Three new builds from Proteksan Turquoise made a big splash on the charter scene—and there’s more to come by 2012. We take a closer look at their distinct personalities.
Three new megayachts from the same builder is a highly unusual sight at a boat show, but that’s exactly the presence that Proteksan Turquoise had at the 2011 MYBA charter show in Genoa, Italy. The Turkish builder splashed the 190-foot (58-meter) Baraka in mid-2010 and followed her quickly in early 2011 with deliveries of the 181-foot (55-metr) Turquoise and the 197-foot (60-meter) Yogi (on our cover). All three yachts were thus new to the Mediterranean charter scene for summer 2011, making Proteksan, for the first time, the dominant brand at a major charter show.
“What is nice about these Proteksan boats is that each is different, with an interior of the owner’s complete choosing,” says Baraka’s Capt. Renzo Chelazzi. “These boats have their own styles. It is not one yard working with the same designer again and again.”
Indeed. Baraka has a modern décor and an accommodations plan designed primarily to suit the owner’s family. The master and VIP cabins are on the main deck with four additional guest cabins belowdecks. Each of the guest cabins has a king-size bed, and one of the starboard cabins is wheelchair accessible—as are many of the spaces throughout the yacht, including the elevator. The idea is to have an onboard lifestyle that all guests can enjoy, regardless of personal mobility needs. The sun deck aboard Baraka is also noteworthy, as it features a 14-seat dining table, hot tub and sauna. These amenities set her onboard experience apart from that of Turquoise, whose top-deck amenities are more specific to sun worshipping.
While many people are likely to appreciate Baraka’s inviting amenities, the yacht is expected to be one of the most exclusive yachts for charter within the Burgess fleet. “Because our interior is very elegant and modern, we are not interested in anyone hosting parties,” Chelazzi says. “Family charters—that is what we want.” The approach to charter reflects the owner’s idea of an elegant onboard experience that is appropriate for all ages.
Turquoise, part of the Fraser Yachts fleet, offers a similar ambiance in a different package. She was built for a repeat owner who ordered his first yacht from a then little-known builder in Turkey in 1994 (the shipyard later became Proteksan Turquoise). The first Turquoise (since renamed La Naturalle Dee) was on the charter market, and her successor reprises some of the features that made her a successful private and charter yacht. Like Baraka, she has both a master suite and a VIP cabin on the main deck, but her four belowdecks guest cabins are built with a combination of king, queen and twin beds. The décor is contemporary and eclectic, featuring everything from Japanese-style paper to Cubist, Impressionist and Abstract Expressionist art. Blasts of colors make the interior feel dynamic and crisp. A group of adults would be quite comfortable chartering Turquoise, and the yacht would make a lovely platform for a cocktail party.
Some of the interesting charter features include a Yamaha Baby Grand in the skylounge and a self-playing Clarinova in the master suite. The sun deck aboard Turquoise is also noteworthy, with a large sun pad that runs from the hot tub far forward all the way beyond the radar arch amidships. The width of this sprawling cushion is, in some cases, more than half the sun deck’s beam—ideal for sun worshipping. Turquoise takes good care of the owners, the guests and the crew, with comfortable spaces, appropriate to their use.
Yogi stands apart from Baraka and Turquoise not only in décor and amenities, but also in general design. She is an expedition-style yacht with an additional deck for guest use. Like Baraka, Yogi is part of the Burgess charter fleet, and Yogi’s owner hopes that his yacht will be among the most actively booked in the company.
“We decided from the beginning to have her as a charter yacht, and we thought about features that clients would want to see on the boat,” says Yogi Captain Frédéric Castaignos. “It is fortunate that many of the things the owner wanted are likely to be popular for chartering as well.”
Of the three yachts, Yogi was designed with the forethought to appeal to the broadest possible number of people, as opposed to an owner’s specific desires. Yogi does not have Baraka’s wheelchair accessibility or Turquoise’s eclectic artwork, but she does offer two teak beaches, one in the stern and the other starboard aft, to give swimmers and Jet Skiers different access platforms from the water. There’s also a dedicated massage room, an enclosed and air-conditioned lounge on the sun deck and a 13-by-16-foot swimming pool that’s just deep enough to keep children safe and happy. Indoor amenities include Apple TV with iPod controls for each guest and a smart television display in the main-deck foyer where charterers can view the day’s menus, itinerary, weather forecast and more.
