It is known that Steve Jobs continued to work until his last days, although he was removed from public life and even from his role as CEO of Apple. One of the problems he was trying to solve was essential for the future of the brand: how to integrate television into the business ecosystem. It is a goal that, in view of the latest financial results, with a billion subscribers to digital services, is more than achieved. At least in the software section. But there is another project, more personal and intimate, that he manages to achieve: his yacht.
As has been documented by his relatives and files found in his office, Steve Jobs’ superyacht was his last great achievement, his last great project. Unfortunately, Although he was able to see the final stage of its construction, he was never able to enjoy it.. It was this engineering prodigy called Venus, like the goddess of love, beauty and fertility in Roman mythology, the equivalent of the Greek Aphrodite.
We tell you everything about this luxury ship that is also full of anecdotes. It is not in vain that a few weeks ago, Mexican businessman Ricardo Salinas collided with this yacht while sailing in Naples, Italy.
A luxury yacht, Steve Jobs’ latest creation
Venus was one of Jobs’ last wishes. Unsurprisingly, his widow Laurene Powell inherited it as part of her fortune. Steve Jobs biographer Walter Isaacson recorded these words regarding the yacht’s condition:
“I know it’s possible that I’ll die and leave Laurene with this half-built boat. But I have to move forward. If I don’t, it means I’m admitting that I’m about to die.”
And, like all of Jobs’ works, he wouldn’t settle for mediocre work. Venus is a luxury yacht. A superyacht or a megayacht, depending on your point of view, since it measures 80 meters long – 78.2 meters to be precise – and has a capacity of 12 passengers, which would amount to twenty-two people in total if you count the professionals responsible for its piloting and maintenance.
Dressed in aluminum and large glass panels, including mirrors on the bow, Steve Jobs wanted a cockpit on par with Apple stores. Not in vain There are seven 27-inch Macs in this room.
However, its construction was not easy: after more than six years at the Koninklijke De Vries shipyard, managed by the prestigious Dutch shipyard Feadship, Costs have risen to more than 90 million dollars and delivery of the keys has been delayed. Its maintenance is not cheap either: annual operating costs amount to around 10 million dollars.
But its design is prodigious: long and thin, with an 11.8-metre main beam and a low superstructure made entirely of glassIt is rare to see a yacht with an axe-shaped bow and a flat, completely straight stern. At its heart are two MTU engines capable of delivering a top speed of 20.5 knots and a cruising speed of 18 knots.
Responsible for this design was the Parisian Felipe Starck, who himself gathered Jobs’ ideas and designs and began working on them. As documented in an interview for Vanity Fair, the call from “a certain Mr. Jobs who wants to talk to you” was brief but particularly fruitful. Steve asked “Will you build me a boat?” and Starck replied “Sure.” This agreement guaranteed him $9 million. for the project, although Steve Jobs kept this expense private.
The current life of Venus
Venus was launched in late October 2011, just weeks after Steve Jobs passed away. He was able to see photos and videos of the process, but he never walked on deck. And despite a market value of $120 million, it was never for sale. In fact, the yacht is currently still under the guardianship of Laurene Powell, Jobs’ widow.
In 2015 it was renovated for an undisclosed amount and in the summer of 2019 he set sail. It is easy to see him in the Mediterranean: in the summer of 2023 he spent a month in Mallorca and another week near several Valencian ports. It is also a regular destination for fans of the brand, a mobile hotspot for anyone who can afford it. Of course, they do not always grant permission to visit their terrace: three months a year it is usually completely closed.
An older version of this article was originally published on 08/10/2023.
In Applesfera | Steve Jobs hated work meetings and in 1986 he invented this system to speed up productivity
In Applesfera | There is a man who has worked for Apple his entire life. He started at 14 and already has twice the experience of Steve Jobs.
