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Rising Sun yacht: The luxurious world of Larry Ellison and David Geffen’s nautical retreat

Rising Sun is a notable super yacht known for its size and high-profile owners. Here are some key details about the Rising Sun yacht.

Brief Overview

Rising Sun was originally built for American business magnate Larry Ellison , the co-founder of Oracle Corporation. However, Ellison later sold a significant portion of the yacht to music and film producer David Geffen. Today it is co-owned by Larry Ellison and David Geffen.

Rising Sun is approximately 454 feet (138 meters) in length, making it one of the largest yachts in the world at the time. Its impressive size allows for a wide range of amenities and luxuries.

Design and Features

The yacht boasts a stunning exterior design and a luxurious interior. It’s equipped with multiple decks, a swimming pool, a basketball court that can be converted into a helipad, and a variety of dining and entertainment spaces. The interior features opulent staterooms and lounges.

Cruising Range

Rising Sun is powered by powerful engines, which give it a a top speed of around 28 knots (about 32 mph or 52 km/h). This allows the yacht to cover vast distances on the open sea.

Part 1: Ownership of Rising Sun

Who are the notable owners of the rising sun yacht.

The Rising Sun yacht is co-owned by two prominent figures in the world of business and entertainment: Larry Ellison and David Geffen.

Who is Larry Ellison?

Larry Ellison is a renowned American entrepreneur and the co-founder of Oracle Corporation, one of the world’s leading software and cloud computing companies. With his immense success in the tech industry, Ellison has amassed substantial wealth and has used some of it to indulge in a life of luxury, including the ownership of Rising Sun.

Who is David Geffen?

David Geffen is a prominent figure in the entertainment industry. He is a music and film producer, co-founder of Asylum Records, and a co-founder of DreamWorks SKG. Geffen is known for his influence in the world of entertainment and, like Ellison, enjoys the opulent lifestyle provided by the Rising Sun yacht.

Part 2: Size, Design, and Features

How large is the rising sun yacht.

Rising Sun is a colossal super yacht, measuring approximately 454 feet (138 meters) in length. Its vast dimensions are a testament to its opulence and the array of amenities it offers.

What are the design and features of Rising Sun?

Rising Sun is an architectural marvel, featuring a stunning exterior design and an interior that exudes luxury. Onboard, guests can enjoy multiple decks, a lavish swimming pool, a basketball court that converts into a helipad, and a variety of dining and entertainment spaces. The interior is adorned with opulent staterooms and lounges, making it a floating palace on the seas.

Part 3: Cruising Range of Rising Sun

What is the cruising range of the rising sun yacht.

Thanks to its powerful engines, Rising Sun has an impressive cruising speed of approximately 28 knots, which translates to about 32 miles per hour (52 kilometers per hour). This remarkable speed allows the yacht to cover vast distances during its journeys across the ocean, providing its passengers with access to a wide range of destinations.

Part 4: Notable Guests of Rising Sun

Who are some of the notable guests who have been aboard rising sun.

Rising Sun has been a favored choice for hosting celebrities and high-profile events. Some of the notable guests who have had the privilege of experiencing the yacht’s luxury include:

• Oprah Winfrey : The iconic talk show host and media mogul has been spotted aboard Rising Sun, enjoying the yacht’s lavish amenities.
• Steven Spielberg : The renowned filmmaker and director has also graced the decks of Rising Sun, adding a touch of Hollywood glamour to its guest list.
• Tom Hanks : The beloved actor Tom Hanks has enjoyed the yacht’s hospitality during his time on the open seas.
• Bruce Springsteen : The rock legend Bruce Springsteen is another famous personality who has been a guest aboard Rising Sun, making his voyages truly unforgettable.

What makes Rising Sun a preferred choice for such guests?

Rising Sun’s opulent interior, world-class amenities, and exceptional service make it a sought-after destination for celebrities and high-profile individuals. Its spacious decks and luxurious accommodations provide the perfect backdrop for relaxation and entertainment, ensuring that every voyage is a memorable experience for its guests.

In conclusion, the Rising Sun yacht, co-owned by Larry Ellison and David Geffen, represents the epitome of luxury on the high seas. With its impressive size, breathtaking design, remarkable cruising range, and a list of notable guests that includes some of the biggest names in entertainment and business, it continues to be a symbol of opulence and indulgence in the world of super yachts. Whether you’re interested in its ownership, design, or the celebrities who have graced its decks, the Rising Sun yacht is a true icon of maritime luxury.

Technical specifications and additional details about the Rising Sun yacht

Length: Approximately 454 feet (138 meters)

Rising Sun has a steel hull and aluminum superstructure with a beam of 18.5m (60.70ft) and a 5m (16.40ft) draft.

