This Superyacht Is First of Its Kind. A Big Name May Buy It

A world first is expected to hit the high seas in another four years or so, and the world's sometimes-richest man may be placing an order for it. The Guardian and Telegraph reported that Aqua, a 370-foot superyacht designed by Sander Sinot and worth about $640 million, was purchased by none other than Bill Gates, who has never owned his own luxury ocean vessel (he usually just rents them). What makes this yacht special: It's the first to be fueled by liquid hydrogen, though the Telegraph notes there will be a diesel backup system, as there aren't many hydrogen-refueling stations around. The five-deck superyacht, which can hold 31 crew members and 14 passengers, is set to be able to travel at a top speed of 20mph and for around 3,750 miles—about the distance from New York to London—before having to "gas up."

But it's not completely clear if Gates has really signed off on ownership: Sinot tells the BBC the superyacht "is a concept under development and has not been sold to Mr Gates," that the company has "no business relationship" with the Microsoft co-founder, and that Aqua is "not linked" to Gates or any of his reps. No comment yet from Gates. Whoever ends up scooping it up, Forbes has more on design details and amenities, including descriptions of the owner's pavilion (complete with a dressing room and private spa), an indoor health and wellness center with a hydro-massage room, and a circular staircase that leads from the top deck all the way down to the lower one, where the two tanks that house the boat-fueling liquid hydrogen are kept. Sinot's architects say the boat's design was said to have drawn "inspiration from the lifestyle of a discerning, forward-looking owner," per the Telegraph. (More Bill Gates stories.)