There are yacht connoisseurs, and then there is American billionaire Gabe Newell. His collection of games (he is the co-founder of video game developer Valve), including greats like Half Life, Portal 2, Left 4 Dead, and Counter-Strike, can be given tough competition with his massive collection of yachts and superyachts.
With a net worth of $7.8 billion, the 60-year-old yacht collector owns impressive ships like the Rocinante, a 258-foot Lürssen beauty, a support vessel, and another support vessel called Dapple. This 220-foot support vessel was refitted at Damen Yachting and turned into a full-fledged hospital to protect the cruising billionaire from the COVID-19 pandemic. Next came the 300-footer Tranquility by Oceanco.
A luxury vessel in the truest sense of the term, Tranquility motoryacht is one of the most impressive members of Newell’s ever-expanding fleet. Still, the crown for the most ostentatious boat will go to Project Y722, touted as Oceanco’s third largest build to date behind only Jeff Bezos’s $500 million Koru. That stellar ship would certainly not come cheaper than $350-$400 million. The tech tycoon’s list of yachts doesn’t end there; it includes a commercial research vessel, Pressure Drop, and another 100-foot custom fishing yacht under construction.
In totality, six yachts will be coming close to nearly $1 billion or more. The yacht collector has indeed amassed some tremendous floating assets, some of which we will discuss in detail below-
The Rocinante- $100 million
A Lurssen beauty through and through, she was built in 2008. Rocinante Yacht is massive, with a tonnage of 2,334 tons and a length of 258 feet. The motor yacht can accommodate 18 guests in 9 cabins with an interior design by Albert Pinto and an exterior design by Espen Oeino.
Is there a better combination than this trio in the yachting world? Certainly not! The ship is equipped with a beauty salon, sauna, gym, deck Jacuzzi, and an affluent owner!
The Tranquility- $250 million
A length spanning 300 feet, $250 million, and several upgrades make this motoryacht an excellent asset. Interestingly, this award-winning ocean-crossing world explorer yacht will undergo more refits and alterations to be turned into a support vessel for the largest ship of Newell’s fleet, Project Y722.
This five-decker, designed by Andrew Winch, is a lesson in opulence with murals and ostentatious chandeliers hanging in the spacious rooms aboard. The aristocratic main saloon boasts a large seating area, a formal dining table, and a massive cinema-style television on the upper bar. Tranquility comes packed with a humongous beach club, two touch-and-go helipads, and a gym with a Finnish sauna, hammam, experiential showers, a plunge pool, and a massage and treatment room.
Dapple Yacht –
People came up with all sorts of ways to deal with a pandemic, Newell’s ace was a ship called Dapple. This 220-foot yacht was turned into a hospital ship by Damen Yachting. The support vessel could provide medical assistance wherever the billionaire sailed. The ship has a 1,143 GT capacity and flaunts interiors by Mark Berryman.
Six guests sleep comfortably in three cabins. It would not be wrong to assume the boat’s massive tender garage and large deck spaces would have been used to stock medical supplies and treatment rooms. With four diesel MTU 16V 4000 M63L engines, she achieves a top speed of 21 knots.
The Research Vessel, Pressure Drop – $50 million
Scientist and investor Victor Vescovo sold Pressure Drop to billionaire Gabe Newell in 2022. The 224-footer was built in 1985 in Tacoma, Washington. In addition to accommodation for up to 47 persons, the boat is fitted with a 12-ton A-Frame fitted astern. Designed by Tacoma Boat Building, the vessel is ideal for conducting scientific and research projects using a manned submersible. The ship played a crucial role in conducting oceanographic research and assessments throughout the eastern Pacific, including the U.S. West Coast, Central and South America.
The vessel now belongs to Gabe Newell’s marine research organization, Inkfish. The firm aims to explore the most remote regions of the ocean and bring new scientific information to the world. “What Mr. Vescovo and his team have accomplished with the Hadal Exploration System is extraordinary,” said Gabe Newell, co-founder of Inkfish. “It represents a truly unique tool to the marine science community, and we hope to carry on its tradition of enabling critically important research into the deepest regions of the oceans.”
The under-construction Project Y722 – approximately $350-$400 million
The newest and largest ship, Project Y722, was spotted out of the shed for the very first time in June 2023. It is Oceanco’s next-in-line 364-foot-long ship, also their third-largest build to date. A head-turner in the making sources state the boat will boast amenities like a sauna, spa, a massive beach club, gym, and a cozy Jacuzzi on the sundeck.
“Y722 will break new boundaries at Oceanco, with, amongst other things, her industry-leading noise & vibration characteristics, and the focus on usability and operability will bring a holistic, comfortable experience for all aboard,” explained Dan Morgan, YTMC Managing Director. It seems like Jeff Bezos’s Koru sailing yacht won’t be hogging the limelight for too long.
With the delivery of the gargantuan 364-foot-long Oceanco Y722, tech tycoon Gabe Newell will splurge no less than $70 – $100 million annually in maintaining his fleet of vessels. He will receive the glorious motor yacht that began construction in 2020 at the Zwijndrecht facility in the Netherlands in 2025.
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