Estimated to be around 7,500 tons

Cruising Speed: Approximately 28 knots (32 mph or 52 km/h)

Maximum Speed: Around 30 knots (34.5 mph or 55.5 km/h)

Crew Members

The Rising Sun yacht typically employs a large crew to ensure top-notch service and maintenance. The exact number can vary but may range from around 45 to 55 crew members, including officers, chefs, stewards, and technical staff.

Positions of Crew Members

The crew members on Rising Sun are organized into various departments, including deck, engineering, interior, and more. Specific positions can include captain, first officer, stewardesses, engineers, deckhands, and chefs, among others.

Number of Rooms

Rising Sun boasts an impressive number of rooms and accommodations, including numerous staterooms and suites for guests. While the exact count can vary, it typically offers accommodations for around 16 to 18 guests.

Other Amenities

Rising Sun offers a wide range of luxurious amenities, including:

• Multiple dining areas for formal and casual dining experiences.
• A stunning swimming pool with jacuzzi features on the deck.
• A basketball court that can be converted into a helipad.
• A dedicated cinema room for entertainment.
• An on-deck bar for social gatherings.
• A gymnasium and spa facilities for guests to relax and stay active during their voyage.
• A high-quality audio-visual entertainment system throughout the yacht.
• A library and study area for quiet moments.

Support Vehicles

Super yachts like Rising Sun often come equipped with support vessels, such as smaller boats and jet skis, for various recreational activities and transportation to and from shore.

Additional Information

• Rising Sun is equipped with state-of-the-art navigation and communication systems to ensure safety and efficient travel.
• The yacht’s interior is designed with opulent materials, including marble and rare woods, adding to its luxurious atmosphere.
• It has a range of environmental and sustainability features, including advanced waste management and energy-efficient systems.

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MUSASHI Yacht – Stellar $160M Superyacht

MUSASHI yacht is a $160 million superyacht.

MUSASHI Yacht

The MUSASHI yacht was built by Feadship, founded in 1949 with headquarters in The Netherlands. Feadship is not new to the game of building superyachts for the wealthy.

They have also been the engineers for superyachts, such as Bernard Arnault’s Symphony Yacht, Arrow superyacht (with a value of over $120 Million), and the well-known 94-meter Viva superyacht.

It is safe to say that the MUSASHI yacht, showed its brilliance and excellence in engineering luxury superyachts.

The $160,000,000 superyacht interior was designed by Sinot Exclusive Yacht Design, a company responsible for creating beautiful and unique interiors for superyachts across the globe.

It is worth noting that Sinot Exclusive Yacht Design is also responsible for developing the interiors of the Feadship F45  Harle .

Being a luxury superyacht designed for the super-wealthy, she does not lack outstanding amenities.

The MUSASHI yacht is equipped with a beauty room, swimming pool, indoor and outdoor gyms, a movie room, and even an elevator.

MUSASHI is fitted with air-conditioning throughout the yacht and integrated with stabilizers to keep the superyacht steady and safe for the guests.

With an incredible amount of workspace to work with and a team of highly respected interior designers working on the yacht, it’s safe to say that she can hold parties and provide people with a great experience while traveling on the high seas. 

The MUSASHI yacht can accommodate up to 18-20 guests and 24 crew members to attain the ship and guests’ needs.

With an approximate value of $160 Million, it is estimated that the annual running cost ranges between $10-$20 Million on top of maintenance and docking fees.

MUSASHI is an incredible behemoth of a yacht. With enough space and room to adventure almost endlessly, she has comfortable air-conditioned rooms for her guests and crew.

With luxuries such as a movie theatre, MUSASHI serves as a secondary floating home on the crystal blue waters of France.

MUSASHI Specifications

MUSASHI measures a length of  87.8m (288 ft) and her incredible hull was built using steel along with aluminum.

Powered by four very powerful propellers and its power coming from two 5,766hp MTU 20V4000 M93L diesel engines MUSASHI can reach a max speed of 21 knots with a cruising speed of 15 knots.

She has ample storage space for fuel with a  335,000 L fuel tank allowing her to travel up to 11 000 kilometers. She has an impressive weight of over 2463 tonnes. 

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Larry Ellison’s Yacht Musashi: Everything You Want To Know

American billionaire Larry Ellison was the co-founder of Oracle Corporation and is believed to have a net worth of nearly $114 billion. Ellison is no stranger to the yachting world and used to co-own a yacht with David Geffen for many years. There was a rumor he sold his stake to Geffen because he thought their 453 foot yacht the Rising Sun was just too big for him. That was back in 2010. Since that time, Ellison has gone on to purchase his own yacht

Design and Features of Larry Ellison’s Yacht

Ellison’s yacht is known as Musashi. It was built in 2011, just after he sold his previous yacht to David Geffen. It was built by the company Feadship with an exterior design by De Voogt naval architects and interior handled by Sinot Yacht Design.

