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Inside The Rising Sun: David Geffen's $590 Million Superyacht

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The merc with a big bag: ryan reynolds' net worth breakdown,  larry king’s widow finally settles $100 million lawsuit amid shocking claims, quick links, details of the yacht, interior and exterior details, the rising sun’s onboard comfort and entertainment.

Billionaire and entertainment mogul David Geffen reportedly purchased the superyacht for $590 million from the Oracle founder Larry Ellison. It was reported that wealthy people love spending money on yachts, and about 88% of the luxury market can be associated to spending on yachts. For this reason, it is not at all surprising that billionaires are spending so much money buying yachts . Yachts can be considered as the pinnacle of luxury and decadence and about $22 billion annually are spent on Yachts by the wealthy people. The Rising Sun has hosted numerous famous celebrities including American talk show host Oprah Winfrey and Academy Award winner Leonardo DiCaprio on board and even Amazon founder Jeff Bezos was seen hanging out in the superyacht.

Geffen has cruised everywhere using the Superyacht from St. Bart's in the Caribbean to Portofino to Italy and even Ibiza, Spain. He loves travelling using his yacht but not without his friends and some high profile celebrities. Among the guests in his massive yacht are Julia Roberts, Maria Shriver, Steven Spielberg, JJ Abrams, Karlie Kloss, Peter Harrington-Cressman, Paul McCartney and even Michelle and Barack Obama. Take a look inside the majestic yacht of Geffen.

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The Rising Sun is a motor yacht which was designed by Jon Bannenberg and was built and constructed in 2004 by German shipbuilder Lürssen. The yacht reportedly costs $200 million to build. The yacht was built at Lürssen’s Bremen shipyard for the founder and CEO of Oracle Corporation, Larry Ellison. It was delivered to Ellison in June 2004. Since 2010, David Geffen has owned the yacht. Geffen bought half of the share of the 454-foot megayacht in 2007 and decided to buy the yacht in full in 2010 which totaled his payment for $590 million. The exact estimated value of the yacht is still unclear but as of 2019, the yacht was valued for $300 million. After Geffen bought it, he had the yacht refitted in the period of just six months.

The motor yacht has a tonnage of 7,841 GT and has a length of 138 m that is about 452 ft 9 in. It utilizes the installed power of the diesel engine of 4 × MTU 20V 8000 M90 with 36,000 kW. It also has 4 propellers as its propulsion and has the speed of 28 knots that can comfortably run at the speed of 26 knots but can run at the maximum speed of 30 knots. It was built with steel hull and an aluminum superstructure that includes a teak deck. It also features an anchor stabilizer which provides the people on board an exceptional comfort. Unlike some other luxury yachts, the Rising Sun is not available for private charter.

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The superyacht has about eighty two rooms and has the ability to accommodate about 18 guests and 55 staff and crew members. The eighteen guests can comfortably stay in the nine suites at the yacht which can ensure a relaxed luxury yacht experience . The massive yacht even has a basketball court on board. The top deck is entirely dedicated to the owner which includes a double-height cinema. Aside from the basketball court, there is also a wine cellar and a movie theater which can be found among the eighty two rooms of the yacht.

The interior design of the yacht was designed by design house Seccombe Design. The exterior design on the other hand was designed by Bannenberg & Rowell and was refitted in 2011 after David Geffen has requested for it. The builders of the Rising Sun have experimented with the extensive use of some structural glass that gives off a clean and stripped-down profile for the yacht. This includes the builders extensively working on the engineering and systems of the yacht. The exposure of the yacht’s structure is one of the overarching themes in the superyacht’s design.

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There is a reason why a lot of famous celebrities and public figure enjoy hanging out at the superyacht. For the added comfort and entertainment, there is a sauna, underwater lights, beauty salon, elevator and gym at the superyacht. It offers the luxuries of the land space on a secluded area which gives them the privacy that they need. The general arrangement of the layout of the Rising Sun has given the guests spacious cabins which have a direct access to the exterior side decks of the yacht. With the use of the 45-degree indents in the yacht’s superstructure, the guests are also protected from the weather.

The yacht has so much space that the guests can roam around and just party. The top deck was designed entirely for the owner’s entertainment. The guests can also enjoy the double-height cinema which was embedded just like the stone of the avocado.

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Sources: Business Insider , Luxury Launches , Yacht Charter Fleet , Boat International

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RISING SUN Yacht – Exceptional $400M Superyacht

RISING SUN yacht is currently the 16th largest motor yacht in the world at a length of 138.6 meters (454 ft).

She was built by Luerssen in Bremen, Germany, and launched in June of 2004.

RISING SUN yacht interior

The interior of the RISING SUN yacht was styled by Seccombe Design, a small and highly specialized design company. The 138.6 meter-long vessel was their largest project to date. She was last refitted in 2011 and fully updated to fit modern standards. The interior of RISING SUN is classically styled with lots of dark elements and wooden features.

She comes with a gym, a grand piano, multiple swimming pools, a beauty salon, and a spa which includes a sauna.

