Magnificent, technically advanced sailing yachts, Perini Navis are instantly recognisable by their elegant lines, sizable lengths (half of the world’s largest sailing yachts were produced by them), wide, clutter-free decks and revolutionary game-changing automation. Our Ultimate Yacht, Melek, carries a bold confident style and she can be yours today.
The link between angels and luxury sailing yachts might not be wholly apparent but there are some tentative similarities given that one flies through the air and the other through water. It is only perhaps when you hear an owner describe his yacht as an angel that you begin to understand why one Turkish businessman decided he loved his yacht so much that he’d call her Melek, which in Turkish means – yes – you guessed it: angel.
Turkey is neither the land of Melek’s completion nor indeed her design. That process started with a New Zealander, with offices in Canada and Ireland, and ended in Italy, where she was skilfully finished. This is because she is the result of the design brains of Ron Holland and the build ingenuity of Perini Navi who, along with their world-class artisans in Tuscany’s Viareggio, came together to create this angel of the seas.
The man who commissioned her, Turgay Ciner, is said to have an appreciation of beauty and the finer things in life. That he owns one of Turkey’s most important companies, with activities in mining, energy, media, textile and real estate, highlights his business prowess, which in turn leads us to believe he could probably own anything he wanted. So the fact he chose Perini Navi speaks volumes for their hegemonic status in the world of sailing.
Finished in 2010 and kept away from the public eye until she was finally shown at this year’s Monaco Yacht Show – for the reason that she’s now for sale – Melek is a timeless ketch and one of the finest superyachts on the seven seas. Like many Perini Navi builds, her hull was constructed at the company’s Istanbul-Yildiz yard in Turkey before then being transported to Viareggio for the more technical build. Upon completion, she became the fiftieth yacht to be produced by the Italian game-changing company since they began operations in 1983 and though you can’t easily notice it, she’s also the ninth hull in a series of 56-metre yachts, which goes back to 2003 and the launch of Burrasca. She’s very much a development of that breed of Perini performance cruiser, built in aluminium so as to keep down displacement and wetted surface.
The greatest innovations in this yacht are in the design of her flush deck with built-in tender storage and in her aluminium superstructure with its sleek aerodynamic lines. The all-new interpretation of volumes and lines allows for better enjoyment of wider and freer spaces on deck, especially on the main bridge that has protected and secure lateral pass ways and easier (and more functional) access from the side passages.
Sportier and more contemporary than her predecessors in the series thanks to a bold look that includes grey chrome accents on the superstructure, masts and boom, hers is not just a superficial athleticism however, as her hull lines and appendages have also been optimised for better performance during navigation.
Melek’s main mast and mizzen were designed and manufactured in-house at Perini Navi’s mast division. Hewn from aluminium, they stand at 58.37 and 47.97 metres respectively. Her furling boom was constructed from ultra-light carbon fibre. She carries a total sail plan surface area of 1,500 square metres with a fully battened mainsail and mizzen, featuring in-boom furling and reefing, which helps create a much closer winded yacht that boasts a greater sail area and better swiftness than many of her size. Still, Melek was built for comfort rather than her speed. From her spacious flybridge and her semi sunken cockpit, she offers a variety of great outdoor living areas that are complimented by spacious panelled air-conditioned interiors.
Speaking of which, the interior, designed entirely in-house by Andrea Pietrini and his team at Perini Navi, combines tradition and innovation with a classic-modern style that is both refined and bold. For example, an unusual solution for separating the main saloon from the indoor navigational area is a cherry wood folding door whose eye-pleasing panels can be folded away completely, much like an accordion. What’s more, the enduring elegance of cherry with walnut inlays is enhanced by the handsome use of leather, wenge, fir and even parchment.
Melek is able to accommodate up to eleven guests, with bedroom configurations that have a decent amount of flexibility. Of the five stylish staterooms, all of which are located on the lower deck, the largest if of course the full beam Master Suite. This is divided into two areas: there’s a super-king bed, study and living area on the one side and an enormous and stunning Carrara marble bathroom on the other. Besides having a bathtub and a generous shower, the bathroom also has a central island fitted with a double sink facing outwards and a vanity facing in. The three other double-bed suites all have smaller king sized beds and there’s also a twin cabin, which comes with two single berths and a drop down Pullman bunk. Located midship and forward of the engine room, all the bedrooms can be serviced by crew using a watertight access door so that they can come and go discretely, without having to pass through the owners’ recreational areas. Perini Navi has done well when it comes to planning and operational use and the fore-placed crew areas maximise space and make service jobs easy and unobtrusive.
On deck, the ample cockpit has been designed to ensure well-being and harmony at sea with transparent protection panels running along the perimeter. The open-air living area is made up of two L-shaped sofas on opposite sides of made-to-measure islands. Retractable television screens and drawers for storage of all kinds are concealed in the furniture and there’s also a day head and a semi-circular external staircase that leads to the flying bridge. Ascend the stairs and you’ll find a pretty large sunbathing space replete with a handsome round Jacuzzi and two more L-shaped sofas that separate this area from the navigational one.
Down at the sea level, Melek’s transom can be extended out hydraulically to become a terrace over the water with a handy and wide built-in staircase linking it to the main hull. The yacht does also have a lateral platform that can be used both to launch the tenders and as an additional direct access to the sea.
In the interior, the main saloon is an open space rounded off in the corners by leather-panelled cupboards. At the centre of the saloon is an unusual three-ramp staircase: the two lateral ramps mirror each other and lead to the guest deck, the central ramp leads to the flying bridge. The main staircase, thanks to a series of illuminated show cases, perfectly divides the areas of the saloon into a living area furnished with yet another L-shaped sofa, two armchairs and a coffee table, and a dining area with a round table that can be extended to seat 12 along with an S-shaped sofa, two small armchairs and a card table.
At sea, Melek is an extremely quiet yacht engineered with an emphasis on the reduction of vibrational and structural noise. Having just passed her ABS 5 year survey with flying colours, it is somewhat surprising that her owner is willing to part ways with her, for 34 million Euros. Handling that sale is Bruce Brackenhoff of Perini Navi USA, the company’s American-based subsidiary, headquartered in Newport Rhode Island. “With only one season as an ocean-crossing yacht, she has only been used for summers and her condition reflects this light usage,” says Brackenhoff. He adds, “Not only is she gorgeous, but believe it or not, after five years she is still as sharp and clean as she was when she left our yard.” Truly ready for a new owner, this little angel is clearly eager to spread her wings.
NAME Melek
WHAT 56-metre Perini Navi ketch
PRICE 34 million Euros
WHY Bold but not flamboyant, Melek takes the signature Perini Navi style and ramps it up to some heady new levels. For us she was the absolute star of the 2015 Monaco Yacht Show and she’ll certainly make her next owner a very happy (wo)man.
