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Turquoise: the makings of a Turkish superyacht dynasty

Newly launched from Proteksan Turquoise , Turquoise has a certain degree of deja vu about her. Seventeen years ago, the Gunay Construction Company, a virtually unknown shipyard in Turkey owned by businessman Mehmet Karabeyoglu, launched its first yacht – an attractive 50 metre called Turquoise . Not only was this first Turquoise (renamed La Naturalle Dee) a great success, cruising the world’s oceans with her American owner, but she also gained an enviable reputation as a yacht for charter .

This success was reflected in the fortunes of yard, which first changed its name to Turquoise Yacht Construction, and in 1997 teamed up with Proteksan Yachts , another progressive Turkish yard, to form Proteksan Turquoise. This new partnership went on to launch yacht after yacht, many of them based on Turquoise’s original design. The company eventually moved to its own modern, purpose-built shipyard in Pendik on the Asian shore of Istanbul, from where the new Turquoise was launched earlier this year.

Like its predecessor, the new 55.4 metre Turquoise was designed by to meet the owner’s need for a combination of worldwide cruising and chartering, as well as satisfying his passion for scuba diving. Turquoise, which is availble for charter,  boasts a highly efficient hull form and a layout that drew heavily on her predecessor, but is by no means identical. Major among the changes was the repositioning of the tenders that were formerly stowed on the main deck aft to two large tender garages on either side of the foredeck, and the freeing up of lazarette space to provide storage room for scuba and fitness gear, as well as an inflatable decompression chamber.

Turquoise has an elegant, masculine look created by her high bow and an almost flat foredeck that runs aft to the vertical windows of the bridge.

The sun deck, which optionally can be shaded by awnings, offers a huge, sinuously curving area paved with sun pads and two facing L-shaped settees under the shade of the radar arch. The bridge and main aft decks provide shade along with some elegant open-air lounging, dining and entertaining spaces. Stairways from the main deck aft give easy access to the bathing platform.

The yacht’s interior ideally serves the owner’s needs as a place to relax and be at ease. The design was created by Julia Busby of HOK Interiors, who has decorated three residences for the owner. She teamed up with Murat Suntay of Suntay Design in Istanbul who has extensive experience with the detailed engineering of yacht interiors. The result combines understated elegance with high practicality and functionality, as well as superlative comfort.

Against a background of figured makoré and sapele woods, contrasted with bright lacquers, pale wool carpets, luxury leathers and a selection of locally sourced marbles, the interior is furnished with cabinetry by local specialist manufacturer Berline. Loose furniture was sourced from quality design houses, while the carefully selected artworks add a well-travelled, eclectic feel. The contemporary artwork ranges from master sculptures by Hepworth and Arp, to glass pieces by Chihuly and Boyadjiev and striking works from up-and-coming artists.

The interior layout, as with all aspects of the yacht, was created around the earlier, well-proven, concept. Four sizeable guest cabins, set amidships on the lower deck, are accessed by a ‘floating staircase’ whose leather-covered frosted treads are cleverly lit from within. The combined saloon and dining saloon on the main deck is slightly more formal than the upper deck saloon, which is particularly spacious, thanks to the lack of side decks at this level. The presence of a grand piano, games table, elegant plank floor and television mark this area out as a family living room and the likely hub of any cruise, private or charter.

The owner’s suite is forward on the main deck and is tailored to the family’s needs with a large en suite bedroom for the owner’s son in addition to a full-beam master suite and a huge full-beam bathroom forward. The captain’s cabin is aft of the bridge, while the crew quarters are located forward of the guest area on the lower deck.

Because of the slender hull shape responsible for the yacht’s speed and efficiency, the bilges are necessarily shallow, which means that the limited space on the tank deck is accessible only by a hatch. Nevertheless, this deck still provides a surprisingly large area for cold stores, a wine cellar and dry goods storage, which gives Turquoise enviable self-sufficiency for the long-duration cruises anticipated by her owner.

