Late hedge fund billionaire and philanthropist had a 222-foot yacht called Archimedes
James Simons left behind a legacy in mathematics, finance and philanthropy, as well as a massive personal fortune and a yacht, when he passed away at age 86 last week.
The billionaire, who founded the extremely successful hedge fund Renaissance Technologies, built up a personal fortune worth $31.4 billion over the course of his lifetime and used billions of that money for charity, according to Forbes. His charitable organization, the Simons Foundation that he co-founded with wife Marilyn, provides funding for science, education, autism and other areas.
At one point in the 2000s, Simons reportedly used some of his wealth to acquire a yacht for himself. Outlets like the BBC and CNN have identified him over the years as the owner of the Feadship-built Archimedes.
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The yacht, built in 2008, is about 222 feet long and can sail at speeds of up to 16 knots, per BOAT International. In 2018, it received a refit.
The Plymouth Marine Laboratory said in mid-February that Simons and his wife were "support[ing] marine research in some of the most remote and least studied parts of the ocean" with the Archimedes. Scientists affixed a light-measuring instrument to the vessel to help with their research, according to the organization.
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In March, the yacht received a Science & Discovery award at the YCM Explorer Awards in Monaco for its contributions to ocean exploration and research, a Feadship press release said.
FOX Business reached out to the Simons Foundation for comment regarding the yacht.
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Simons and his wife together have dolled out charitable contributions totaling around $6 billion, Forbes reported.
He left his role as chairman of Renaissance Technologies, which operates the Medallion Fund, back in 2021, over a decade after his retirement as the hedge fund’s CEO.