Turkey Rising

—Justin Ratcliffe Africa,

Fueled by high demand combined with the low cost of skilled labor, Turkey’s yachtbuilding industry has enjoyed rapid growth during the past decade or so, and the country has leapt up the global-order-book rankings. This boom was stymied by the recession, but, as in other parts of the world, the downturn served to distinguish yards with the resources to compete on the international market from those that had flourished only when times were good.

Founded in 2007 by Guillaume Roché, a former captain with long experience of building in Turkey, and Herbert Baum, a businessman and yacht owner, Sunrise Yachts is an example of a shipyard that has invested heavily in its long-term future. Before building its first project and sistership to Atomic, the team had to build a shipyard. They chose Antalya in the south of the country principally because of the tax advantages offered by its Free Trade Zone status. There, they set about erecting two 100-meter (328-foot), purpose-built construction halls and a climate-controlled paint shed. They also engaged first-rate designers such as the late Paolo Scanu, Franck Darnet and Espen Øino, along with leading European equipment suppliers.

“Our goal from the very beginning has been to place ourselves in a position between Italy and northern Europe,” Roché said shortly after the facilities were completed. “We don’t want to chase northern European quality, because those people who want it are prepared to pay for it.”

This disclaimer does not mean that Sunrise, or indeed some other yards in Turkey, are incapable of matching German or Dutch quality. But to do so would negate the price advantage provided by skilled labor rates that are around a third lower than those in western Europe; and herein is the basis of the misconception that all Turkish-built yachts are cheap—and possibly sub-par.

Labor may represent less than half the total build cost, especially on a superyacht like Atomic with installed machinery from top international brands such as MTU, Kohler, Quantum and Muir, so to expect to pay 30 percent less than in Europe is both unrealistic and ingenuous. A more balanced interpretation is that a reputable shipyard in Turkey with a proven track record can provide savings of 10 to 15 percent, which still represents very good value for money.

LOA: 147ft. 2in. (44.85m) BEAM: 29ft. 11in. (8.93m) DRAFT: 8ft. 10in. (2.7m) CONSTRUCTION: steel hull/aluminum superstructure DISPLACEMENT: 380 tons GROSS TONNAGE: 499 ENGINES: 2 x 1,070-hp MTU 12V 2000 M70 diesels PROPELLERS: Poseidon BV, 5-blade anti-singing, highly skewed FUEL: 15,850 gal. (60,000L) WATER: 3,567 gal. (13,500L) SPEED (max): 15 knots SPEED (cruising): 12 knots RANGE: 4,000 nm @ 12 knots GENERATORS: 2 x 80kW Kohler 80-EFOZD + 1 x 30 kW Kohler EFOZD STABILIZERS: Quantum QC-1500E P4, 3.0M2 CLASSIFICATION: Lloyd’s Register of Shipping

+ LY2 compliance

Sunrise Yachts/ Karata Yacht Design Ltd. EXTERIOR STYLING: Studio Scanu INTERIOR DESIGN: Franck Darnet Design GUEST CABINS: 5 CREW: 9 in 5 cabins BUILDER: Sunrise Yachts YEAR: 2014