Bezos' Koru Yacht Sets Sail
The creator of Amazon was seen on a big boat named Koru. The boat looks like it comes from the olden days when sailing was popular.
Jeff Bezos and his partner Lauren Sánchez were seen on his new boat, Koru, in Spain. This happened during the high season of yachting in the Mediterranean. Many megayachts come to ports like Monte Carlo and St. Tropez during this time.
Mr. Bezos' boat is a sailing yacht. This is different from other billionaire's boats. His yacht is very big. It is called Koru. Koru is 417 feet long. This makes it the largest sailing yacht in the world. It cost $500 million to build. Another yacht, Parsifal III, is smaller and costs less.
No comment from Mr. Bezos or Koru's builder. Here's info about the boat.
Koru is a refreshing choice for traditionalists. Many yacht designs are unusual, but Koru is a schooner with multiple masts. It's a large sailboat with three masts and an on-deck pool. A mermaid figurehead on the bow looks like Ms. Sánchez. Its sleek, classic lines remind us of the Golden Age of yachting in the early 20th century. Robert B. MacKay, author of “The Golden Age of Newport Yachting: Between the Wars," agrees.
Mr. MacKay said Koru's concave, pointy forward section reminds him of a boat built in 1930 for J.P. Morgan Jr. He called it a reincarnation. He thinks it looks better than the boats oligarchs are building, which he called bloated Clorox bottles.
Koru is a small motor yacht. It isn't very big. Some motor yachts are enormous. Azzam is one of those. Azzam is almost 200 feet longer than Koru.
Koru yacht will use wind power. Sailboats are eco-friendlier than powerboats. Don Anderson, ex-captain of M5, thinks Koru will be very eco-friendly with sails. Koru will have eco-friendly technology on board.
On a sailboat, you feel the wind and waves more. It's different from a powerboat. The weather can affect you more. But, if you leave California and go past the Catalinas, you can surf downwind to Hawaii. Just go with the waves.
Bloomberg said that Mr. Bezos has been on boats like this one before. He was seen on a boat called Eos in 2019. That boat is owned by Barry Diller and Diane von Furstenberg. Eos is 305-feet long.
Bill Tripp is a naval architect from Connecticut. He likes sailboats more than powerboats. He thinks that being on a sailboat is more enjoyable. On a powerboat, you ask "Are we there yet?" a lot. When you're on a sailboat, you don't ask that question.
Koru will have a support vessel called Abeona. Many superyachts have support vessels. These support vessels are colloquially known as "shadows." They carry the "toys" that boaters may want to bring on a trip, such as ATVs, supercars, and helicopters. Abeona can carry many crew members and these gadgets. The couple was recently seen flying a helicopter to board Abeona and then Koru. Ms. Sanchez flies helicopters.
A motor yacht named Abeona can follow Koru from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean without refuelling. This is a common route for yachts.
Last year, Koru caused an argument with the city of Rotterdam even before it was finished. The Dutch boat was made at Oceanco in Alblasserdam and had to go under the famous Koningshaven Bridge, also known as "De Hef," in Rotterdam to test in the North Sea.
The town said they'd take down the bridge for a big ship with a 230-foot-tall pole. This made locals mad and they wanted to throw eggs at the boat. But, they didn't take the bridge apart. They moved the ship to a new spot to put on its poles.
The word "Koru" means "coil" or "loop" in Maori language. It is a symbol of new life, growth, and peace in Maori art. Mr. Bezos shared a picture of a koru frond on Instagram on January 1, 2022.
Brad Stone wrote about Koru in his book "Amazon Unbound." The name makes sense for Koru's current status.
Mr. Stone said he's not just into tech anymore. He's into media and Hollywood now. He also has a new partner.
