Few events have ever affected yachting as much as the sinking of the 60 meter Yogi. The largest yacht to ever sink, its wreck strongly hit the Turkish shipbuilding sector and made owners take a hard look at their insurances and dangers, even though no one was hurt. Despite the accident, Yogi was no less of an exceptional yacht.
Yogi was the largest yacht ever built by up and coming Turkish shipyard, Proteksan Turquoise at the time of her delivery in 2011. Reminiscent of an explorer style yacht through her design by Jean Guy Verges, Yogi featured oversized portholes in her hull that brought in tons of flight into the yacht's cabins.
Built for Stephane Courbit, a French media and TV millionaire valued at €450 million, Yogi was built to be operated as a charter yacht part of its hotel collection. Maximizing space, the yacht had many amenities for her size including a swimming pool, beach club, wellness center and media room.
Yet, on February 17th 2012, just as the yacht was days out of leaving the yard where it was undergoing warrantied maintenance work, it sank in the Aegean sea. The weather was particularly difficult during that day and yet it seems to be an engine failure that, tied to a number of circumstantial events, led to the 60-meter yacht sinking to the bottom of the Mediterranean.
The report did, however, clear Proteksan in the quality of its build, focusing on what was a mixture of human oversight and extreme conditions. A Turkish investigations arrived at similar conclusions. Manned by a skeleton crew of 8 during this voyage, it took an hour to evacuate by helicopter the yacht's crew as seas at their peek featured waves of up to 7 meters.
The largest yacht to have ever cruised with the French flag, Yogi was part of Courbit's Lov Collection, a holding company that includes the Les Airelles palace in Courchevel as well as the Pan Dei hotel in St Tropez. Built with charter in mind to its existing and new clientele, the yacht commanded prices of up to €378,000 per week and featured 800 square meter of interior space in a particularly luxurious interior.
A key element in Yogi's design was her large pool with overflow that sat aft of the yacht's main deck, directly on top of its beach club. In the middle of the pool was a glass porthole that flooded the area underneath with light. All around the pool were lounging pads for Yogi's guest to take in the sun when the yacht was anchored off in a bay.
To complement the swimming pool aft of the main deck, a Jacuzzi was also placed aft of the sundeck, for guests that wanted to enjoy the sun in a hot tub. Also surrounded by sunpads, these feature a common beige design throughout the yacht with colored pillows. Same can be said for the customizable lounging area aft of the upper deck.
On the inside, Yogi was reminiscent of Courbit's luxurious hotels. Featuring a beige and creme tone throughout the yacht, the 60-meter was fitted with floor to ceiling windows that visually increased the size of its 800 square meters of interior space. Its main salon was structured into a lounging area and a TV sector with a wide screen built into the wall.
Stretching across the full beam of the yacht, Yogi's master bedroom was no less spectacular with both lots of light and space. A king sized bed throned in the middle of the suite with access through a central corridor to a dressing room and his and hers bathrooms.
The yacht's guest accommodation didn't also pale in comparison with the owner's stateroom. Finished in the same style, the double and twin guest cabins could be connected or separated through double sliding doors. In total, Yogi could accommodate a total of 12 guests across 6 cabins.
Tall windows could be found throughout the yacht and were a real differentiating factor from competition on the market for Yogi. 'The idea was to have a yacht that could be chartered and run just like a resort.' detailed its designer, Jean Guy Verges in a later interview. 'She has been designed to the specific request of her owner. I think this jewel offered more than you would expect of a yacht her size.'
Another interesting amenity of Yogi was her observational lounge up on the sun deck. Finished throughout in glass, the area boasted a 180 degree view into the yacht's surroundings through a climate controlled environment. Equipped with custom furniture from the likes of Hermes, this media lounge separated the sun deck into a Jacuzzi and a raised dinning area.
Down on the upper deck, which also featured a covered dinning room, guests would find an extensive lounging pad with tiles that could be raised or flattened to create lounging chairs or sun beds. Connected to iPods and iPhones, which in 2011 was still rare, Yogi featured an advanced system for her time with TVs that slid out even in front of lounging pads.
Viewed by many as a step forward for the Turkish yacht building sector and as an endorsement of their quality, when Yogi sank, the whole country took a hit. By 2011, yacht owners and charters had started outgrowing the stigma of building in Turkey and the market was picking up for local builders. In fact Yogi was the largest yacht ever built by Proteksan.
Yogi's delivery was followed weeks after by their newest flagship, a 70.5-meter reminiscent of a Dutch-build quality, Talisman C. Shortly after it followed the 72-meter Vicky and it looked like Turkey would emerge as a yacht building destination. This all ended when Yogi sank in February 2012 and owners' stigma towards Turkey developed once again.
Although some Turkish shipyards continued to prosper, many faded down their ambitions in a global recession. This ultimately culminated with the acquisition of Proteksan Turquoise by Dutch-based Oceanco. Backed by billionaire investor Mohammed Al Barwani, the Dutch superyacht builder since set out on a mission to make the yard competitive and got an order for a 77-meter yacht now under build.