The vessel has a steel hull and an aluminum superstructure. The decks are teak. The superyacht features at-anchor stabilizers to increase comfort. The on board water tanks store around 88,000 liters of fresh water.

What’s with Larry Ellison and Miyamoto Musashi?

Other yachts that Ellison has owned included the Ronin and the Katana. All four of these yachts have a noticeable theme in common and that is Japan with a strong leaning towards samurai culture. 

While Rising Sun is a reference to Japan itself, often called the Land of the Rising Sun, the other names are more samurai inspired. Ronin is the name of a masterless samurai while a katana is a type of sword that is often associated with the warriors. As for Musashi, that comes from a famous samurai warrior and Japanese swordsman named Miyamoto Musashi. It was said Musashi was a master swordsman and was undefeated in over 60 duels. 

This appreciation for Japanese culture also inspired some of the design elements of the yacht seen in the Sinot yacht architecture. That includes things like an overall minimalistic Japanese style, clean lines along the exterior to the materials and art found within which either reflect Japanese style or design esthetics.  One of the most notable pieces is a Hiroshi Senju painting.

Interior of Larry Ellison’s Yacht

The Musashi superyacht has been designed to accommodate up to 18 guests at a time, in addition to the crew who run the ship. That includes 10 guest suites, two of which are VIP cabins. Among the many features available for guests you can find

• a movie theater
• a swimming pool
• basketball court
• volleyball court
• beach and water toys

The 5 deck yacht can be accessed easily thanks to an elevator to take you where you need to go. Failing that, there’s a stainless steel and glass staircase that can take you through the structure. The design is a little unusual and where a tender garage would normally be kept on the lower decks is the gym and spa and then crew quarters as well as access to the inner workings of the ship are down below.

The Musashi also features a basketball court on board as well that can be converted for playing other sports like football and volleyball as a crane that can launch racing boats.

There is a tender garage, of course, but it’s located on the main deck as part of the giant beach club. You can also find a cinema on the main deck that converts to a lounge and then most of the guest cabins are on this level as well.

Heading to the upper deck, half of this entire space is reserved for the largest of the VIP suites. 

How Much Did Musashi Cost?

According to various reports, Musashi cost Ellison about $160 million. That doesn’t put it in the running to be the most expensive yacht in the world by any means, but it’s definitely an expensive superyacht.

The annual expense for running the yacht which includes everything from taxes and licenses, salary for the crew and fuel expenses is believed to run between $10 million and $20 million per year. That may seem like a lot but it’s pretty standard for a yacht of this size. This is part of the reason why many billionaire yacht owners will put their yacht up for charter during times when they are not using it. It’s much easier to cut those expenses when other people are paying them. 

That said, Ellison has not opted to make his yacht available for charter. At least not yet, anyway.

Speed and Propulsion

Musashi is powered by twin 5,766hp MTU 20V4000 M93L diesel engines.

• The yacht has a fuel capacity of 335,000 L (88,000 US gal).
• That means that Musashi has a maximum range of 6,000 nmi (11,000 km) at 12 knots (22 km/h).
• Cruising speed is 18 knots and a top speed of 21 knots.

The crew of the Musashi numbers around 24 and there are 10 crew cabins on board. This includes the crew needed to actually operate the vessel as well as additional crew members such as a chef and others who are able to see to the needs of the passengers for whatever they might require.

Musashi is a large yacht, though far from the largest yacht in the world.   It measures 288 feet in length, and has a beam of 45.6 feet. The draft is 13.5 feet and the gross tonnage of the megayacht is 2,463 tons. 

How Does The Musashi Yacht Compare to Other Luxury Yachts?

One of the most obvious comparisons you can make is between this luxury superyacht and Ellison’s previous yacht the Rising Sun , owned by David Geffen. The Rising Sun is 453 feet which is 165 feet longer than Musashi. The Rising Sun was also said to have a cost of around $200 million compared to the $160 million of Musashi. 

While $160 million is nothing to sneeze at, the current reigning title for most expensive yacht seems to belong to the Eclipse, owned by Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich which, after the initial purchase and various retrofits and upgrades, is said to have cost him $1.5 billion.

In terms of size, Musashi also falls short of the largest yacht in the world which is the massive Azzam. It measures in at 180 meters which is nearly 600 feet in length.

The Bottom Line

Larry Ellison was the founder of Oracle and is one of the top ten richest people in the world. He spent $160 million on his yacht Musashi, named after a historical samurai. Musashi measures in at 288 feet in length and can handle up to 18 guests on board. The yacht features a pool, spa, gym and other amenities and is very much inspired by Japanese design elements. 

My grandfather first took me fishing when I was too young to actually hold up a rod on my own. As an avid camper, hiker, and nature enthusiast I'm always looking for a new adventure.