Sixteen guests can be welcomed aboard the super yacht’s eight suites. A further 45 crew members find space in 30 cabins below the deck.

Specifications

The RISING SUN yacht is powered by four MTU engines which allow her to reach top speeds of up to 30 knots although her cruising speed lies at 26 knots.

She was built by Luerssen , one of the most famous shipyards for luxury yachts in the world. Her total volume lies at 7841 tons making her one of the largest motor yachts in the world not only by length but also weight.

Her beam measures 19 meters (62.4 ft) and her draft is 4.85 meters (15.1 ft). The built-in at-anchor stabilizers allow her guests to be comfortable even during rough seas.

The exterior of the RISING SUN yacht was developed by the superyacht designers Bannenberg & Rowell.

Dickie Baneberg’s father was one of the most legendary designers of all time in the industry, sometimes even called the father of yacht design.

His son is continuing his legacy and elements of Jon Bannenberg’s style can still be recognized in this work. With her many separate windows RISING SUN almost looks like a small cruise ship.

She is all-white, in classical yacht design with a steel hull and aluminum superstructure. In addition to her covered decks, she features a large open-air space at the bow as well as one at the aft of the vessel.

The RISING SUN yacht originally cost an estimated US $200 million when she was launched in 2004. However, due to refits and sales RISING SUN is now valued at a price of US $570 million.

Her annual running costs lie somewhere between US $25 and 40 million.

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Lavish and looming, gigayacht bobbing in Portland harbor attracts curiosity and contempt

Rising Sun, the 453-foot yacht owned by entertainment mogul David Geffen, sports a gym, a wine cellar, a spa, a movie theater and can accommodate up to 16 guests and 45 crew members.

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People walk at Bug Light Park in South Portland Tuesday with the Rising Sun, a five-story, 82-room gigayacht owned by billionaire David Geffen, docked in the background in Portland. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Staff Photographer

Some people view it as a symbol of wealth-hoarding. Others see it as a tourist attraction. Some believe it’s merely a sign of a changing Old Port. To entertainment mogul David Geffen, the 82-room, $400 million gigayacht floating in the Portland harbor is merely a part-time home.

A boat that is worth $381 million more than the most expensive home for sale on Maine Listings docked in Portland on Monday night. Though it’s not a boat, it’s not a yacht, it’s not a superyacht and it’s not even a megayacht. It’s a gigayacht and it’s the 20th largest in the world, according to the Robb Report, a chronicler of all things luxurious.

The yacht, named Rising Sun, is one of Geffen’s vacation homes. Geffen is the music and film producer behind The Eagles, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan and DreamWorks – the animation studio that produced, among many hits, “Shrek,” Shrek 2,” “Shrek the Third” and “Shrek Forever After.” Fifty-nine years after he launched his entertainment career, Geffen has landed himself at No. 229 on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index with a net worth of $9.14 billion.

Geffen is also pals with many celebrities, and he’s brought many of them aboard Rising Sun, including Paul McCartney, Oprah Winfrey and Julia Roberts.

Geffen’s accomplishment’s and social circle notwithstanding, all anyone could talk about in the Old Port on Tuesday afternoon was the gigayacht, itself.

“It’s friggin’ big,” said Owen Dionne, a deckhand at Portland Discovery Land Sea and Tours. Advertisement

At five stories high and 453 feet long, it’s certainly an eye-catcher. In the maritime vernacular, a yacht is generally at least 30 feet long, a superyacht is 80-100 feet long, a megayacht is 200 feet and a gigayacht stretches beyond 300 feet.

Rising Sun has a gym, a wine cellar, a spa, a movie theater and can accommodate up to 16 guests and 45 crew members, according to superyachtfan.com. It was built in 2004 by Lürssen Yachts, a German shipyard, for Oracle Corp. CEO Larry Ellison. Geffen bought it from Ellison in 2010.

This is the kind of information that Portland Discovery deckhands research to share with passengers.

The Rising Sun, a five-story, 82-room super yacht owned by billionaire David Geffen docked in Portland on Tuesday. The yacht has a gym, a wine cellar, a spa, a movie theater and can accommodate up to 16 guests and 45 crew members. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Staff Photographer

“They all want to know who owns them,” Dionne said. “We research how many crew they have, how much they cost to run and to own. But mostly they’re just interested in the owners, though usually they’re not really famous people, they’re just rich people.”

Yachts are a dime a dozen to Dionne and Jack Coggeshall, manager at Portland Discovery. Coggeshall has seen Rising Sun many times over the course of his 11 years at Portland Discovery. But they still agree that it’s the biggest yacht they’ve seen in Portland’s waters and it’s quite a view to take in.

“It’s just unbelievable to see a private yacht that big,” Coggeshall said. Advertisement

One tidbit Dionne and Coggeshall might not have come across is the Rising Sun’s environmental impact. The diesel engines powering the gigayacht belch an estimated 16,320 tons of carbon-dioxide-equivalent gases into the atmosphere annually, almost 800 times what the average American generates in a year, according to a New York Times report citing the journal Sustainability.