Having initially started his career in television in the 1990s, Stephane Courbit where he built a reputation, eventually starting his own production company behind hits such as Miss France. Eventually acquired by Dutch holding Endemol, Courbit exited from the company in 2001.
His LOV Group currently includes companies in the audiovisual space with several production companies behind some of France's most popular game shows. Other investments include several betting sites, which he started in acquiring in 2007. One of his fastest growing divisions has now becomes the Airelles collection of hotels.
After investing nearly $200 million into the purchase and renovation of the five star Courchevel palace, Les Airelles, Courbit acquired the Pan Dei Palace in St Tropez. His hotel portfolio then grew with the Bastide de Gordes in 2014. Two more Airelles hotels are set to open in the next two years, one in Versailles and one in Val d'Isiere.
Southern Wind has delivered the SW96 Liberty after successful sea trials. The latest addition to its fleet designed by Farr Yacht Design and Nauta Design, Liberty emphasizes racing while maintaining luxury. The owner, a European yachtsman on his second Southern Wind Yacht, expressed his satisfaction after his first sailing experience in Cape Town. Built with a foam core and infused carbon skins, Liberty boasts a lightship displacement of 62 tonnes, ensuring excellent speed even in light air. Her Hall Spars high-modulus carbon mast and boom, along with EC6+ carbon rigging, enhance her performance further.Featuring full water lines and a lifting keel, Liberty is easy to control in various conditions. Her raised saloon layout and panoramic windows provide ample light, complemented by the largest hull portlights in the series. The deck showcases the latest Southern Wind “Twin Fold” transom.With three guest cabins and a spacious owner's suite, Liberty offers comfort alongside exhilarating performance.Now SW96 Liberty embarks on her 7500 mile Maiden Voyage from Cape Town to the Mediterreanean Sea.Southern Wind is a boutique bluewater sailing yacht shipyard founded in Cape Town in 1991. Since its foundation, SWS has specialized in the production of semi-custom high-performance superyachts.Credits: Southern Wind
April 23, 2024
Yonca Shipyard, a renowned builder of state-of-the-art composite vessels with a strong presence in the defense sector, has announced the launch of Mishi Yachts, a new brand targeting the sailing superyacht market.With a sprawling facility covering 44,000 square meters, half of which is under cover, Yonca Shipyard is equipped to construct vessels up to 160 ft in length and weighing over 400 tonnes. The yard's cutting-edge construction capabilities enable the production of up to 20 naval and leisure yachts annually.While excelling in various materials, Yonca's expertise lies in high-speed composite vessels, renowned for their robustness, seaworthiness, and impressive top speeds ranging from 40 to 80 knots.Şakir YılmaztürkChairman and founder, Şakir Yılmaztürk, expressed the shipyard's enthusiasm for venturing into the leisure marine sector. "Yonca Shipyard is esteemed in the defense industry and has served as the builder behind other esteemed yachting brands," said Yılmaztürk. "With 36 years of honed skills and capabilities, we are delighted to introduce Mishi Yachts, focusing on luxury sailing superyachts."Mishi Yachts' debut offerings include designs for an 88 ft and a 102 ft luxury sailing yacht, embodying the expertise and craftsmanship synonymous with Yonca Shipyard. The yard collaborates with renowned naval architects and designers to ensure superior performance and enduring quality.Yonca's proficiency in complex mold design and flawless composite work positions it as a leader in the industry. From CNC milling to vacuum infusion, the yard's meticulous approach ensures impeccable standards in fiberglass construction. Additionally, its finishing capabilities, including woodworking and stainless steel fabrication, further attest to its commitment to excellence.Mishi Yachts management board: Şakir Yılmaztürk, Erdem Yılmaztür and Didem Yılmaztürk Ulusoy"We are driven by the same passion and dedication that fueled our inception in 1986," stated Yılmaztürk. "Our reputation for composite craftsmanship and engineering excellence positions us to seize opportunities in the superyacht market. We look forward to delivering exceptional vessels that embody the essence of Mishi Yachts."Founded in 1986, Yonca Shipyard aimed to lead in fast boat design and advanced composites. Despite doubts, handcrafted boats reflected our vision. Now an industrial-scale enterprise, the shipyard produces cutting-edge pleasure, commercial, and naval craft. Yonca Shipyard delivered more than 180 ships and boats, specializing in fast interceptor craft and patrol boats for defense and law enforcement agencies.Credits: Pozitif Studio/Yonca Shipyard
April 23, 2024