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Iconic yachts: Inside the design journey of the 138m Lürssen superyacht Rising Sun

Rising Sun was the last yacht that ever came from designer Jon Bannenberg’s drawing board (literally, as the office was then an almost CAD-free zone), and one that he was destined never to see completed.

To a degree, Rising Sun represented a back-to-basics approach and a final opportunity to work with Lürssen’s lean destroyer-type hull, which had been the platform 30 years earlier for Carinthia V and Carinthia VI (now named The One ). The similarities ended there. Rising Sun experimented with extensive use of structural glass for a clean and stripped-down profile that involved Lürssen and its sub-contractors working on engineering and systems.

Jon Bannenberg’s appointment to design Rising Sun came out of the blue after Larry Ellison had commissioned a number of studies from different designers. None seemed to have the impact that he wanted until Jon Bannenberg unveiled his initial study model one morning in London over a couple of lattes. Things moved quickly after that, and they reached an agreement in two emails without even a hint of a lawyer being involved. LE120 became the project’s codename but it did not need Enigma codebreaking skills among the yachting community to work out the vessel’s length and who had commissioned her.

Jon Bannenberg worked on many study models in the early months, including a colossal version that was shipped to Lürssen and used for an initial presentation meeting with the principal sub-contractors. The basic form did not change much from his first drawing. Among the spectacular concepts was a suspended, tube-like walkway through the main machinery spaces for visitors to see exactly what drove her at speeds of 30 knots, and an exposed Z frame structure separating the tender launching areas. This was monumental in scale but sculptural and simple to fabricate.

The exposure of structure was one of the overarching themes of his Rising Sun design – no more clearly apparent than in the web frames of the superstructure, into which the full-height glass panels were set. The initial intent was to have these in raw finished aluminium, but this subsequently got ‘value engineered’ into a metallic paint finish.

His general arrangement layouts of Rising Sun gave spacious guest cabins direct access to the exterior side decks, protected from the weather by 45-degree indents in the superstructure. There was so much space to play with that the top deck was given over entirely to owner use, while a double-height cinema was embedded like the stone of an avocado, with the corridor arcing gently around it. And, of course, a basketball court was obligatory.

All in all, Jon Bannenberg’s original concept for Rising Sun survived relatively intact after his death. The yacht divided opinion, like many of his designs, and her sheer scale – eventually growing to 138 metres – made even Larry Ellison pause for thought. But she is certainly a Bannenberg original, and somehow neatly completed the circle that started with Carinthia V and Lürssen some 30 years earlier.

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A Closer Look at the $200 Million Rising Sun Superyacht

There are a few different categories of yachts in the world. As a yacht enthusiast you might hear a few different terms being thrown around in the descriptions, such as Super yacht up to 100 feet in length or Mega yacht up to 300 feet. These are the larger water craft and there is even a giga yacht which are those that are over 300 feet in length. With this in mind, the Rising Sun, which is often referred to as a Super yacht far exceeds the parameters set for the classification, so if we’re going to be particular about the classification, we’d call it a Giga yacht. However it’s categorized, the Rising Sun is one of the most amazing private yachts afloat and we’re going to take a closer look at the features which make this multi-million dollar ship so special.

Rising Sun Yacht built by Lurssen: A Celebrity Choice

This yacht has hosted some of the most celebrated personalities in the film and record industry as well as the political arena. Barack and Michelle Obama were seen vacationing on the Rising Sun in 2017, and it’s also hosted Hollywood stars including Oprah Winfrey , Julia Roberts , Leonardo DeCaprio, Tom Hanks and others. The co-founder of Dreamworks, film producer and record executive David Geffen is the owner of the Rising Sun, which ranks as the 9th largest yacht in the world, currently. Depending on which source you consult, the cost to build this giant is estimated to be $200 million and some have it as high as $400 million but we believe that the base cost was the latter and the extra figures come from upgrades .

The history of the Rising Sun

The Rising Sun is the commissioned craft of its first owner Larry Ellison, who partnered with David Geffen and is the current CEO of the Oracle Corporation. He ordered the building of the ship from the German shipbuilding company Lürssen . The Rising Sun is the design of Jon Bannenberg, who has since passed away. The ship was delivered to Mr. Ellison in 2004, who shared ownership with David Geffen until 2010, when he decided that it was too large, so he sold his share to Geffen, who is now the sole owner of the yacht and Ellison bought a smaller yacht.

Specifications and details

The Rising Sun yacht is constructed of a strong aluminum superstructure with a displacement steel hull and teak decks, in accordance with Germanischer Lloyd classification society rules. The ship requires 4 MTU 12,061 horsepower diesel engines to propel it though the water. The average cruising speed is 26 knots and the top speed of the ship is 30 knots. To make the yacht more comfortable and safe in rough waters, it is fitted with zero speed stabilizers for times when she is at anchor. The Rising Sun measures 453.97 ft in length with a 62.34 ft beam, a draft of 16.08 ft and gross tonnage of 7841 tons. The exterior was designed by Bannenberg & Rowel and the interior by Seccombe Design. It was built by Lurssen and refit in 2004 and 2011. At the time of the sale it was the 6th largest yacht in the world, but other new superyachts have displaced it to the 9th position.

