The buying and selling of superyachts offers an intriguing glimpse into how billionaires operate. While one billionaire downsized his fleet, another expanded his. New Zealand’s richest man, Graeme Hart, sold not one but two vessels, the incredible 262-foot Damen support vessel U-81 for $100 million and its mothership, the 292-foot Here Comes the Sun, choosing instead to retain just one: the 337-foot Feadship Ulysses. Meanwhile, a mystery billionaire swooped in to purchase U-81, turning his duo of yachts into a terrific trio.
According to The Yacht Report, the new owner of this 252-foot Damen Yachting marvel is none other than Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg. With this acquisition, the 40-year-old tech tycoon firmly earns the title of a serial superyacht owner. He already possesses Launchpad, a $300 million Feadship masterpiece originally commissioned by Russian billionaire Vladimir Potanin, which landed in Zuckerberg’s lap due to sanctions.
His second acquisition was the Dapple Yacht, another Damen gem, which he aptly renamed Wingman,for obvious reasons. Now, even the $30 million Wingman has its own wingman. Enter U-81,Damen’s largest and arguably most imposing support vessel. This could be Zuckerberg’s subtle way of signaling to Jeff Bezos,who owns Koru, the world’s largest sailing yacht, and Abeona, Damen’s largest purpose-built support vessel,that he isn’t far behind, not just in net worth, but in the grandeur of his assets.
For the ever-adventurous Facebook founder, Wingman already offers a helipad, a dive center, and even a decompression chamber. The 220-foot vessel with a volume of 1,143 GT features interiors by Mark Berryman and accommodates up to six guests across three cabins. With the U-81, formerly owned by billionaire Graeme Hart, Zuckerberg now gains four more guest cabins, a fully equipped gym and spa with cutting-edge fitness gear, a sauna, steam room, and massage room, and space for several smaller boats. There is also a crane on board to lift them in and out of the water. Since Wingman already has a helipad, the foredeck of U-81 can double as a basketball court.
U-81 underwent a refit at Palumbo SY Refit in Valletta, Malta, from August 2024 to January 2025.I wonder if this move expands Zuckerberg’s fleet or if he eventually plans to part ways with the smaller Damen vessel. After all, U-81 offers everything Wingman does, and more.
Interestingly, news of Zuckerberg’s third luxury vessel surfaces just as he faces criticism over the presence of his other two yachts in stunning yet fragile northern Norway. Over Easter weekend, the jiu-jitsu enthusiast took Launchpad and Wingman to Svalbard for an adventurous escape involving heli-skiing. The trip sparked backlash from locals, who staged a peaceful protest holding signs that read, “Svalbard can’t afford the super-rich.” Imagine their reaction when they learn that the Harvard graduate has now bought a third. One can only hope their next concern won’t be: please don’t bring it here too.
