowsprit, and comes with a black hull and a classic, elegant silhouette.

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Oceanco 127m Superyacht Now Named Sailing Yacht Y721 'KORU'

By Heather Collier

Oceanco's 127-metre superyacht Y721 has now been named Koru. Koru is currently located at the Oceanco facility outside of Rotterdam after being transported last year from Alblasserdam.

Oceanco 's $500 million superyacht, which will be the second largest sailing yacht in the world when she is delivered, is owned by Amazon Founder Jeff Bezos.

It now appears that Bezos has renamed her a Maori word, 'Koru', which translates to 'new beginnings'. The new name was revealed this week when it began transmitting on the vessel's automatic identification system.

Koru will feature three enormous masts and three decks, featuring a black hull and white superstructure. She is the longest yacht ever to have been launched in the Netherlands and will officially be the tallest sailing yacht in the world when she is delivered to the Amazon founder, superseding the current largest ocean-going passenger ship Sea Cloud. 

The design for Koru is based on another one of Bezos' ships, the Black Pearl. Built in 2018, the Black Pearl is the largest DynaRig sailing yacht in the world, with three 70 metre-tall carbon masts.

The billionaire commissioned the construction of the superyacht, which hit the headlines last year when it required an iconic Dutch bridge to be dismantled in order to reach the open sea. 

Bezos said he would pay the Dutch city of Rotterdam to dismantle and then rebuild part of the historic 95-year-old bridge so the vessel could pass through.

After finishing sea trials, the Koru is expected to be delivered to Bezos in February and will then join a fleet of three sailing yachts longer than 100m. It is rumoured that the vessel will cost $25 million a year in upkeep. 

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Battle of the super yachts: Jeff Bezos' Y721 versus Steve Jobs' 'Venus'

The Jeff Bezos superyacht Y721, minus masts. Credit: Boat International

Bezos' superyacht made headlines in February because it is reportedly too big to fit underneath the historic Koningshaven Bridge in Rotterdam — a structure dating back to 1879, bombed by the Nazis in World War II, and rebuilt after the war.

News that the Koningshaven Bridge must be partially disassembled for the Bezos-owned vessel to pass underneath it angered local residents. According to Dutch News.nl , the bridge was renovated in 2017 and, at the time, city officials promised that the bridge would not be disassembled again.

The Bezos yacht isn't the only ship but for a technology billionaire to catch the attention of the media, however. Here's how the vessel stacks up versus Venus , a motor yacht built for late Apple cofounder Steve Jobs.

Bezos' yacht, which is codenamed Y721, measures 127 meters in length. When the yacht launches in 2022, it will be the world's largest sailing superyacht.

The yacht built for Jobs , dubbed Venus , is smaller at 78.2 meters. During the construction of Venus , the entire project was largely shrouded in secrecy.

Construction

Y721 is made from both aluminum and steel. It's being built in the Netherland by Oceanco, a privately owned custom yacht builder. Bezos reportedly commissioned the yacht in 2018, and it was glimpsed by the public for the first time in 2021.

The yacht is a sailing ship, with three massive masts providing its moving power. It's not clear if it has a backup diesel for propulsion, but probably does for electric power. Oceanco built the ship based on some of its previous sailing yacht designs, which it claims are powerful and ecologically friendly.

Venus is constructed out of lightweight aluminum and features plenty of glass windows along its hull. The ship, designed by Philippe Starck and Jobs and built at Headship, launched in 2012 — a full year after Jobs died. That means the late Apple cofounder never had the chance to set foot on the vessel.

The Jobs family yacht, on the other hand, is a motor-powered ship. It features a pair of MTU 16V 4000 M73 Diesel engines and has a maximum speed of 22 knots.

Y721 carries a hefty price tag of 430 million euros, or about $485 million.

Venus was constructed for Jobs at a cost of 105 million euros, or about $118 million at the time. Adjusted for inflation, Venus costs about $128 million.

Y721 features a striking design with a black hull and white superstructure. Its overall design aesthetic is described as "classic," according to the boating community.

Back in 2021, information about Y721 appeared in Amazon Unbound , a book about Bezos and Amazon. According to the book, the superyacht is "one of the finest sailing yachts in existence" and features "several decks" and "three enormous masts." A secondary support boat is also being built alongside the ship.

Venus , on the other hand, sports a more high-tech aesthetic. It features a modern white design and aluminum and glass construction, as well as a variety of interesting details that you'd expect from a ship co-designed by Jobs himself.

In true Apple fashion, there are several innovative features that make Venus stand out. There's a false top deck concealing antennas and receivers, as well as extensive glass windows all around its exterior. Details about its interior design have been kept a close secret, however.

