Mark Zuckerberg might be the king of social media, but even he needs a break from the endless stream of notifications. LaunchPad, the Facebook founder’s latest indulgence — a staggering 387-foot superyacht is rumored to have cost a cool $300 million.
For a guy who’s made billions controlling the flow of information, it’s a bit ironic that he’s using LaunchPad to dodge the public eye. But hey, when you’re worth over $100 billion, I suppose a little irony is part of the package.
LaunchPad: A 387-Foot Feat Of Engineering
At 387 feet long, LaunchPad is an absolute giant, even among superyachts. Built by the iconic Dutch shipbuilder Feadship, it’s the second-largest yacht they’ve ever produced. The naval architecture was handled by De Voogt Naval Architects, a name that’s synonymous with precision and luxury on the high seas.
The sleek, modern exterior was designed by Espen Øino International, while the interior was crafted by Zuretti Interior Design. Although, true to Zuckerberg’s secretive style, very few details about the yacht’s interior have been made public.
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What we do know, however, is that LaunchPad can host up to 24 guests in equally luxurious staterooms. With a sizable crew onboard, every inch of this yacht is dedicated to ensuring comfort, privacy, and exclusivity.
But LaunchPad isn’t just about lounging around in luxury. It’s equipped with four MTU engines, each producing 5,846 horsepower. That’s a jaw-dropping total of 23,384 horsepower, allowing the yacht to hit speeds of up to 24 knots (27.6 mph).
Meet Wingman: LaunchPad’s Trusty Sidekick
Wingman is the 220-foot support vessel that accompanies the megayacht wherever it goes. Built by Damen in 2014, Wingman is valued at $30 million and was recently refitted in 2020 to the tune of $5 million. This vessel is loaded with everything Zuckerberg could need for an epic adventure.
Wingman is equipped with a helipad, a fully functional dive center complete with a decompression chamber, and enough deck space to store all sorts of toys. Think Triton submarines, personal watercraft, luxury tenders – you name it.
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Powered by four diesel MTU engines, Wingman can hit speeds of up to 21 knots and has an impressive cruising range of 8,700 nautical miles at 13.5 knots. Essentially, it’s a floating Swiss Army knife, ready for any adventure Zuckerberg dreams up, whether it’s exploring the deep sea or zipping between islands in complete anonymity.
Mark Zuckerberg Goes “Incognito” On The Water
Now, here’s where things get interesting. For a man who’s constantly under fire for how Facebook handles personal data, Zuckerberg seems to have mastered the art of disappearing when it suits him.
Recently, LaunchPad and its companion vessel, Wingman, turned off their AIS (Automatic Identification System) transponders, effectively making the yachts invisible to tracking systems. This is called “going dark” in maritime terms, and while it’s completely legal, it does raise a few eyebrows given Zuckerberg’s business dealings.
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Think about it: the guy whose platform tracks everything from your likes to your location is now cruising the Caribbean in stealth mode. It’s like he built his own version of Facebook’s “incognito mode” for the real world.
Maybe this is Zuckerberg’s ultimate form of irony. A man who profits off data privacy issues going to extreme lengths to shield his own whereabouts. One could even joke that LaunchPad is equipped with a Star Trek-style cloaking device, or perhaps Zuckerberg’s very own Section 230 CDA shield for yachts.
