Lawyers have Steve Jobs yacht seized over designer payment
updated 10:03 am EST, Fri December 21, 2012
Jobs family insists designer owed less money
The Venus, a yacht commissioned by late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, has been seized in Amsterdam at the behest of lawyers for its designer, Philippe Starck, Dutch reports say. Bailiffs boarded Venus last week with a court order; the boat is now chained to its dock, and port authorities have been informed that it can't depart. At issue is a dispute with Jobs' family over how much Starck is owed for his work.
The yacht was originally projected to cost 150 million euros. The Jobs family, however, is claiming that the final cost is only 105 million, an amount that would dramatically reduce Starck's pay, since the designer is due 6 percent of the boat's value. Starck is claiming the 9 million euros he would be owed for a 150 million euro pricetag, while the Jobs family is insisting that he be paid closer to 6 million.
Steve Jobs originated the design of the Venus after returning from a cruise between Italy and Turkey, but died before the ship could be revealed to the public. The craft is 80 meters long and, like many Apple products, built mainly of aluminum and glass. It even relies on 27-inch iMacs for functions like navigation. After his death, Jobs' widow, Laurene, met with Starck to finish construction.




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"the boat is now chained to its dock"
Damn those Kensington locks!