Current location

Y721 is currently being constructed at the Oceanco shipyard in Alblasserdam, the Netherlands. The city is about 20 kilometers away from Rotterdam and the only route out to sea is past the Koningshaven Bridge. Because it has yet to launch, Y721 has not been anywhere in open waters, and it's not clear why the shipbuilding firm built it in a yard that would require the bridge to be disassembled, given that the mast height and draft was known before construction.

Venus was built at the Koninklijke De Vries shipyards owned by Feadship in Aalsmeer, the Netherlands. Since it launched in 2012, it has sailed around the world and is occasionally spotted in various port cites. Because Jobs died before construction was complete, the yacht is currently owned by his widow, Laurene Powell Jobs.

40 Comments

Venus bears the typical Steve Jobs design style, it's like a USS l ittoral combat ship . I'm sure there was lots of back-and-forth arguments in which Steve asked for changes and the engineers said it was impossible. 

No feeding the poor from these guys. I’m all for having the super-duper-puper yachts but how about throwing more than a bone to the masses. For shits and grins, Bozos, er I mean Bezos could easily give a cool $500K to every man, woman, and child living below the poverty line and he’d still have deep pockets. 

They’re both hideous.

Skeptical said: No feeding the poor from these guys. I’m all for having the super-duper-puper yachts but how about throwing more than a bone to the masses. For shits and grins, Bozos, er I mean Bezos could easily give a cool $500K to every man, woman, and child living below the poverty line and he’d still have deep pockets.  Quite apart from practical and ethical considerations, your numbers don’t even come close to adding up.

Skeptical said: No feeding the poor from these guys. I’m all for having the super-duper-puper yachts but how about throwing more than a bone to the masses. For shits and grins, Bozos, er I mean Bezos could easily give a cool $500K to every man, woman, and child living below the poverty line and he’d still have deep pockets.  I agree with the sentiment but your maths might need some tweaking! Even taking the the current modest estimate of poverty, $500k per person would equate to 1,600 trillion, or 40x the money in the world.

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127m sailing yacht KORU spotted on sea trials

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By Nina Done   14 February 2023

Jeff Bezos' behemoth 127m (417ft) sailing yacht KORU , previously known as Project Y721, has been spotted on the water early this morning stretching her sea legs on her initial round of trials, designed to test her capabilities, equipment and safety features.

Although much of her build has been shrouded in secrecy, Oceanco 's newest yacht is understood to have an internal volume of 3,300 GT and will undoubtedly offer a wealth of luxurious accommodation and amenities.

While we have scant information about the yacht's interiors, pictures reveal an aft dip pool along with a further Jacuzzi on her flybridge, as well as a variety of alfresco social spaces. The sailing yacht also has a crow's nest attached to her central mast, offering lofty panoramic views for her more adventurous guests.

Built with a steel hull and aluminum superstructure with teak decking, she reportedly takes her design cues from the 93-meter Lürssen sailing yacht EOS , perhaps inspired by the entrepreneur’s visits to this yacht in previous years. 

Showcasing a midnight-blue hull with a distinctive red stripe running along her waterline, KORU’s exterior styling mirrors this traditional schooner style, with an elongated bowsprite and canoe stern. 

Support vessel ABEONA

Sailing yacht KORU will be supported by the 75m (247ft) Damen yacht ABEONA , which was delivered earlier this month.

The 1,900 GT support vessel features exterior and interior styling by the in-house design team at Damen yachting. She sports a striking gray hull contrasted with a sleek orange boot stripe, as well as the yard’s signature utilitarian profile with an open aft deck.

Boasting an impressive beam of 12 meters, yacht ABEONA is capable of carrying up to 45 people, including guests, crew and specialist staff, with ample room for storing large tenders and specialist toys, as well as a certified helipad and hangar for a D14 value helicopter.

Yacht KORU will replace Oceanco’s own sailing yacht BLACK PEARL for second place in the world's largest sailing yacht rankings behind Nobiskrug's 143m (469ft) sailing yacht A . She is on schedule to be delivered in time for the summer season.

If you'd like to learn more about chartering a yacht, please get in touch with your chosen yacht charter broker . Alternatively, view all superyachts available for charter .

Video credits: Dutch Yachting

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• Meet John Sobrato, Sobrato Organization

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Chairman, sobrato development companies and joint venture board member.

By Duffy Jennings | Published: October 2009

On a polished credenza in John A. Sobrato’s corner office in Cupertino sits a scale model of his 147-foot yacht, the only item on the eight-foot-long sideboard. The modern white craft’s long sleek lines and pointed bow make it easy to imagine the boat cruising on the high seas, destined for exotic ports, Sobrato at the helm.

