Driven To Win
VICTORIOUS
The largest new yacht to come out of Turkey is an explorer billed for world circumnavigation that also includes the usual jacuzzis, gym, steam room and cinema. But it’s the more unusual features on 279ft Victorious that made it stand out among 2021’s launches at Monaco. Victorious began life in Northern Chile in 2007 as a 253ft build that was never completed. New Zealand businessman Graeme Hart eventually took on the project, shipping the yacht to Auckland before deciding two years later to build the 351ft Ulysses instead.
In 2016, Victorious was rediscovered by serial yachtsman Vural Ak. An automotive enthusiast with many classic and supercars in his private collection, Ak established Turkish shipyard Akyacht in order to complete the build, as well as other superyachts going forward. His previous boats include the 164ft Dr No No by CRN and several performance vessels, including a 118-footer he still owns, so Ak knew precisely what he wanted. Delivered just ahead of the Monaco show, Victorious is a highly personalised yacht that’s also designed for the charter market.
Boasting an immense 2,291 gross tons of interior volume, the motor yacht includes 11 guest suites and designated family areas. Twenty-six feet were added to the stern for a swimming pool, while a kids’ playroom takes up significant real estate on the main deck. The commercial galley, rarely seen on a yacht of this size, is as unusual as the full-beam VIP stateroom.
UK-based H2 Yacht created the interior, filling what amounted to empty spaces throughout the yacht with the owner’s specific requests. White oak and teak are used with darker Macassar accents, silver travertine defines the corridors and stairways and Calacatta marble is used in other wet areas to maximum effect. Back-lit onyx has been implemented in several areas to enhance the design.
It’s impossible to miss the automotive references sprinkled throughout the interior. Each of the 11 cabins is named after a Formula 1 racetrack, for example, including the aft-facing owner’s suite on the upper deck, Intercity Istanbul Park – also owned by Ak – that features a jacuzzi and private terrace. The other stateroom on the bridge deck is designated as a hospital room (a COVID-era necessity) with medical equipment and an independent ventilation system.
But the real treat is the club room on the sundeck, with a large wood fireplace flanked by a pair of giant mahogany-covered speakers, curved sofas, a humidor and a wine cellar. The sundeck’s aft dining table remains under cover, complete with heaters for colder climates. “The boat will be used in summer, but the sundeck is primed for winter – that makes it a yearround boat,” says Kivanç Nart, project manager at Akyacht.
Fourteen years in the making, Victorious’s debut on the yacht circuit is certainly worthy of its name.