Luxury amenities

It takes a crew of 45 to maintain and operate this massive vessel and they are housed in 30 cabins. The guests are housed in 8 cabins which can accommodate between 16 and 18 guests comfortably. The yacht has been designed with more than 8,000m² of living space, allowing for larger gathering areas as well as plenty of places to find privacy from the crowd of guests. There are a total of five decks with 82 rooms aboard the yacht. Some of the luxury amenities include a spa and gym so guests don’t need to miss out on their daily workout routines. The Rising Sun is also quipped with a lift/elevator to take guests between the five decks. For practicality so guests/owners can come and go from any location, there is also a helipad on board. For fun in the sun there is a swimming pool as well as underwater lights for excellent illumination, and a sauna for relaxation. The ship also features air conditioning throughout the 82 rooms so guests can achieve the optimal room temperatures, even on hot days at sea, and there is also a Tender Garage, as well as a Cinema large enough to accommodate all guests for entertainment.

Final thoughts

The Rising Sun has only had two owners since it was built in 2004. Co-owners Larry Ellison and David Geffen shared it for a period of time, then Ellison sold his share to Geffen who is now the sole owner. The yacht was once the sixth largest yacht in the world, but is still considered a wonder coming in at ninth place. It’s packed to the hilt with luxury amenities and there is plenty of space aboard with five decks and 82 rooms. The ship which cost $200 million to build is now valued somewhere between $3 and $4 million, and it has only increased in value with the passage of time and no doubt numerous upgrades to suit the preferences of the owner. It’s served as the vessel that provides a source of recreation for some of the most famous people in the world including some of our most beloved Hollywood stars and even a former president and first lady. The Rising Sun is truly one of the most magnificent yachts that has ever been created, and those who are fortunate enough to be invited on board are in for a top notch luxury experience.

Dana has extensive professional writing experience including technical and report writing, informational articles, persuasive articles, contrast and comparison, grant applications, and advertisement. She also enjoys creative writing, content writing on nearly any topic (particularly business and lifestyle), because as a lifelong learner, she loves to do research and possess a high skill level in this area. Her academic degrees include AA social Sci/BA English/MEd Adult Ed & Community & Human Resource Development and ABD in PhD studies in Indust & Org Psychology.

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Oracle billionaire Larry Ellison has installed an extremely rare Steinway piano on his $490 million Rising Sun superyacht. The 1,300-pound grand piano is kept in a special room at a specific temperature that has air conditioning running constantly.

It would be naive to state that only size makes a superyacht . Though technically correct, ‘superyacht’ is a title best suited to luxury vessels with heavy doses of just that—luxury. This extravagant quality is what immortalizes yachts; it’s what gets enthusiasts talking and billionaires beaming with pride. One such talking point was the gigantic Steinway piano spotted on the 453 ft. megayacht of Oracle billionaire Larry Ellison. Even Alisher Usmanov’s mammoth Dibar megayacht featured one such piano, but it wasn’t the largest ever installed on a pleasure craft. This $590 million Lürssen beauty was outfitted with what is dubbed a Concert Grand piano, the largest Steinway model, in the main salon. The grand piano costs nothing less than $220,000 and isn’t exactly something one would find on a yacht. However, the Silicon Valley tycoon had his heart set on it.

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Billionaire Larry Ellison, among world’s richest people, has bought a Florida resort

Ellison is said to have paid millions for the oceanfront resort. the oracle software mogul also bought the biggest residential estate in manalapan and owns most of a hawaiian island, his primary home..

Billionaire Larry Ellison, who in April 2024 was ranked by Forbes as the world’s fifth richest person, a few months later paid at least $277.34 million for the Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa in Manalapan, the wealthy Florida town south of Palm Beach , according to the deed recorded Aug. 13 and statement released by the resort.

The price Ellison paid for the oceanfront hotel was undisclosed when the resort announced the sale on Aug. 8.

Ellison, who co-founded software mammoth Oracle, was already familiar with Manalapan. In June 2022, he dropped $173 million of his fortune to buy an ocean-to-lake compound in the same town. That transaction was the largest residential sale ever in Florida. 

So who is Larry Ellison? Here’s a quick look at the billionaire.

How rich is Larry Ellison?

On Aug. 8, 2024, the day the Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa announced the sale to Ellison, Forbes estimated the 79-year-old’s net worth at $159.7 billion.  The next day, Forbes' real-time ranking increased his wealth to $162.9 billion.

How did Larry Ellison get his fortune?

