World's Largest Yacht: 525' Platinum (Dubai)

Round II

The nature of an unfeeling ruling class is of as great a concern to me here in the United States as it is to many people in the Middle East. The unbridled and patent disregard with which the Bush Administration and its supporters treat the structure of our civil society is not something I'd ever hold up as a model of enlightenment or progress.
What I said about "Platinum" I said in the Spirit of '76 (our successful rebellion against tyrannical rule of Great Britain) - hopefully for the edification of anyone listening.
For while you may not now wish to acknowledge the very existence of religious and socially-driven forces who oppose such things, let me assure you they are growing stronger - take for example the "Peninsula Lions". http://www.persiangulfonline.org/takeaction/news0205-3.htm
Without such vision, it will be up to their security & intelligence forces to forestall another Islamic revolution from taking place - witness the failure of the Shah's SAVAK to see how bad things can truly get for misinformed royalty these days.
It is not with malice that I point these facts out - but don't believe for an instant that everyone in the UAE or Brunei truly looks to the "Platinum" with a sense of nationalistic pride.
That kind of "display" is simply obscene - a pale "imitation" of the decadent lifestyle found along Caribbean and Mediterranean coastlines. Would YOU honestly take pride such rotten apery?
Don't be fooled into thinking that what goes on today will go on tommorrow.
Rather, ask yourself - where would the UAE be without a stable regime in Saudi Arabia?
What happens when Iran finishes building its arsenal of nuclear weapons?
Will the weak-kneed princes in Riyhad support the oh-so visibly corrupt emirates then?
How will the Ulama and Grand Ayatollah dispense with such clear manifestations of Western influence?
525 foot personal "yachts" are indeed impressive, only I don't think they're having the effect you suggest.

So bad feelings a big & beautiful yacht can give!
Yes, I can imagine how John & Larry might feel now with their "thinny" yachts.
I do not think that this is the right forum for political or religious discussions but I think the root for many discussions about these countries come from: " OIL" , something all the western countries are in hard need of.
Anyway," Platinum " is a awesome yacht and UAE a fascinating country.

DONT WORRY, BE HAPPY

When is it to bigg?

I supose for most mortal 160m is way to big, but owners of these super mega yachts see things differently. first they want all poss. luxury insite, second for certain its a matter of "prestige". and third and not least WHY NOT, if they can afford it.

Imagine how many jobs they create with it, building them, crew, etc. and for us yacht lovers-spotters, it's a toppic.

About "it being to bigg to enter in certain places", what do they care they have toy's to go there..... I wonder how big their biggest "dingy" will be,..... maybe 80 or 90', think of LGB who has a "toy" sailing - and a "toy" motor boat I would love to have.

What is happening????

I answered a post on the Platinium Thread and it gets on this one?????

Paul Allen owns 3 mega yachts all over 300 feet...My calculations if Bill Gates would own a boat...he could build one thats around 3 or more miles long...if I'm correct..since he has around 45 billion dollars. I suppose that when one has billions of dollars, anything is possible.

you mean 45 milliard dollars, don`t you?

If I'm correct "milliard" in Englisch = Billion

Wel if you're in the software stuf and have a product like "windows", used in the whole world, I wouldn't be surprised that on day's like Xmas it goes verry fast with those Billions

oh ok. i think Bill gates once had 50 billions and now he has about 35-45 billions.

Billions over billions

Hm.

Does it actually matter whether you have 35 or 40 or 50 billion sitting somewhere? Unless you play the game of "mine's bigger than your's" and are not planning on buying entire countries, there is nothing that you couldn't do with 35 that you can do with 50 billion, right?

In the end, money is what money does. In Germany we have a saying "your last shirt doesn't have any pockets". So, what's the use of piling up the billions? When you leave this planet, you cannot take it with you anyways.

I strongly believe that for William Gates III. money is not the important issue here. It is more about power, competitive edge and turning visions into reality (every desktop/notebook running MS products...).

Regards,
Olli

I agree. It seems to me that the too richest men in the USA (Gates, Buffett) don't enjoy their money, they are to busy trying to have the No.1 spot and trying to be all powerfull, and both, I believe can tend to be very stingy.

Hence, they have no toys.

But if your not even close to being No.1 and perhaps arn't that bothered about getting there, then you got out and buy three megayachts, your own boeing, a sea plane and maybe even a few restored WW2 planes.

Or something like that.

It cost 900 million to build the QM2, Mr Gates could easily have one of them.

I disagree...

Ben...


I have to disagree with you on your last reasoning as to why Buffet and Gates don´t "enjoy" their money...

I have a good friend who works at Microsoft relatively close to Gates and let me assure you, he does have a number of very cool, very high tech toys to play with... not to mention a number of great cars to go in his 40 car garage at his house in Seattle... I would agree, however, that it is mostly about power and vision for him..

Buffet on the other hand... I think he is just a total freak for the beauty of compounding interest.. But, i don´t even think its about the money itself for him, rather the mental challenge to beat the market itself. Apparently the reason he doesn´t give any money to charity is because he believes that he can grow it so much faster that he will be able to leave THAT much more when he dies. I´ve heard he´s giving the vast majority of his fortune to a number of charities when he passes though (like his wife just did when she gave away over 2bil with her passing)...

Sean

Could I ask him to be in he's last will.......only 0.5% of wat he has....even 0.1%....I'd be verry happy

I say one word: Maintenance

This is the second time I hear about LGB on this forum, but I still haven't managed to get any informations about this yacht on the web.

Could anyone give me some more details about this yacht ? (such as pics, link etc...)

Thanks !!!

At Webshots you can see Le Grand Bleu and pictures of many other yachts;
http://community.webshots.com/album/181024113tWnrzX

I heard that when Gates passes away, he will give his children 0.01% of his weath...which is about 10 million...I can settle for that!