On April 22nd, the Boatbuilding Technology Centre, the House of Swan in Pietarsaari, Finland, witnessed the launch of the first unit of the Swan 88 featuring hybrid electric propulsion. The Swan 88 is a groundbreaking model, meticulously developed to offer a hybrid electric propulsion option in collaboration with Torqeedo. This innovative project continues the successful partnership with German Frers for Naval Architecture, Misa Poggi for Interior Design, and Lucio Micheletti, Micheletti + Partners, for the exterior styling.A defining feature of this new project is the coachroof's shape, inspired by the wind, boasting essential and dynamic lines. The transom beckons to the 'Beach Club' swim platform. With a focus on space, functional quality, and on-board comfort, both indoors and outdoors, the Swan 88 is designed to impress. Natural light floods in from the stunning 'atrium' companionway, coachroof, and hull windows, providing a bright interior ambiance.The Swan 88 offers Owners a super-smart opportunity to reduce running costs through chartering. This performance maxi design ingeniously complies with the critical 24-meter load line length rule for light MCA charter regulations. Nautor Swan's decision to develop this vessel aims to offer a true performance superyacht based on an efficient platform, minimizing management costs, and simplifying the charter certification process.Dedicated cruising appendages include a moderate draught fin T-keel of 4 meters and twin rudders, providing advantages such as reduced draught, enhanced safety, and excellent sailing balance. The hull and deck boast full carbon fiber epoxy construction, utilizing Sprint® lamination technology and the yard's advanced carbon mold technology."The Swan 88 marks an important milestone for the shipyard's production. It's the first hybrid propulsion yacht, showcasing our constant collaboration with Torqeedo and contributing to the study and development of similar features across the entire range, not just maxi yachts," says Giovanni Pomati, Nautor Group CEO. "This significant new model, of which we will launch the second unit in a few days, epitomizes Swan's 360-degree essence, the DNA that has made our boats recognizable worldwide for 58 years, and we are immensely proud of it."The Swan 88 will make its global debut at the Cannes Yachting Festival from September 10-15 and the Monaco Yacht Show from September 25-28.Nautor Swan was founded in 1966 in Pietarsaari, Finland. The builder entered the superyacht market in 1999. Since then, the yard has continued building high-performance sailing yachts in three different lines; ClubSwan, Swan Yachts and Maxi Swan Yachts. Credits: Nautor Swan
April 23, 2024
On Saturday, April 20, Heesen announced the delivery of YN 20150 Cinderella Noel IV, following rigorous trials in the North Sea. The owners christened their yacht on December 23, 2023, marking an unforgettable moment for all shipyard employees and subcontractors involved in the construction.Stefan Zucker and Sven Stark, the clients' surveyors and project managers, expressed their appreciation for the shipyard's efforts, stating: "We have hardly experienced such intense involvement of clients ever before."Cinderella Noel IV stands out not only for her exceptional design but also for her owners' deep involvement. With a passion for sailing, the clients actively participated in the yacht's creation, bringing practical and technical insights from years of experience on the water.During three days of sea trials in challenging conditions, Cinderella Noel IV surpassed all expectations. Captain Bob van Zundert praised her swift responses and exceptional handling, even in rough seas.Built on a proven engineering platform, Cinderella Noel IV integrates a hybrid propulsion system chosen by the owner to minimize environmental impact. Heesen's hybrid system, powered by twin MTU 8V4000 M63 main engines and Danfoss electric motors, ensures cleaner, quieter, and more efficient cruising.Rick van de Wetering, Heesen's Chief Operating Officer, expressed pride in the collaboration with the owners and their teams, highlighting the strong bond formed during the 41-month construction period. He concluded, "On behalf of everyone at the shipyard, we wish them fair winds and following seas on their wonderful yacht."Heesen Yachts is a Dutch ship building company that specializes in custom-built superyachts in aluminum and steel from 30m to 70m in size. Founded in 1978, it has launched more than 170 yachts since its inception.Credits: Ruben Griffioen/Heesen Yachts
April 22, 2024
The Italian Sea Group (TISG) has been honored with the "Best Performing Large Size Company" award at the Alychlo Awards 2024, marking its third consecutive win in this category.TISG secured the recognition for its outstanding turnover and EBITDA results, which ranked as the best in its reference category.The awards ceremony took place at the enchanting Pairi Daiza, a renowned botanical garden and zoo, bringing together 160 guests, including entrepreneurs and managers from companies in which Alychlo, the family investment company of Belgian entrepreneur Marc Coucke, invests.The Alychlo Awards celebrate companies, individuals, and teams that have achieved exceptional results. In the 2023 edition, 10 prestigious awards were presented to 10 outstanding winners.Alychlo, the cornerstone investor of The Italian Sea Group since its IPO, has investments in over 40 public and private companies across various sectors, with a focus on high-value-added companies that contribute significantly to job creation."We are extremely honored to receive this recognition and to be selected among important and excellent companies," commented Giovanni Costantino, Founder & CEO of The Italian Sea Group. "We thank Mr. Marc Coucke for his constant trust in our Group since its listing on Euronext Milan. We will continue working passionately and with dedication to achieve increasingly ambitious results."The Italian Sea Group is a global operator in the luxury yachting industry, listed on Euronext Milan (“EXM”) and active in the construction and refit of motor yachts and sailing yachts up to 140 meters. The Company, led by Italian entrepreneur Giovanni Costantino, operates on the market with the brands Admiral, renown for elegant and prestigious yachts, Tecnomar, Perini Navi, and Picchiotti; the Company has a business unit, NCA Refit, that manages the maintenance and refit services for yachts and mega yachts with a length over 60 meters. Credits: The Italian Sea Group
April 22, 2024