METAVERSE: Virtual megayachts in ‘virtual marina’

Lazy Eight Yacht Club (L8YC), the first NFT project of its kind, is launching an online and real-world community of virtual megayacht owners. The mint date is still to be decided.

A team of three millennial co-founders are behind the new venture, having found a way to bring their passion for NFTs and the water into one project. CEO and co-founder Arin Alesauskas has been entrepreneurial from a young age and grew up in an island town where he developed a love for the water.

“I have started numerous businesses throughout my life, including landscaping and property maintenance where I would service and manage multi-million dollar estates,” he says.

He is supported by COO and co-founder Gunnar Dunbar, who worked as a cryptological technician for the US Navy. He has technical expertise in AI, stock trading, cryptocurrency ICO prediction and web development.

The third team member, chief marketing officer Oriana Schneps, has experience in managing luxury yachts and eight years trading and investing in cryptocurrencies. Her background is in the start-up world.

“As a group, we prioritise collaboration, empowerment and individual creativity and have seen first hand the power it has to bring about innovative ideas and developments,” Alesauskas explains.

The NFT mint will provide holders with full access to both the interior and exterior of the digital yachts they own, with a traversable interior and luxurious amenities like cigar lounges, pools and casinos.

The initial launch consists of 8,888 megayachts, with the opportunity for the first 20 holders to attend an all-inclusive party in Florida on real-world yachts, with drinks, celebrity appearances and luxury prizes.

“L8YC is the chance for members to become part of an elite community. We are attracting like-minded individuals to our project, emphasising opportunities for investors, entrepreneurs and boat-lovers. We plan to host events and celebrations around the world. Plus, within the metaverse, we are developing an inclusive marina area which will serve as the heart of our community and as a space for holders and other projects to call home within the virtual world.”

L8YC has pledged to donate US$800,000 of its revenue to non-profit organisations that specialise in marine life, distributing the donations across The New England Aquarium, Teamseas, Oceana and 4Ocean.

Find out more: l8yachtclub.io