Ellison co-founded Oracle Corp. with two partners in Santa Clara, California, in 1977. Today, the software powerhouse bills itself as the world’s largest database-management company. Ellison spent 37 years as CEO and still holds the titles of chairman and chief technology officer at the company. His ownership stake in the company is reportedly 42 percent.

In April 2024, Ellison announced he was moving Oracle’s headquarters from Austin, Texas, to Nashville, Tennessee.

In a June 2024 earnings call, one of Ellison's focuses was Oracle’s construction of data centers to accommodate the increasing demand for generative artificial intelligence. “We are literally building the smallest, most portable, most affordable cloud data centers all the way up to 200-megawatt data centers, ideal for training very large language models and keeping them up-to-date,” Ellison said during the call.

What about Larry Ellison’s Tesla ties?

Among Ellison’s most well-publicized stock purchases, he invested heavily in his billionaire friend Elon Musk’s Tesla and joined the company’s board in 2018. Ellison stepped off the board in August 2022 but still owns about 15 million shares in the electric carmaker, according to Forbes.

Did Larry Ellison go to college?

Yes, but he didn’t graduate. He dropped out of the University of Chicago and the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, according to Bloomberg and other published reports.

Where’s Larry Ellison from and where does he live? 

A native New Yorker from The Bronx, Ellison has lived in the Chicago area and California. But he has said his primary home is on the island of Lanai in Hawaii . He reportedly paid $300 million for almost all of that island 10 years ago. He has also bought homes in Newport, Rhode Island; and California. He has been divorced four times.

What about Larry Ellison’s property in Palm Beach County, Florida? 

Ellison's ownership entity bought his Manalapan estate — and part of nearby Bird Island in the Intracoastal Waterway — in June 2022 from a trust controlled by a fellow software billionaire, Jim Clark. In all, the estate and its island measure more than 22 acres. 

The property straddles both sides of South Ocean Boulevard, with a tunnel beneath the roadway connecting the larger oceanfront parcel with the one that fronts the Intracoastal Waterway.

The residential purchase in Manalapan followed another one in Palm Beach County. In April 2021, a company linked to Ellison is paid a recorded $80 million for an oceanfront estate on 6½ acres in the Seminole Landing community  near North Palm Beach. That estate is about 27 miles away from the property Manalapan estate.

What are Larry Ellison’s plans for the resort hotel he bought in Florida?

Ellison plans to make improvements to the Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa, according to the August 2024 statement announcing his purchase . But the statement did not provide any specifics.

One of several hospitality properties in Ellison's real estate portfolio, the 8-acre Palm resort and hotel at 100 S. Ocean Blvd. features seaside swimming pools, a 42,000-square-foot spa, 32,000 square feet of meeting space and several restaurants. Eau Palm Beach has consistently earned high ratings from travel magazines and hospitality organizations.

Ellison bought the Mediterranean-style, 300-plus room resort from the London-based Lewis Trust Group, which had owned the property since 2003. When the Lewis family bought the resort, it was a Ritz Carlton branded property but that relationship ended in 2013.

In addition to co-founding Oracle, Ellison has been involved in a variety of luxury hospitality ventures. His portfolio includes the Four Seasons Resort Lanai, Sensei Lanai, Nobu Ryokan Malibu, Nobu Hotel Palo Alto, the Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe, and Sensei Porcupine Creek. 

More: Billionaire Larry Ellison buys Florida resort. Here's a look at his other hotels

What about Larry Ellison’s politics?

On May 20, 2022, The Washington Post and other outlets reported that Ellison, who has supported conservative Republican causes, took part in a call on Nov. 14, 2020, with Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and others “that focused on strategies for contesting the legitimacy of the vote” in the Nov. 3, 2020, presidential elections won by President Joe Biden against former President Donald Trump. The Post cited court documents and “a participant” as sources. The call, the Post reported, is “the first known example of a technology industry titan joining powerful figures in conservative politics, media and law to strategize about Trump’s post-loss options.” Others on the call included Fox News host Sean Hannity, Trump attorney Jay Sekulow and attorney James Bopp Jr., who represented True the Vote, a nonprofit group that that has “promoted disputed claims of widespread voter fraud,” according to the Post. Ellison and Oracle did not respond to the Post for a request for comment, the Post reported at the time.

But as of mid-April 2024, Ellison had not made single donation to Trump's 2024 campaign, CNBC reported.

What does Larry Ellison like to do in his spare time?

He races sailboats, flies planes, and plays tennis and guitar, according to a brief biographical sketch on the Oracle website. He also has owned number of yachts, including Musashi, a 2011 Feadship superyacht measuring 288 feet in length and accommodating 18 passengers. 

What are Larry Ellison's charitable efforts?

Among his philanthropic initiatives, he gave $200 million to fund cancer-treatment research at the University of Southern California in 2016. The Lawrence J. Ellison Institute for Transformative Medicine in Los Angles is named for him.

This story was updated from a previous version.