IMPRESSIVE OR NOT

The gigayacht also caught tourists’ eyes at the Eastern Promenade – though not necessarily for the same reasons.

Dave and Dianne Rhodes were sitting on a bench on Tuesday afternoon taking in the distant Rising Sun. Dave Rhodes wasn’t looking at it in admiration, though.

“The obscene amount of pure spending gobs of money on nothing … the money could be used in such a better way,” he said.

The Rhodes sailed up from Rochester, New York, on their sailboat, the Lagerhead. They spent $39,000 on their boat – not necessarily cheap, but dwarfed by the value of the Rising Sun. But even if they had all the money in the world, they’d keep the Lagerhead. Advertisement

“We’re more interested in our sailboat,” Dianne Rhodes said.

Lobsterman Rob Rutter pauses on Portland’s Widgery Wharf after working on his boat Devocean. Rutter is ambivalent about the gigayacht bobbing in the harbor, saying it won’t affect his lobster prices one way or another.  Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Staff Photographer

Doug Sargent, a New Jersey resident, is similarly unimpressed by Rising Sun.

“It’s not interesting, it’s too blah,” Sargent said. “Buy that boat? It’s so far beyond comprehension that that’s not even one of my thoughts.”

However, Sargent said there are some upsides to a visitor like Geffen. Perhaps Geffen and his guests are spreading the wealth in the Old Port.

“I hope he’s helping the local economy,” he said.

Sargent, 79, lived in Portland until he was 13 years old and has watched the Old Port transform over the course of his life. It’s people like Geffen who have given the Old Port the money to change for the better, he said. Advertisement

Whether the arrival of the Rising Sun has positive or negative impacts on the city, lobsterman Rob Rutter is ambivalent. He’s making the same amount of money for his catch even when people like Geffen visit Portland.

“I didn’t even think that yacht being in town was going to make a story other than ‘it was here,’ ” Rutter said.

It’s not entirely clear where Rising Sun is floating while it awaits its next journey. According to Portland city spokesperson Jessica Grondin, it’s not at any of the city’s docks or moorings. Dionne, the Portland Discovery Land Sea and Tours deckhand, said it’s likely at Fore Points Marina, “a safe, deep harbor, specifically designed to host megayachts” that opened in 2019. Office Manager Lauren Whitney would neither confirm nor deny whether Rising Sun was on its docks. Its current coordinates, according to Marine Traffic, are in an area where there are no other marinas but Fore Points.

If so, Geffen would pay at least $3,624 a day for the dockage rate, according to the company’s website.

What say Geffen? Does he like coming to Portland? How long will he be here? How much is he spending on the ship? Is he spending any money in the Old Port? Where does he stand on the ongoing Hollywood writers and actors strike?

Who knows – a reporter tried but could not get in touch with him.

“This is not possible, he doesn’t take any calls,” said an unnamed receptionist at the David Geffen Foundation. “Thank you for trying.”

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Gigayacht spotted in Portland Harbor attracts attention

by Ariana St Pierre , WGME

PORTLAND (WGME) -- A $400 million gigayacht floating in the Portland Harbor is turning heads.

According to the Press Herald, a yacht is typically at least 30 feet long, a superyacht is 80-100 feet long, a megayacht is 200 feet, and a gigayacht is over 300 feet long.

The yacht, named Rising Sun, is owned by billionaire entertainment mogul David Geffen, according to CBS News.

CBS News reports the boat's original owner, Oracle CEO Larry Ellison, sold Rising Sun to Geffen in 2010.

The Rising Sun reportedly has 82 rooms, including a gym, a basketball court, a wine cellar, a spa, and a movie theater, according to CBS News.

• Also read: 'It's amazing:' Nearly $70M middle school set to open in South Portland

It can reportedly accommodate up to 16 guests and 45 crew members.

Geffen’s gigayacht is the 20th largest in the world, according to the Press Herald.

It’s certainly an eye-catcher at five stories high and 453 feet long.

A Closer Look at David Geffen’s Yacht Rising Sun

“I wanna be rich” is the title of Calloway’s song and it is a confession that most people make hoping one day it will come true. If it does, then spending money on all types of things will not be an issue and maybe a yacht like that of David Geffen’s could be one way to spice up your life. Let’s take a closer look at David Geffen yacht , so you can have an idea of what amenities to install on yours when the time comes.

Have you ever wanted to do more than sit around in a boat soaking up the sun? Well, Rising Sun offers guests the ideal opportunity to practice their dunking and dribbling skills. It has a basketball court which also serves as a helicopter pad because let’s face it, only those with deep pockets ever get a chance to go onboard which means helicopters are the preferred means of transport.

If you choose to be on Rising Sun, it is more than likely that you are celebrating or looking to have a good time. As such, the yacht comes with a wine cellar which has an extensive selection of drinks to suit everyone’s taste. It is, therefore, no wonder that Oprah Winfrey picked Rising Sun as the place to celebrate her 65th birthday in St Barts, as reported on Yacht Harbour. Most celebrities have preferred it, and top of the list is Julia Roberts and the former president of USA, Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle.

