How, in less than two weeks, in total luxury but with a sensible budget, is it possible to take in so many of the finest sights and sites that Turkey’s Turquoise and Aegean coasts have to offer without spending great chunks out of every day at sea?
With a firm plan of 1200 miles (2000 km) in 12 days, a team from Bering Yachts of Antalya set out on exactly that mission on July 28 from Kemer, a seaside resort close to Bering’s yard in Antalya, in the yard’s own Coastal Series Bering 70.
The cruise itinerary reads like a roll call of Turkey’s finest places to visit, including Kekova, Fethiye, Bodrum, Kuşadası, the Ancient Greek city of Ephesus, Izmir, Ayvalik, and Çeşme.
, says of the cruise “We wanted to demonstrate that a fast planing yacht is not necessary to cover serious distances in a limited time cruise and that it can be done a whole lot more comfortably and cost-effectively,” said Alexey Mikhailov, President and Chairman of Bering Yachts. “All our major sea miles were covered overnight—in perfect comfort may I add with less than 50 decibels of sound, no vibration, and the gyro stabiliser and seakeeper active stabilisation system keeping her rock steady all the time.”
“The two crew running the boat at night catching up on their sleep during the daytime,” he added, “whilst myself and the office team had our full daytime hours for visiting sites, undertaking a plethora of historical tours, eating fine local cuisine, all whilst working and continuing to monitor and manage the yachts in build in the Bering yard. It really was the most amazing 12 days.”
The craft was the Bering 70, a modern, stylish steel-hulled yacht launched by Bering Yachts in 2019. Characterised by crisp, clear lines, panoramic windows, full walkaround side decks, and an abundance of open deck space including a huge 35 square meter flybridge with a second helm, barbecue, two fridges, a sink, and plenty of lounging space.
Functionality wise, a shallow draft and a narrow beam for extensive cruising in coastal waters gives the 70 a range of over 2500 nautical miles and staggeringly efficient fuel economy averaging 16 litres per hour at 8 knots.
What made such extensive exploration possible was the addition of the 28-foot Hysucat hydrofoil rigid inflatable catamaran. Towed behind the Bering 70 on the overnight hauls, by day, the Hysucat enabled fast and comfortable transport to bays, archeological sites, marina restaurants, and shopping paradises all along Turkey’s Western coastline. Known for exceptional ride and stability and keeping passengers dry, the team travelled from the mother ship in style, at speed, with the confidence and exhilaration that a 40-50 knot Hysucat ride brings. The Hysucat range is manufactured by a Bering Yachts subsidiary company.
Bering Yachts has documented the cruise through a series of videos now being broadcast on the company’s Instagram and YouTube channels and a day-by-day diary of the sites and activities can be seen on the company’s blog at beringyachts.com/ocean-going-yachts-cruising-stories/.
Bering 70 Brief Specification
LOA : 21.44m
Beam : 5.57m
Max Draft : 1.24m
Construction : Steel/Aluminium
Propulsion : 2 x Cummins QSB – 6.7 305hp
Max Range : 2,500+ nm
Fuel capacity : 4,780 litres
Max speed : 13 knots
Cruising speed : 10 knots
Economical speed : 7/8 knots
Accommodation : 7 berths in 3 cabins
Crew : 2
Price : €1.9m