But that’s not much of a stretch. John Sobrato has been the captain of his own ship for more than fifty years, ever since he began selling homes while he was an underclassman at Santa Clara University. Today he pilots a family real estate development organization now known as much for its philanthropic work in Silicon Valley as for its vast property holdings.

A charter member of Joint Venture and a longtime board member, Sobrato feels strongly about the organization’s regional education programs, and has contributed both time and dollars to the Alliance for Teaching initiative that works to develop, recognize and reward teachers in Silicon Valley.

“That’s what we really need in this valley,” he says. “Teachers are the most important asset we have, and our education system in this state is failing them and our students. Colleen Wilcox is doing a great job with that program.”

Joe Parisi, CEO of Therma and a fellow Joint Venture board member who has been Sobrato’s friend for some forty years, says Sobrato is “always fair-minded, very generous, easy to get along with and very community-oriented.”

“John is probably the most organized person I know,” Parisi says. “He is so focused on whatever he is doing. He can get more done is less time than anybody.”

Sobrato, now 70, was born in San Francisco, the only child of Ann and John M. Sobrato. His father had emigrated from Italy after working as a chef for the American army during World War II. Starting as a dishwasher, the elder Sobrato eventually saved enough to open his own place, which became renowned as John’s Rendezvous in North Beach.

“John’s Rendezvous and Bimbo’s were the two most popular places in town,” Sobrato said. “My father’s restaurant was Herb Caen’s favorite place to go. I worked there sometimes, but my father told me not to go into the restaurant business. It was so hard.”

The family moved to Atherton when John was two, but he was only twelve when his father died of cancer in 1952. With a young son to support, Ann Sobrato took English classes, sold the restaurant and went into real estate on the Peninsula.

Young John went to Bellarmine Prep then enrolled at Santa Clara as an engineering major. “But I quickly found out I wasn’t cut out for it,” he says, “and I switched to business.” That turned out to be an understatement. By his junior year, he was working three days a week selling modest homes in Palo Alto.

“I thought real estate would be interesting,” he says. “Back then, three-bedroom, one-bath homes cost around $20,000. With ten percent down, almost anyone could afford to buy a house.”

John graduated from Santa Clara in 1960, the same year he married his wife, Sue, whom he met at a wedding at the Palo Alto Elks Club. They will celebrate their golden wedding anniversary next year.

After graduating from Santa Clara, Sobrato founded Midtown Realty, specializing in the resale of popular Eichler homes, and then expanded into commercial real estate, working with his mother and partner Carl Berg. In 1974, he sold Midtown Realty to concentrate on the commercial development of properties in the rapidly emerging high technology industry.

Sobrato has been responsible for the development and construction of more than 250 office and R&D facilities totaling in excess of 15 million square feet. Today the Sobrato Development Companies owns a portfolio of properties encompassing eight million square feet and 7500 apartments in California, Oregon and Washington without institutional partners.

The portfolio includes the corporate headquarters of Apple Computer, Netflix, BEA, Siebel Systems, EMC, NVIDIA and Verisign as well as buildings housing offices for Yahoo!, the County of Santa Clara and the Palo Alto Medical Foundation.

In 1998, Sobrato created the Sobrato Family Foundation to provide philanthropic support to non-profit organizations and projects. Nearly forty-five non-profit service providers receive rent-free office space in two of Sobrato’s office parks in Milpitas and San Jose. Since 2000, the year Ann Sobrato died, the family has donated nine buildings and 124 acres of land valued at $312 million to the Silicon Valley Community Foundation.

“My mother was the one who started the family on the concept of giving back to the community,” says Sobrato. “She was a pink lady at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Menlo Park and volunteered in many other community activities.”

In 2007 the Society of Fundraising Professionals recognized the Sobrato Foundation as the Foundation of the Year from a field of 175 international foundations..

John and Sue Sobrato have three children, John Michael, Sheri and Lisa, and seven grandchildren. John Michael, a 1983 graduate of Santa Clara University, is now the CEO of the family business.

John A. Sobrato is a member of many business, education, civic and community boards and foundations, and has received numerous honors and awards for his contributions to Silicon Valley’s business and non-profit communities.

John comes to the office weekly and travels frequently up and down the Pacific Coast for business, but in spite of his busy schedule, he plays tennis three or four days a week and finds time to ski – on both water and snow.

“I love to be active,” he says, looking fit and tanned. “I had a heart attack when I was 37 and it changed my life. I lost 50 pounds, quit smoking and got in shape.”

When he’s not working, you can find him and Sue spending time with family and traveling.

“We take the boat all over the world,” he says, nodding towards the model. “I love that boat. We spend a lot of time on it, sailing everywhere.”

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