With such A-listers, it is not just the wine cellar that lured them in. The spa and sauna are more than enough to get you interested in boarding Rising Sun. For those who want to tone their muscles, the swimming pool caters to that need. Guests who want to ensure that the six-pack does not fade with all the merrymaking on the boat can thank the well-equipped gym for the service it offers.

It can be annoying when you are trying to get some sleep or sip your glass of wine, but the waves keep making it difficult. Consequently, you spill your wine or barely get your much-needed nap. Fortunately, guests of Rising Sun do not undergo that experience because the boat has at-anchor stabilizers to keep the yacht stable even at zero speed.

Entertainment has not been left behind, and movie lovers especially will appreciate the lengths that the designers went at ensuring the cinematic experience is over-the-top. According to Club Yacht, David’s boat has a large plasma screen on which guests can watch whichever films they like, whenever they want.

We know that lifestyle diseases have been on the rise, and one of the things we have been advised to take up is exercise. Experts will tell you to ditch the elevator and take the flight of stairs, but not many of us are willing to give up some comfort. Rising Sun also does not want guests tiring themselves, yet they came onboard to relax. Therefore, it has an elevator to take them up and down the five levels so they can enjoy the more than 8,000 square meters of living area and 3,000 square meters of deck area.

Speaking of space, you must be wondering where the guests spend the night for their overnight stay. Rising Sun has it all covered. According to Yacht Charter Fleet, it can accommodate 18 guests overnight who sleep in 9 cabins, among which is a master suite and eight double cabins. Moreover, in case you are wondering who will take care of the guests, then you will be glad to learn that Rising Sun can accommodate as many as 45 crew members who will be at your beck and call for that royalty experience.

David Geffen was not the original owner

In 2004, Larry Ellison, the CEO of Oracle Corporation, decided he wanted a yacht, so he commissioned Germany Lurssen to build him one. Most Lurssen boats are always hitting the headlines, so Larry must have known that Lurssen would do a fantastic job. Rising Sun was built to a length of 138 meters, and it became the 12th largest in the world, but that is not what Larry was looking for in a yacht.

After a cost of $200 million, Larry put it up for sale. David Geffen bought half stake in late 2006 and the other half in 2010 becoming the full owner after having paid $300 million. Having gotten rid of the boat, Larry was now free to get his dream yacht, so in 2011 he commissioned Feadship to build him a smaller boat. Larry now owns Musashi, an 88 meters yacht that is valued at $130 million.

Learn more about the owner, David Geffen

If the only billionaires you know are Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg , then you should add David Geffen to your list because his net worth is at $8.4 billion. It is not education that has attributed to his success because he graduated high school with a 66% average, and his attempts at further education bore no fruits.

Final Thoughts

David went to The University of Texas and dropped out after a semester before joining Brooklyn College where he dropped out again. He still decided to give school one more try by attending Santa Monica College, but his dyslexia presented him with challenges, as revealed in Wikipedia . Lucky for him, education is not the mandatory key to success because today he is a force to reckon with in the entertainment industry. Perhaps understanding the challenges that he faced as a student is what has helped him get to where he is. He founded Asylum Records to support those artists who could not get a record company to sign them up. The truth is that even when Warner communications acquired asylum Records, David did not stop helping the struggling artists. He established Geffen Records in 1980 and was the only one confident enough to give John Lennon a chance without even hearing the record first. When John Lennon was murdered, his album “Double Fantasy” was a massive seller, and it became the start of the rise and rise of David Geffen.

Liz Flynn has worked as a full-time writer since 2010 after leaving a career in education. She finds almost all topics she writes about interesting, but her favorite subjects are travel and food. Liz loves the process of researching information, learning new things, and putting into words what others who share her interests might like to read. Although she spends most of her time writing, she also enjoys spending time with her husband and four children, watching films, cooking, dining out, reading, motorsports, gaming, and walking along the beach next to her house with her dog.

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How david geffen’s yacht photos became a “status thing” in hollywood.

David Geffen's superyacht the Rising Sun has become a photo op for A-list stars such as Oprah Winfrey, Chris Rock, Steven Spielberg, Leonardo DiCaprio and even Jeff Bezos.

By Chris Gardner

Chris Gardner

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David Geffen famously shuns interviews, so his Instagram account — which the mogul-philanthropist launched in 2016 — offers the only window into his private world. And what a view.

That’s thanks in large part — 138 meters, to be exact — to Rising Sun, the superyacht he purchased in 2010 from fellow billionaire Larry Ellison, on which Geffen hosts some of the world’s most famous names from film, music, business and politics. With many of those guests smiling in photos against the backdrop of Ibiza, Mallorca or Capri for his 72,000 followers, poring over Geffen’s Insta has become a Hollywood pastime. C-suites were abuzz with this summer’s guest log: Oprah Winfrey, Gayle King, Katy Perry with fiance Orlando Bloom, Chris Rock with girlfriend Megalyn Echikunwoke, Karlie Kloss and husband Josh Kushner (brother of Jared), Goldman Sachs’ Lloyd Blankfein and wife Laura, K5 Global founder Michael Kives and wife Lydia (a nonprofit attorney), oil heir Mikey Hess and designer fiancee Misha Nonoo.