Darrell Hofheinz is a USA TODAY Network of Florida journalist who writes about Palm Beach real estate in his weekly “Beyond the Hedges” column. He welcomes tips about real estate news on the island. Email [email protected], call 561-820-3831 or tweet @PBDN_Hofheinz. Subscribe today to support our journalism.

The largest yachts owned by tech billionaires, from Mark Zuckerberg to Jeff Bezos

• Megayachts have become a status symbol for the richest of the rich.
• In recent years, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg have splurged on enormous boats.
• These are the biggest yachts owned by tech billionaires.

The average Joe celebrating a personal renaissance after, say, the end of a long-term relationship or when approaching a fresh decade might commemorate it with an ankle tattoo or a sports car. But if you're a billionaire, you may instead spend hundreds of millions on a yacht .

A few years after he and his wife divorced, Jeff Bezos shelled out on a megayacht. Last year, Bezos debuted the 127-meter vessel "Koru," a Māori symbol that signifies a fresh start — perhaps referring to that with his fiancée Lauren Sanchez.

Earlier this year, just before his 40th birthday, Mark Zuckerberg became the rumored owner of a yacht originally built for a Russian oligarch.

Superyachts have increasingly become ultrawealthy status symbols , providing highly secluded leisure and networking sites. They are — even more so than real estate — the single most expensive asset you can own.

"It's a bit of a celebration of your success in life, of wealth," Giovanna Vitelli, the chair of the Azimut Benetti Group, the world's biggest producer of superyachts, told Business Insider.

While many tech billionaires have bought yachts, the richest of the rich, like Bezos, Zuckerberg, and Oracle cofounder Larry Ellison, have gone bigger. Their boats are virtual palaces at sea, decked with amenities like gyms, spas, pools, nightclubs, and movie theaters.

A look at these megayachts — broadly defined as over 70 meters long, mostly custom-built, and often costing nine figures — offers a glimpse into how the .00001% lives. It's something few others will ever get to experience. Even chartering a yacht of this size for a week typically costs upwards of $1 million.

One major thing that hundreds of millions of dollars can buy is privacy. There are likely yachts that have not been publicly recorded or registered — for example, Evan Spiegel is rumored to own the 94-meter megayacht Bliss. In an industry ruled by discretion , deciphering who owns what is typically an exercise in stringing together many clues.

Here are the largest yachts owned by tech billionaires, listed in order of length.

Jeff Bezos: Koru and Abeona

Amazon founder Bezos' $500 million megayacht, the 127-meter Koru, made a splash last year as she crisscrossed the Mediterranean in her first summer at sea, with her 75-meter support vessel Abeona in tow.

The sailing yacht, which is hard to miss thanks to her massive size and unique design, was host to Bezos and his fiancée Lauren Sanchez's famous friends . The couple held an engagement party on board, which reportedly drew guests including Bill Gates, Ari Emanuel, and Leonardo DiCaprio. Just a week later, they were seen on the streets of Dubrovnik, Croatia, with Orlando Bloom, Katy Perry, and Usher.

Even before her completion, Koru made headlines. She drew the ire of some Dutch people, who vowed to hurl eggs after she was announced a historic bridge in Rotterdam might be taken apart to allow the Oceanco boat through. Luckily, the shipyard made alternative plans, and an egg crisis was averted.

Among yacht world insiders , Koru is widely praised for her craftsmanship.

"I heard back in 2018 or something that somebody had ordered a classic sailing yacht," one superyacht expert told BI. "You order 125 meters, that's not really going to be classic. But it is. I think it's pretty cool."

Mark Zuckerberg: Launchpad

Earlier this year, the yacht world was rife with rumors that Zuckerberg purchased Launchpad, a 118-meter superyacht originally designed for a sanctioned Russian businessman.

The ship made her maiden voyage in March, going from Gibraltar to St. Maarten and mooring in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Little is known about her interior, but photos show a large swimming pool and helipad. Her price, too, has been kept under wraps but is said to be nine figures.

Eric Schmidt: Whisper

Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt made waves last year when he agreed to buy the Alfa Nero , the yacht of a sanctioned Russian oligarch, for $67 million in an auction conducted by Antigua and Barbuda. But he backed out of the deal following legal issues over her true owner. He quietly purchased Kismet instead. The 95-meter-long Lürssen-built boat was formerly owned by the Jacksonville Jaguar's billionaire owner Shahid Khan . Schmidt renamed her Whisper.

The ship can fit 12 guests and a crew of 28, according to Moran Yacht & Ship, which oversaw her construction. She features a master deck with a private jacuzzi, full-service spa, lap pool, movie theater, and outdoor fireplace.

While her final sale price was not public, she was listed for 149 million euros (about $161 million at current exchange rates), and at a charity auction in January, one week aboard the ship went for $2.4 million, according to industry outlet Yacht Charter Fleet.