“The owner of Yogi believes that charter comes first,” Castaignos says. “We had a Monaco Grand Prix charter booked before we even launched, and we will be going to the Caribbean for the winter season to take as many charter bookings as possible.”
Without question, these three motoryachts exemplify the versatility of the Proteksan Turquoise yard, as well as the level of customization that owners can enjoy. Each end result is highly personalized, though completed to a level that suits the marketplace well.
All three of the Proteksans were well received at the Genoa show, an annual showcase for charter professionals, but Yogi’s unassuming décor and plethora of charter-friendly amenities—which make her easiest for brokers to sell to a wide variety of clients—was especially well received. Her unusual layout creates a plethora of entertainment spaces for all size groups.
When asked if similar amenities will be encouraged aboard future builds, Mehmet Karabeyoglu of Proteksan Turquoise said the yard does consult with owners on yachts that are likely to go into charter, but that primary emphasis is placed on features that will help each yacht hold its resale value.
“When we are asked, we warn clients sometimes not to go in the wrong direction, a direction that would make marketing the boat for charter or resale difficult,” Karabeyoglu says. “So far, our boats have been very easy to charter, so what we have done seems correct.”
He says that most clients request yachts with Turquoise and Baraka’s traditional layout and the yard has no current inquiries for another yacht with Yogi’s expedition-type plan. The shipyard, he adds, is happy to discuss any vision that a yacht owner has and selects strong project managers to execute each project to the owner’s specifications, no matter how different they are.
From Turquoise to Yogi and the recently splashed 231-foot (70-meter) Talisman C, the shipyard is showing quite a range. The 258-foot (73-meter) Vicky, due to launch in 2012 features amenities such as private balconies and a towering atrium. While steering clients in the right direction, Proteksan Turquoise seems to be heading down the right path as well.
For more information, visit proteksan-turquoise.com
BARAKA
LOA: 190ft. 11in. (58.2m)
Beam: 31ft. 6in. (9.6m)
Draft (full load): 10ft. 10in. (3.3m)
Engines: 2 x CAT 3512B 2 @ 1,911hp
Speed (max.) @ 10 percent: 17 knots
Speed (cruising): 15 knots
Stabilizers: zero-speed
Classification: MCA, ABS, XA1, E, XAMS, Yachting Service
Exterior styling: H2 Yacht Design
Interior design: Francesco Paszkowski Design
Winter cruising: inquire
Number of guests: 12
Charter company: Burgess Yachts
Contact: burgessyachts.com
TURQUOISE
LOA: 181ft. 9in. (55.4m)
Beam: 30ft. 6in. (9.3m)
Draft (full load): 10ft. 2in. (3.1m)
Engines: 2 x 1,500 bhp
Speed (max.) @ 10 percent: 17 knots
Speed (cruising): 14 knots
Stabilizers: 2 x 4 m² fin Quantum QC-1800
Classification: MCA, LR X 100A1 SSC, G6, LMC, UMS
Exterior styling: Dubois Naval Architects/ Proteksan Turquoise
Interior design: HOK Design and Suntay Design
Winter cruising: Caribbean
Number of guests: 12
Charter company: Fraser Yachts
Contact: fraseryachts.com
YOGI
LOA: 197ft. 6in. (60.2m)
Beam: 30ft. 10in. (9.4m)
Draft (full load): 10ft. 10in. (3.3m)
Engines: 2 x 1,911-bhp CAT 3512B
Speed (max.) @ 10 percent: 16 knots
Speed (cruising): 12 knots
Stabilizers: 2 x 4 m² fin Quantum QC-1800
Classification: MCA, ABS, +A1, +AMS, Commercial Yachting Services, (E)
Exterior styling: Proteksan Turquoise/Jean Guy Vergès
Interior design: Jean Guy Vergès
Winter cruising: Caribbean
Number of guests: 12
Charter company: Burgess Yachts
Contact: burgessyachts.com
