The person willing to keep their hand on a vintage Bayliner the longest took the boat home for free
If you've ever been on YouTube, you've probably come across Mr. Beast. He is not only the world's most popular 'YouTuber' with a staggering 140 million subscribers, he's also a pretty charitable dude.
Mr. Beast, aka Jimmy Donaldson, has quickly become an American media giant. He entertains the masses while also being giving away massive sums of money to random strangers and businesses alike. His philanthropic ventures can be both professional and entertainment-based - depending on the challenge he and his team cook up -- but the end result is always based around spreading joy. Some of his professional ventures include his #TeamTrees fundraising challenge with NASA engineer Mark Rober, while one of his most popular videos is the Last to Leave the Circle Wins $500,000 challenge, which accumulated a ridiculous 120 million views.
Donaldson's latest challenge is right up every boater's alley- winning a free boat. In a classic Mr. Beast-style video, he convinces some pals to take on a challenge. It's a simple premise - they must keep their hand on a boat. The last person with a hand on the hull, wins the boat with no strings attached.
If the concept seems vaguely familiar, some millenials may remember the classic That 70's Show episode where Kelso wins a VW bus in the 'Hand On A Van' radio contest. Now, a couple caveats. Mr. Beast and his crew refer to the boat as a mini-yacht, which is both amusing but partly true. By all appearances it seems to be a 1998 Bayliner Ciera 2855. So it's not exactly a brand new Sea Ray, but it's not a bad prize either. Best price in town. The other detail is that in order to win, participants must endure various mini-challenges. Some examples include being forced to wear a weighted vest while standing in the water (with a hand still on the swim platform), or being forced to wear binoculars to impair your vision and increase your chances of becoming disconnected from the boat.
The video even includes a tour of the Ciera before they delve into the challenge, and I must say, for a 1998 Bayliner the boat looks solid. The exterior and interior look sharp. They test out the electronics and the amenities (the sink works!). The film crew says the boat is worth $10,000, which seems about right for its age and condition, but the price tag is even better if you can get it for free.
Check out the challenge below. The participants last longer than you'd think.