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But the yachty who inspired the most chatter was the world’s richest man, Jeff Bezos, posted Aug. 6 in a group shot with girlfriend Lauren Sanchez-Whitesell . Bezos, seen barefoot and in board shorts clutching a wine glass, has his own Instagram but never gives his 987,000 followers a glimpse at his private world. So appearing on Geffen’s, especially in the same photo as Sanchez-Whitesell, could seem like the ultimate flex for his host. But sources familiar with Rising Sun activities say Geffen, 76, is not strategic about the shots he posts.

        View this post on Instagram                   Having a great time in the Balearics A post shared by David Geffen (@davidgeffen) on Aug 6, 2019 at 3:52am PDT

“He’s just at the place in his life where he doesn’t care,” offers one. Says another well-placed industry source: “There’s a reason the most powerful people in the world show up. It is the most coveted, most exclusive and most unbelievable vacation experience ever.”

Since Geffen has been documenting his guests, he’s snapped Disney’s Bob Iger, Steven Spielberg, J.J. Abrams, NBCUniversal’s Ron Meyer, Netflix’s Ted Sarandos, Julia Roberts, Leonardo DiCaprio, Barry Diller and wife Diane von Furstenberg, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, Jerry Seinfeld, Diane Sawyer, Scooter Braun, Bradley Cooper, Mariah Carey, film executive Stacey Snider, and producers Walter Parkes and Laurie MacDonald. One couple he hosted but never posted: Barack and Michelle Obama.

By all accounts, his guests are smitten. “You are the most gracious host,” wrote Bloom to Geffen in the comments section underneath a photo of the pair. Kloss, who, like Kives and the Blankfeins, is a Rising Sun regular, once wrote “the most magnificent weekend with the most extraordinary man,” after an excursion. 

There’s a reason that many of the images Geffen posts look similar, posted from the deck or common dining areas. According to yacht expert Nick Jeffery of Nick Jeffery Yacht Publicity in Monaco, common etiquette is to photograph and post exterior shots only. If the inside quarters are ever photographed, it’s typically done by professionals in carefully curated photo shoots to protect expensive artwork and furniture. 

Jeffery suggests that Bezos, who is known to travel with his own personal security team, must have granted his permission for Geffen to post the photo, one that Jeffery says contains one glaring problem. “The photographer should have removed or topped up his glass!”

Perry and others also have posted (or reposted Geffen’s shots) on their Instas. An individual with knowledge of both Hollywood and yachting etiquette says guests should pause before pulling out a smartphone. “You can do a dry run test by taking your phone out to pretend to check a message. If you see the boat owner get antsy or look your way, put it right back. … After all, the yacht is their sanctuary.”

Rising Sun may be his sanctuary, but Geffen remains rooted to his upbringing, says author Kevin Sessums, who knows him. “For someone who is very rich and very famous he also has always been the boy from Brooklyn with his nose pressed against the window. Instagram is just a newfangled window,” says Sessums. “That’s why I’ve always loved him. For all the trappings of an elite life, he’s still pretty egalitarian regarding his outlook on life itself. He’s a mensch.”

One publicist whose client has been photographed on Rising Sun says that while A-listers value discretion, there’s not much of a downside to appearing in Geffen’s feed. “It’s a glamorous, mega-millions yacht and his groups are always the best, so you’d be hard-pressed to find somebody who is like, ‘Nah, I’m good, I don’t need my picture taken,’ ” says the rep. “It’s a status thing. When Paul Allen used to have big parties in Cannes on his yacht, people would try to pay money to get on the boat because if you’re seen there, it would be worth something. Same for David Geffen.”

But good luck scoring an invite. “There’s no way to catapult into that world without already being in that world,” explains the rep. “If you have fame, great. If you have money, great. But otherwise there’s no chance.”

        View this post on Instagram                   In Mallorca A post shared by David Geffen (@davidgeffen) on Jul 26, 2019 at 10:44am PDT

        View this post on Instagram                   Chris Rock & Megalyn Echikunwoke in Mallorca A post shared by David Geffen (@davidgeffen) on Jun 11, 2019 at 1:05am PDT

        View this post on Instagram                   Fun in Mallorca A post shared by David Geffen (@davidgeffen) on Aug 4, 2019 at 11:17pm PDT

        View this post on Instagram                   Orlando Bloom snd Rising Sun A post shared by David Geffen (@davidgeffen) on Jul 28, 2019 at 12:35am PDT

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David Geffen’s Yacht: Everything You Want To Know

David Geffen is a businessman most famous for his work running record labels and a film studio. His net worth is estimated at around $7.7 billion and he’s also been the owner of one of the world’s largest yachts for some years now. He owns a second yacht as well, one called Pelorus that clocks in at 115 meters in length. That means Geffen is the owner of at least two megayachts

What is David Geffen’s Yacht Called?

