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.
NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 15: Marilyn Simons and Jim Simons attend 2023 CSHL Double Helix Medals Dinner at American Museum of Natural History on November 15, 2023 in New York. (Photo by Patrick McMullan via Getty Images) (Patrick McMullan via Getty Images / Getty Images)
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 as the owner of the Feadship-built Archimedes over the years.
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.
HOBOKEN, NJ - MAY 28: The yacht Archimedes sails in the Hudson River as storm clouds pass over midtown Manhattan in New York City on May 28, 2019 as seen from Hoboken, New Jersey. (Photo by Gary Hershorn/Getty Images) (Gary Hershorn/Getty Images / Getty Images)
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.
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.