Knowing someone is rich is one thing, but witnessing their wealth up close is an entirely different experience. The locals of Bodø, the largest town in Nordland County, just north of the Arctic Circle, got a front-row view of what being the third-richest person in the world looks like, and it is safe to say, it shook them. Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg’s $300 million superyacht Launchpad and its $30 million support vessel Wingman arrived at Bodø harbor on April 2.
The Feadship-built beauty, stretching a jaw-dropping 387 feet ( worth roughly 3.1 billion Norwegian kroner), stole the show and then some. In the words of local Aleksander Christensen, “It’s huge, it takes up half the harbor,” he told Shifter. The luxurious vessel of the 40-year-old billionaire was big enough to distract him from work; while he did notice crew members on board, he wasn’t sure if Zuckerberg himself was aboard.
Launchpad yacht, with her unique wavy lines, gives the impression that her Flag Blue hull is simply too good to miss. But to dwarf King Harald V and Queen Sonja’s royal yacht ‘Norge’ on its home turf is truly astonishing. Interestingly, the Royal Yacht Norge was a gift from the Norwegian people to King Haakon VII in 1947. Built by the UK’s Camper & Nicholsons Shipyard in 1937, the Norge is a 250-foot motor yacht. Compared to the 5,528 GT Launchpad, the Norge is far smaller, with a volume of just 1,508 GT and nearly 137 feet shorter than the Launchpad.
That alone puts into perspective why Launchpad hogged more than half the harbor and left locals wide-eyed. Nearly double the size, Launchpad accommodates 26 guests across 13 cabins, supported by 42 crew members. In contrast, the Norge hosts up to 14 guests in seven staterooms, with a crew of 25.
Launchpad may exude modern-day swagger with her sleek amenities and jaw-dropping size, but the Norge boasts history, legacy, and an enduring connection to Norway’s natural beauty, the very scenery that Zuckerberg’s fleet traveled 4,600 nautical miles from San Francisco to experience. Sometimes size matters, but in Norway, the beloved Norge remains safely anchored in the hearts of her people.
We presume billionaire Mark Zuckerberg, worth $178 billion, sailed his $330 million fleet to Hellmobotn to make the most of his Easter break, indulging in heliskiing between Norway and Sweden while making full use of his luxury vessel and the toys aboard.
Not only would he enjoy the sweeping vistas from the fully enclosed, pod-like observation lounge on the top deck, but he would also take advantage of the two certified helipads to zip around, swim in the pool with its movable floor, dive straight into the sea, or indulge in his armada of toys. Sadly for the locals, this spectacle will remain hidden from view.
