Maltese Falcon: Perini Navi's Dynarig brings square riggers to new age: One of the world's greatest examples of conspicuous consumption - the 289-foot sailing yacht Maltese Falcon - modestly described as "the most incredible, influential and groundbreaking yacht the world has ever seen
The Maltese Falcon is owned by Silicon Valley venture capitalist Tom Perkins, who had it built in Turkey two years ago. The Falcon as one of the most-talked-about yachts in the world and you won't believe your eyes when you see her.
Mr. Perkins, who made millions on Silicon Valley projects, is also an author ("Sex and the Single Zillionaire," a novel; and "Valley Boy," a memoir), an admirer of fast cars and boats and the former husband of mega-novelist Danielle Steel.
His mentors in Silicon Valley were David Packard and William Hewlett; he started his venture capital business in 1972, when nobody had cell phones and only doctors carried pagers.
Perkins, who lives in Belvedere, travels to Europe a lot. The Maltese Falcon will not be open to ordinary persons, At 289 feet long, the Maltese Falcon might or might not be the largest privately owned yacht in the world, but it is close. The yachts Athena, owned by James Clark, founder of Netscape, and Eos, owned by Barry Diller, a media entrepreneur, claim to be longer, but Perkins says the Maltese Falcon is longer at the waterline.
The other boats count their bowsprits, which is not fair in the yacht big leagues.
In any case, the Maltese Falcon is unique. Mr. Perkins found the steel hull of what became the Falcon at a shipyard in Turkey and had it finished to his specifications. Inside: pure luxury, including a model Maserati car (Mr. Perkins likes cars), 50-inch movie and television screens in the main salon, two large VIP suites, private gyms and the latest electronics.
The Maltese Falcon also has two smaller tenders - each 32 feet long - to take passengers ashore when it is anchored.
Maximum speed is 18.5 knots, and the vessel has a range of 3,000 miles at 14 knots.
The sails are of an unusual design, mounted on three masts made of carbon fiber. The sails furl and unfurl at the touch of a button; there is no rigging. One person can sail the boat, but the Falcon has a crew of 20, mostly, as Perkins says, "to keep the hotel humming." The vessel accommodates 12 guests.
Mr. Perkins apparently offered the Maltese Falcon for sale earlier this year for $169million or so, but he since took it off the market.
Mr. Perkins once told the television show "Sixty Minutes" that it cost more than $150million but less than $300 million. At one point the boat was available for charter for 375,000 euros.... (Any takers?)
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