Barry Diller: Eos

Barry Diller , the chairman of digital media company IAC, co-owns the megayacht Eos with his wife, fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg , who is immortalized by a figurehead sculpture by Anh Duong.

One of the largest private sailing yachts in the world, the three-masted Lürssen schooner measures 93 meters long. She took three years to be built before being delivered to Diller in 2009, and since then, little has come to light about her interior and features.

The power couple has hosted many celebrities on the Eos, which spends her summers crisscrossing the Mediterranean and New Year ' s Eve in St. Barts . Over the years, guests have included Oprah Winfrey, Emma Thompson, Anderson Cooper, and Bezos, leading some to believe she provided inspiration for his Koru.

Jim Clark: Athena

Netscape founder Jim Clark purchased the 90-meter sailing yacht Athena in 2004.

"I could easily have built a 50- or 60-meter motor yacht that would have had the same space as Athena, but I was never really interested in building a motor yacht," he told Boat International in 2016. "To my eye, she's one of the most gorgeous large sailing yachts, maybe the most gorgeous large sailing yacht in the world."

Athena has room for 10 guests and 21 crewmembers, and the only change Clark says he'd make in her design is adding more space for his kids.

"If I was forced to change something, I would convert the office on the lower deck into a children's room," he said.

The former Stanford professor tried to sell her at various points — listing her for $95 million in 2012 , $69 million in 2016, and $59 million in 2017 — but she has yet to change hands.

Larry Ellison: Musashi

Oracle founder Larry Ellison has owned several superyachts over the years, including the Katana, the Ronin, and the Rising Sun — which he sold to fellow billionaire David Geffen .

He purchased his current boat, Musashi, in 2011 for a reported $160 million from custom-yacht giant Feadship.

Named after a famous samurai warrior, the 88-meter-long yacht has both Japanese and Art Deco-inspired design elements. She also boasts amenities including an elevator, swimming pool, beauty salon, gym, and basketball court.

Ellison is known for his extravagant spending — private islands, jets, a tennis tournament — and yachting is among his favorite and most expensive hobbies. He took up racing them in the 1990s and financed the America's Cup-winning BMW Oracle Racing team .

Laurene Powell Jobs: Venus

Steve Jobs' wife, investor and philanthropist Laurene Powell Jobs, inherited a nearly finished 78-meter yacht named Venus when the Apple cofounder died in 2011.

After spending years vacationing on Ellison's yachts, Jobs wanted one for himself. He designed Venus with French starchitect and decorator Philippe Starck , and she was worth $130 million at completion.

"Venus comes from the philosophy of minimum," Starck said of her design. "The elegance of the minimum, approaching dematerialization."

Jobs and Starck began working together in 2007, the designer told Vanity Fair , and held monthly meetings over four years. Venus was delivered in 2012 to Jobs' specification: six identical cabins, a design to ensure spaces of absolute silence, and the most up-to-date technology.

"There will never again be a boat of that quality again. Because never again will two madmen come together to accomplish such a task," Starck told the magazine. "It was not a yacht that Steve and I were constructing, we were embarked on a philosophical action, implemented according to a quasi-religious process. We formed a single brain with four lobes."

Charles Simonyi: Norn

Early Microsoft employee Charles Simonyi has purchased two megayachts from the German shipyard Lürssen: the 90-meter Norn and 71-meter Skat.

Delivered in 2023, Norn is full of luxe features, including an outdoor cinema and a pool floor that lifts to become a light-up dancefloor. She shares a militaristic style with Skat , which Simonyi sold in 2021.

Skats's name is derived from the Danish word for treasure, and she had a listing price of 56.5 million euros and was launched in 2002.

"The yacht is to be home away from my home in Seattle, and its style should match the style of the house, adapted for the practicalities of the sea," Simonyi once said .

Sergey Brin: Dragonfly

Google cofounder Sergey Brin has built a flotilla of yachts, boats, and toys known as the "Fly Fleet."

Named after a once-secret Google product , the largest of Brin's armada is the sleek Dragonfly , which boasts a movie theater and a helipad. The 73-meter-long vessel was built by the Australian shipyard Silver Yachts and can fit up to 18 guests and 16 crew members, according to SuperYacht Times.

Also in his fleet is the superyacht Butterfly, a mere 38 meters long. Often moored in the Bay Area, her crewmembers spend their downtime kitesurfing and giving swimming lessons to local kids.

The rest of his marine lineup includes a smaller boat called Firefly, as well as Jet Skis, foilboards, dinghies, and kiteboards. She takes a team of 50 full-time employees to manage, steer, and maintain the entire operation.

Sindhu Sundar contributed to an earlier version of this story.

Correction: May 6, 2024 — An earlier version of this story misstated Giovanna Vitelli's title. She is the chair of the Azimut Benetti Group, not a vice president.

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