Yachts that plan to cruise in out-of-the-way places need to be reliable, and with this in mind, all machinery and technical areas aboard Turquoise were developed with the guiding principle that they should use well-tested machinery and favour manual operation over complex automated systems. However, charting is fully electronic ECDIS that is integrated with the yacht’s radars, while the boat’s tenders and personal watercraft are fitted with electronic tracking devices that plot their position on the chart display.

The engine room is neatly and spaciously laid out, its wiring and pipework all marked up, while the yacht’s widespread use of highly efficient LED lighting with its low power consumption and minimal heat output reduces its power requirement to an economical 300 kilowatts.

The launch of Turquoise , together with a clutch of other distinguished superyachts, substantiates Proteksan’s leading position in Turkey. This owner certainly believes that the deja vu experience of the first Turquoise will continue, and that, at two-thirds of the price of a Northern European yacht, she represents good value for money.

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Superyacht Turquoise Finds New Owner

By Ben Roberts

One of the more renowned Turquoise -built superyachts on the water, this 55-metre (181’9” ft) comes from an era of art deco style with a stripped-back exterior and true global appeal. This attraction of true versatility was proven somewhat yesterday after being announced as sold by her brokers at IYC .

Her profile on the water is distinctive but reserved. After cruising the waters since 2011, the reputation of Turquoise precedes her and has enjoyed a successful charter career with international spotlights on both television and front covers across the world.

Following a refit in 2014, Turquoise’s updated H2 -designed interiors accommodate 12 guests in comfort and opulence; boasting a grand array of interior furnishings with a neutral colour palette that offers warmth and homeliness through a seamless interior finish.

The twelve on board have everything at hand, from exterior spaces for evening dining and relaxation to ample space and total comfort on board with a highly-skilled crew of thirteen.

Listed at an asking price of $22,500,000, Turquoise was sold between in-house brokers Katya Grzeszczak and Frank Grzeszczak, and will now head out across the ocean with a new owner in a new chapter of life on the water.

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New Owner for Turkish super yacht builder Proteksan Turquoise

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Written by Zuzana Bednarova

Mohammed Al Barwani has acquired a majority stake in the prestigious Turkish super yacht manufacturer, Proteksan Turquoise . This represents the second major investment in the super yacht industry for Dr Barwani, who has been the owner of the premier Dutch shipyard Oceanco since 2010.

Luxury mega yacht Vicky built by Proteksan Turquoise

“This is a strategic investment to capitalise on the differentiated opportunities in the super yacht industry” says Dr. Barwani . When asked about possible operational synergies, he was clear that the two yards will be kept separate and independent. “ We will fully respect the differences between these two brands. Each has its own distinct strength. And that’s exactly why I have invested in them both.”

Proteksan Turquoise will focus on yachts between 40 metres and 80 metres whilst Oceanco builds above 80 meters. “But length is only part of it,” he says. “Different owner segments have different needs and the best way to meet these needs is through differentiated strategies.”

Proteksan Turquoise was established in 2001 by Mehmet Karabeyoglu and his late partner Hayati Kahmi. The yard at Tuzla, outside Istanbul, employs a highly skilled workforce which has built twenty super yachts including motor yacht Talisman , superyacht Vicky and luxury yacht Ileria , launched in 2011, 2012 and 2013 respectively.

“This is great news for the yard,” says Mehmet Karabeyoglu, CEO of Proteksan Turquoise. “Mohammed Al Barwani has a great track record in business with successful investments in a wide range of industries as diverse as petroleum, mining, engineering, hotels and insurance.”

Turkey has a highly skilled workforce with a long tradition in shipbuilding. Proteksan Turquoise is considered to be the leading Turkish yard. Dr. Barwani spoke of plans to enhance this reputation further by combining leading edge design and innovative engineering with enhanced quality control and management systems.

“This is an exciting project and I very much look forward to launching future projects as well as yachts currently under construction.”

Please contact CharterWorld - the luxury yacht charter specialist - for more on superyacht news item "New Owner for Turkish super yacht builder Proteksan Turquoise ".

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