Turks turning heads with yachts in Germany

Ahu Özyurt - DÜSSELDORF

Germany’s trendy fair town Düsseldorf has been bustling with sea and sail fanatics for the past two weeks. During “Boot,” the annual Boat and Sailing Fair, the city is usually packed with Italians, British and, yes, more and more Turks – actually, Turkish yacht producers.

What had started 10 years ago as an entrepreneurial adventure for a young woman is now a full-fledged passion to build motor yachts even better than that of their famous competitors. 

İpek Kıraç, the CEO of Sirena Marine, took over a factory in Orhangazi in the northwestern province of Bursa from her father, İnan Kıraç, one of Turkey’s pioneering businessman and an avid sailor. 

She then created two brands, Azurree and Euphoria.

When Sirena Marine decided to go it alone two years ago, the young engineers and designers had a goal in mind: To build a 64-foot or bigger motor yacht for longer range cruising that would be much faster than its competitors. And so German Frers Naval Engineering and Spadolini Design Studio got involved, leading to the construction of the newest charm of the seas, Sirena Yacht.

During the world premiere of Sirena in Düsseldorf, Kıraç could not hide her excitement. “We were small and unknown, so we had to be better. And we decided to change the game,” she told the Hürriyet Daily News.

“Under our category, we built the fastest, biggest and most fuel efficient yacht. And all of this is the proof of Turkish engineering and Turkish workers’ talent. We are very proud to be creating a new brand from Turkey,” she added. 

The Sirena 64, compared to others of similar size, features greater fuel and water capacity together with a 2 x CAT C12.9 – 850Hp that gives higher maximum speed of up to 27 knots. The yard will provide the option for more powerful engines as well. 

The main features inside are a spacious main deck of approximately 52 square meters and larger cabins in the category. There are three main cabins and four bathrooms.

After the launch in Düsseldorf, Team Sirena will be heading to Miami for the U.S. Boat Show in September.

In using Turkish-designed towels, bed sheets and pillows in the details, Kıraç obviously showed her pride. 

“Turkey is an important country in yacht and sailboat production, and we have to show our friends and competitors that we are ready for the challenge,” Kıraç said. 

After posting the picture of her new “baby” on Instagram, she wrote, “We did it.”