Designer of "Billion Dollar Yacht" goes even bigger

[Crossroads Inc.]

So a while back, a firm called Yacht Island Design created a bit of a stir when they proposed the worlds first Billion Dollar Yacht ( and yacht is using the word rather loosly)

Well, fast forward a year and seems they are topping themselves with Personalized, movable Floating Island

Private islands are relatively common, and floating islands aren't a new idea, but the super-rich are always pushing the envelope. From sea-based independent city-states to marine playgrounds for the super rich, more inventors and innovators are turning to the ocean for inspiration. Until now, though, floating island concepts were based around basically turning a yacht into a super-structure, adding terrain and features to what is, at its core, a boat. Project Utopia aims to change all that.

Created as a collaboration between super luxury yacht builders Yacht Island Design and BMT Nigel Gee, Project Utopia is a floating island that more closely resembles an oil rig than a typical yacht — if oil rigs had swimming pools, nightclubs, and casinos, that is. "Utopia is not an object to travel in, it is a place to be," states the PDF brochure, impressing upon those who have "the vision to create such a place" — presumably the ultra-rich — that this isn't your mother's sailboat.

The island measures 330 ft on each side, and its 11 decks give it the same approximate square footage as a typical cruise liner — enough space, the ad copy points out, to create an entire micronation. Just in case you're into that sort of thing. The four-legged platform design is relatively stable in even the most extreme sea conditions, and it can travel, albeit extremely slowly, to whatever ocean location desired.

Any Takers?

[phred]

I can chip in about 10 bucks, who wants to go in on one of these with me?

Also, do they build these in place, or do they have a yard for these things? And if so, whats the delivery schedule like?

[YT300000]

You just need to add the capability to submerge that thing underwater, and you can have Stromberg's Atlantis from The Spy Who Loved Me.

[Sriad]

It's like visiting Kamino without ever leaving your planet!

[Todeswind]

OH MY GOD YES!!!!!

I want this! I want this SO BAD!

[Themightytom]

personally I think it like a piece of shit

[Crossroads Inc.]

Personally I want to know just how stable something like that would be.. There does not seem to be that much down bellow the water line to 'anchor' it in heavy storms.

[Skgoa]

Actually, judging by that picture there would be quite a bit of structure below the surface. I assume that because it is actually a pretty good idea to have as little structure at the water line as possible, so that waves have less of a destabilizing impact. Check SWATH designs for a good example of that principle. This would also result in good stability in heavy seas.

edit: I took a look at the links and man, those are ugly ships.

[Phantasee]

Money doesn't buy taste, who knew.

"Personally," I would not give a shit about the overall aesthetics because fuck you I have a floating island motherfucker :smugdog:

[Mr. Coffee]

For that much money I'd start talking to the USN about seeing if I could buy one of the Iowa-class boats and turn it into my own personal PRFY playset.

[Akhlut]

I'd prefer to use my money more productively, like buying a $1b worth of Amazon rainforest or something and turning it into a nature preserve.

However, I imagine that not many of these will be built, if any at all. The sort of capital that can be spent on this can get much higher returns on land. For that sort of money, one can simply build an actual private island in a relatively large inland lake, if one really wanted, and then build some fabulously, retardedly gaudy compound on top of it.

Though, I can see maybe some cruise companies purchasing some. Possibly. If they wouldn't want a state-of-the-art cruiseliner instead that can actually move somewhere within reasonable timeframes.

[Mr. Coffee]

I'd prefer to use my money more productively, like buying a $1b worth of Amazon rainforest or something and turning it into a nature preserve.

I bet you also like to save whales and hug trees too, Moonchild.

[The Grim Squeaker]

I'd prefer to use my money more productively, like buying a $1b worth of Amazon rainforest or something and turning it into a nature preserve.

However, I imagine that not many of these will be built, if any at all. The sort of capital that can be spent on this can get much higher returns on land. For that sort of money, one can simply build an actual private island in a relatively large inland lake, if one really wanted, and then build some fabulously, retardedly gaudy compound on top of it.

Though, I can see maybe some cruise companies purchasing some. Possibly. If they wouldn't want a state-of-the-art cruiseliner instead that can actually move somewhere within reasonable timeframes.

The people who can spend 1b$ on a yacht aren't the sort that are looking for returns from sellingt he yacht.
(Random example bought on by lunk reading from the article: Abramovitch has had 4 yachts so far, and just the latest one alone coust around 0.8 billion dollars)

EDIT: And my main problem with this "type" of island-yacht is that it's fucking Hideous. Seriously, if you want a floating street so much, go buy a road on monte carlo, a yacht's for sailing!
http://www.forbes.com/sites/clareoconno ... ht-photos/ = Aaagh, my eyes.

Honestly, give me a mere 10 million dollars and I could whip up a beautiful Tiramaran instead

[Sea Skimmer]

It looks ugly, and a lot like the 'Atlantis' floating secret base in The Spy Who Loved Me. For a billion dollars you could buy the worlds largest cruise ship brand new so I'm not sure what the attraction of this thing is supposed to be, not that I think its serious anyway. I suppose operating costs would be a lot less, but then you could greatly cut back cruise ship operating costs by not having two thousand crew anyway.

[Big Orange]

You just need to add the capability to submerge that thing underwater, and you can have Stromberg's Atlantis from The Spy Who Loved Me.

I immediately thought that as well. Where's the shark pool, deathtrap lifts, and jumpsuited mooks running the nuclear submarine tracking station?

"Atlantis" looks vaguely alright, but looking at one of the links that "Monaco" megayacht looks absolutely horrendous, like a US Marine carrier, holiday resort, and the biggest wedding cake in the world have awkwardly splurged together.