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The Maltese Falcon Arrives in San Francisco
Even jaded San Franciscans, use to wealthy excess, were awe-struck this Saturday when the world's largest private yacht, the Maltese Falcon sailed into the Bay. The 289-foot sailing yacht is owned by local venture capitalist, Tom Perkins who had the vessel built in Turkey then sailed around the world to his Marin County home in Belvedere. The Maltese Falcon features computerized 191-foot masts that spread 15 sails and nearly a 26,000-square feet of canvas. The yacht carries two 32-foot tenders to ferry passengers to and from shore.

Inside the luxury ship are accommodations for 12 guests and a crew of 20. There are two VIP suites, 50-inch televisions, a private gym and even a Maserati car. The yacht has a range of 3,000 miles and a top speed of 18.5 knots per hour. Perkens places the value of the ship as between $150 and $300 million. If you're interested, you can charter the Maltese Falcon yourself. The price is just over half a million dollars per week.
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