Geffen named his yacht the Rising Sun and it was built back in 2004 and then refitted in 2007. The yacht was originally built by German yacht maker Lurssen and originally it belonged to Oracle founder Larry Ellison, but Geffen purchased it in 2010. Word is that Ellison thought it was just too big and ended up buying a smaller yacht that he felt was more manageable. That said, Geffen apparently owned a percentage share of the yacht since 2006.

How Big is the Rising Sun?

With a gross tonnage of 7,841 GT, the yacht is not as heavy as you might think for one of its size. The Rising Sun length clocks in at just under 453 feet with a beam of 60.7 feet. The yacht features a steel hull with an aluminum superstructure. It ranks as one of the largest yachts in the world .

How Much Did David Geffen Pay for the Rising Sun Yacht?

It’s been reported that Geffen paid Ellison a staggering $590 million for the Rising Sun however other reports suggest the vessel was $200 million. Given the size of the yacht and the time it was built plus various amenities it seems more likely the true price is closer to $200 million. That’s speculation and also some educated guessing as a $590 million motor yacht sale in 2010 would likely have raised more flags in the media. It would make the Rising Sun one of the most expensive yachts ever, and that’s simply never been claimed by many sources.

The value of the luxury yacht has been speculated to currently be between $300 million and $400 million after various refits and upgrades that have been added over the years. Despite the cost there is no yacht charter available to offset that for Geffen.

How Fast is the Rising Sun Yacht?

The Rising sun has a maximum speed of 28 knots and a cruising speed of 16 knots. This is achieved by 4 MTU 20V 8000 M90 diesel engines producing 48,000 hp.

What’s the Interior of the Rising Sun Like?

A crew of 45 is needed to keep the Rising Sun operating and that includes taking care of the up to 18 guests in 9 staterooms. That includes one master suite and then 8 double suites. 

Geffen has numerous amenities on board to ensure a luxurious stay for guests who, in the past, have included people like Tom Hanks, Barack and Michelle Obama, Mariah Carey and even Jeff Bezos and Oprah Winfrey. For a short time there were stories that this was, in fact, Oprah’s yacht because she had been spotted on board in 2013 when she was on holiday. However, she was just borrowing the yacht and does not own a yacht of her own.

There is both a sauna and a beauty salon on board as well as a large swimming pool and an elevator to travel between the five decks. There are 8,000 square meters of living space available between those decks which include teak decks and bathrooms finished in onyx.

The top deck of the yacht serves as a master suit and features a double sized cinema screen. The layout has been described as being like the pit of an avocado, meaning the movie screen is embedded in the wall in a way that creates an archway that can be traveled around it. A normal sized theater exists elsewhere on the yacht for the rest of the passengers to enjoy.

In addition to movies, there’s also a full size basketball court on board if anyone is looking to get into a game. The court also doubles as a helicopter landing pad. Of course there’s a well-equipped gym for working out as well. When it’s time to relax, the yacht features its own fully stocked wine cellar. 

Unfortunately, Geffen has not welcomed media onto the yacht so images of the interior are few and far between. As you can imagine, he’s a man who enjoys his privacy and doesn’t want to share his space very openly. In fact, mentioning it has backfired on him in the past.

Back in 2020, sometimes after he was spotted refueling at Sea Fuels Marine in New Bedford, Geffen made an Instagram post about how he was self-isolating on his yacht in the Grenadines during Covid. The post went over poorly with people pointing out it was a little tone deaf to the average person who doesn’t have a multi-million dollar yacht to escape on. He deactivated his Instagram shortly thereafter. 

The Bottom Line

David Geffen is a billionaire businessman known for is work in the music industry such as running Geffen Records and Asylum Records. His superyacht Rising Sun was built for $200 million though it’s been reported he paid as much as $590 million for it. The yacht is one of the largest luxury yachts in the world at 453 feet and features many amenities including a massive, double sized cinema screen, a basketball court, and a large pool.  The motor yacht is a notorious hot spot for celebrity visitors that range from Paul McCartney to Bruce Springsteen to Chris Rock, Leonardo DiCaprio and Katy Perry among many others.

My grandfather first took me fishing when I was too young to actually hold up a rod on my own. As an avid camper, hiker, and nature enthusiast I'm always looking for a new adventure.

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Massive yacht turns heads along portland waterfront.

The Rising Sun is one of the largest in the world

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Maine is known for its waterfront, and places like Portland are certainly no stranger to massive cruise ships and luxury yachts.

But a boat that has been docked in Portland for the last several days is certainly turning some heads.

The "Rising Sun" is owned by billionaire media mogul David Geffen. The so-called giga-yacht is one of the 20 largest yachts in the world.

It is 452 feet long, and five stories high with 82 rooms, a spa, a movie theater, a wine cellar and a full-sized basketball court. It staffs a crew of 45 people.

Many people have been heading to the Portland waterfront just to get a look.

The Obamas just took a luxurious cruise with Oprah and Bruce Springsteen on this billionaire producer's yacht

The billionaire entertainment mogul David Geffen has set sail on his $590 million luxury yacht , Rising Sun, and as usual, he has a ton of boldface names with him, including the Obamas.

