maltese-falcon

Vulgar ostentation never looked so good

Jackson West · 10/02/08 06:00PM

At the center of a small armada, Kleiner Perkins VC Tom Perkins's three-masted superyacht Maltese Falcon took a turn around San Francisco Bay last weekend. It's currently anchored in Richardson's Bay north of Sausalito, and if you've got a couple hundred million around, you could probably convince Perkins to let you take it off his hands. This post needs a better headline like Perkins needs humility, so offer one up in the comments and we'll select our favorite to re-title the post with. "Mashable founder proves he loves brown sugar" from ResearchZilla was the cupcake that took the cake yesterday. (Photo by Chris Comparini)

Used superyacht for sale in San Francisco Bay

Jackson West · 09/26/08 02:20PM

The world's largest sailing vessel, the Maltese Falcon, will be visiting San Francisco Bay. It's owned by Tom Perkins — "Perkins" as in "Kleiner Perkins," the venture-capital firm he helped found — and cost around $130 million to build. However, Perkins has been trying to sell the thing with a price tag of $233 million. With a financial crisis on Wall Street and the economy getting flushed down the head, parading a 289-foot tribute to "vulgar ostentation" feels a bit like a thumb in the eye to the average American right now. There is a way Perkins could redeem himself.Two words: Homeless shelter. With homeowners failing to make mortgage payments, and the Bay Area known for a seemingly intractable homeless problem, the Falcon could provide part of the solution. And Perkins has admitted to being embarrassed by its expense. After all, it shares a name with a book by noted socialist (and alcoholic) Dashiell Hammett. The onboard "hotel" only accommodates twelve guests, so it would only be a symbolic gesture — at least 5,000 homeless live in San Francisco alone. But as it stands, it's a symbol of unrepentant greed, which at the moment is about as trendy as mortgage-backed securities. (Photo by AP/Lionel Cironneau)

5 best videos of the $233 million megayacht Tom Perkins no longer wants

Nicholas Carlson · 03/26/08 05:00PM

At 289 feet, the Maltese Falcon, is the world's largest sailing yacht. Its owner, venture capitalist Tom Perkins, is over it. He's looking for a buyer to take the Falcon off his hands for about $233 million, according to The Wealth Report blog. Of the Falcon, Perkins once told Lesley Stahl on 60 Minutes: "I just wanted the biggest boat." It was a beautiful sentiment, people, and we're here to honor it. So below, the five best videos on the Web catching the Maltese Falcon in all its glory.

Tom Perkins "embarrassed" by megayacht

Jordan Golson · 11/02/07 01:05PM

"I am embarrassed by [the price] ... There's the homeless and charity and there are lots of things you could do with that money that would improve the world, right? So you know, 'How selfish is this guy?' ... is the criticism. So the answer is pretty selfish, but I am not going to put a number on it." — Tom Perkins, to CBS's 60 Minutes, on the price tag for his ubermegasuperyacht Maltese Falcon. We bet he'll feel better after he goes for a quick sail — and would be happy to take it off his hands if he's still feeling guilty.