The 74-year-old mogul is known for cruising the high seas with celebrity guests. This time, he was joined by Barack and Michelle Obama, who were vacationing with Oprah Winfrey, Bruce Springsteen, and Tom Hanks.

Last year, Karlie Kloss, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Mariah Carey were all pictured aboard the 454-foot megayacht.

Aly Weisman contributed reporting to an earlier version of this post.

This is David Geffen. He's a founder of DreamWorks SKG, Asylum Records, Geffen Records, and DGC Records. He's worth $7.4 billion.

July '15 A photo posted by David Geffen (@davidgeffen) on May 1, 2016 at 5:47am PDT May 1, 2016 at 5:47am PDT

Source: Forbes

Geffen owns Rising Sun, a 454-foot megayacht that was originally built for Oracle founder Larry Ellison.

Rising Sun last night in Capri A photo posted by David Geffen (@davidgeffen) on Jul 9, 2016 at 11:34pm PDT Jul 9, 2016 at 11:34pm PDT

Geffen bought a half-share in Ellison's yacht in 2007, then another half in 2010, for a total of $590 million.

In the Sea of Cortez A post shared by David Geffen (@davidgeffen) on Nov 4, 2016 at 5:20pm PDT Nov 4, 2016 at 5:20pm PDT

The yacht can accommodate 18 guests and a staff of 55 people. It even has a basketball court.

Rising Sun A photo posted by David Geffen (@davidgeffen) on May 9, 2016 at 5:10pm PDT May 9, 2016 at 5:10pm PDT

It's perfect for entertaining on the high seas.

A photo posted by David Geffen (@davidgeffen) Apr 1, 2016 at 11:05am PDT

Geffen has been touring the islands of French Polynesia over the past few weeks.

Rising Dun in Tahiti A post shared by David Geffen (@davidgeffen) on Mar 12, 2017 at 10:06pm PDT Mar 12, 2017 at 10:06pm PDT

During this time, the Obamas were vacationing at a nearby exclusive resort, The Brando, on the private island of Tetiaroa.

But on Friday, the Obamas were spotted aboard Geffen's yacht, just off the island of Moorea in the South Pacific. The couple spent the morning on the yacht before leaving French Polynesia, according to the photographer.

—Madeline Hill (@mad_hill) April 16, 2017

The Obamas joined Oprah Winfrey, Tom Hanks, and Bruce Springsteen as guests on the boat.

Source: Travel + Leisure

Last summer, Geffen documented all of his celebrity friends who stayed on the yacht. Leonardo DiCaprio was aboard.

Leo on RS A photo posted by David Geffen (@davidgeffen) on May 15, 2016 at 3:21pm PDT May 15, 2016 at 3:21pm PDT

So was Karlie Kloss, who captioned her Instagram photo "The most magnificent weekend with the most extraordinary man."

The most magnificent weekend with the most extraordinary man. A photo posted by @karliekloss on Jun 26, 2016 at 5:27am PDT Jun 26, 2016 at 5:27am PDT

The model partied on the boat with Derek Blasberg and Dasha Zhukova, the wife of Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich.

A photo posted by David Geffen (@davidgeffen) Apr 1, 2016 at 11:04am PDT

Mariah Carey and her then-fiancé, billionaire James Packer, spent the Fourth of July in 2016 on the Rising Sun in Capri.

With Janes Packer, Mariah Carey in Capri July 4 on RS A photo posted by David Geffen (@davidgeffen) on Jul 4, 2016 at 10:58pm PDT Jul 4, 2016 at 10:58pm PDT

Jimmy Iovine of Interscope Records and Beats Electronics had a leisurely breakfast while docked in Capri.

Jimmy Iovine at breakfast in Capri A photo posted by David Geffen (@davidgeffen) on Jul 9, 2016 at 11:39pm PDT Jul 9, 2016 at 11:39pm PDT

Rita Wilson, Gayle King, Paul McCartney, and Oprah also spent time on the yacht ...

A photo posted by David Geffen (@davidgeffen) Apr 9, 2016 at 8:23am PDT

... as well as Julia Roberts and Maria Shriver.

A photo posted by David Geffen (@davidgeffen) Apr 8, 2016 at 9:01am PDT

And even when he's not on his yacht, Geffen is surrounded by a celebrity crowd. Here, he's pictured with Kloss, Princess Beatrice of York, Ivanka Trump, and her husband, Jared Kushner.

A post shared by David Geffen (@davidgeffen) Sep 11, 2016 at 5:12pm PDT

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Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King Take an A-List Vacation on David Geffen's $590 Million Dollar Yacht

Music titan David Geffen had a star-studded party on his yacht last week, which saw A-List names like Oprah Winfrey, Gayle King and Diane Sawyer

Music titan David Geffen had a star-studded party in Italy on his $590 million yacht last week, with A-list celebrities like Oprah Winfrey , Gayle King and Diane Sawyer .

The party was anchored in Sicily near the exclusive Google retreat at the chic Verdura Resort known as “The Camp,” which Geffen attended, The Observer reported.

“Bob, Willow, Gayle, Oprah, Diane, Dasha, DVF. A great week in Sicily,” wrote Geffen for an Instagram snap of the stars.

Oprah —who just launched O, That’s Good! , a line of health-conscious, heat-and-eat foods in collaboration with Kraft Heinz — has joined Geffen on his 454-foot yacht more than once. Back in April, Geffen hosted the media superstar, former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama , rock giant Bruce Springsteen and Tom Hanks , the Business Insider reported .

The Geffen and Asylum Records founder— who is now r eportedly worth $7.7 billion according to Forbes — bought a half share of the luxury boat, known as the Rising Sun, in 2007. He bought the second half in 2010 for a total of $590 million, Forbes also reported .

During the Italian getaway, Oprah, King, Sawyer and Geffen also went out for a lunch on the Italian shore. They were joined by Diane von Furstenbergand husband Barry Diller, Julianna Margulies and husband Keith Lieberthal.

“Diller & DVF, Julianna & Keith, Diane Sawyer, Gayle King, Oprah, and great food at Lo scoglio. Great meal,” the 74-year-old wrote for another Instagram post .

RELATED VIDEO: Oprah Winfrey ’s Next Venture? Weight Watchers Investor

Oil heir Michael Hess, Russian business woman Dasha Zhukova, Disney-CEO, Bob Iger, wife Willow Bay and NBA giant, Kevin Durant also met up with Geffen on the Rising Star boat.

“Michael Hess, Dasha Zhukova and me taken by Bob Iger on Rising Sun. Happiness,” the record producer legend captioned an Instagram photo of he and the group.

“Yes. I am standing. Kevin Durant. Google Camp, Sicily,” he added in another post .

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Hurricane ernesto weakens into tropical storm with 70 mph winds as it moves away from bermuda.

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Hurricane Ernesto weakened into a tropical storm late Saturday as it moved away from Bermuda over open waters of the Atlantic after crossing over the tiny British territory early in the day with heavy rains and strong winds.

Ernesto forced residents to stay indoors, and more than 23,000 people lost power, officials said. By late Saturday, the storm’s maximum sustained winds had decreased to 70 mph (110 kph). It was centered about 140 miles (225 kilometers) northeast of Bermuda and moving north-northeast at 8 mph (13 kph).

The National Hurricane Center had warned of strong winds, a dangerous storm surge and significant coastal flooding for Bermuda.

The center said 7 to 9 inches (17-22.5 centimeters) of rain was expected to fall on Bermuda. “This rainfall will likely result in considerable life-threatening flash flooding, especially in low-lying areas on the island,” it said.

Due to the large size of the storm and its slow movement, gusts sometimes up to hurricane force were expected through Saturday night and tropical storm-strength winds were expected to continue well into Sunday, the Bermuda government said.

Late Saturday afternoon, Michelle Pitcher, director of the Bermuda Weather Service, said wind gusts were still reaching hurricane force. “It’s still quite rough out there,” she said.

A tropical storm warning would remain in place into the night, Pitcher said.

Premier David Burt shared a video on the social media platform X thanking emergency services and encouraging residents to stay inside.

“Overnight, there will still be tropical storm force winds, and we’re asking everyone to please exercise caution,” he said. “Remain at home.”

BELCO, Bermuda’s power company, said over 23,000 customers had no power as of Saturday night.

The hurricane center reported life-threatening surf and rip currents on the East Coast of the United States and Canada. Ernesto was expected to pass near southeastern Newfoundland by Monday night, and possibly could regain hurricane strength, it said.

Lana Morris, manager of Edgehill Manor Guest House in Bermuda, said conditions were calm, though the wind has started to pick up again. “I spoke to my guests, they told me they still have electricity, they have running water, and are comfortable.”

Morris said she has been communicating with her guests via phone. “They do not have internet — but if the network is down, it’s down. They are safe and I’m happy with that.”

Bermuda is an archipelago of 181 tiny islands whose total land mass is roughly the size of Manhattan.

According to AccuWeather, it’s uncommon for the eye of a hurricane to make landfall in Bermuda. It noted that, before today, since 1850 only 11 of 130 tropical storms that came within 100 miles (160 kilometers) of Bermuda had made landfall.

The territory is a renowned offshore financial center with sturdy construction, and given its elevation, storm surge is not as problematic as it is with low-lying islands.

Ernesto previously battered the northeast Caribbean, where it left tens of thousands of people without water in Puerto Rico.

LUMA, Puerto Rico’s national power company, said it had restored more than 1.3 million customers’ electricity 72 hours after the storm’s passage.

After cleaning up and removing debris, the Virgin Islands Department of Education said all public schools would resume operations Monday.

Classes in Puerto Rico’s public schools also were scheduled to start Monday, nearly a week after their original date.

Ernesto is the fifth named storm and the third hurricane of this year’s Atlantic hurricane season.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has predicted an above-average Atlantic hurricane season this year because of record warm ocean temperatures. It forecast 17 to 25 named storms, with four to seven major hurricanes.

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