Superyacht Regina: Sexy Like a Bond Girl

Regina moved builder Pruva Yachting from its gulet past into the future of Turkey's luxury charter market (and onto the Hollywood stage in the movie Skyfall). By Kim Kavin, photos by Marc Paris, courtesy of ContactTurkey.com.

February 21, 2013
Why, yes, that is the 183-foot Pruva Regina that you see superspy James Bond cavorting aboard in the most recent franchise film, Skyfall.
On screen, the boat is called Chimera, named for a mythical creature whose parts come from different animals.
It's stunning how perfectly on point those Hollywood writers can be sometimes.
Bodrum-based Pruva Yachting built 20 boats before the 183-foot Regina.
Most were traditional wooden gulets, and nice ones at that. With Regina, Pruva wanted to move into serious sailing yachts.
It gave her a steel hull, a smashing profile and a schooner rig that helps her leave Turkey's fleet of charter gulets in her wake.
At the same time, though, Pruva incorporated a number of design features that charter clients love aboard gulets -- which are, after all, spacious, stable and often beautiful boats.
Regina has protected dining and a large sun pad aft, a seating area with cocktail table forward and an interior decor filled with rich mahogany and light fabrics.
Being on board feels like true performance sailing when Regina is under way, yet also feels like classic gulet lounging when she's at anchor off the coast of Datca or Marmaris.
Different animals, indeed, but combined in a smart and sophisticated way.
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"Our aim was to build a performance sailing yacht with comfortable onboard areas," company manager Cihan Atik told me.
"We are a gulet builder, so it is not possible to escape that on the first try entirely, but I believe we have succeeded."
I believe so too.
I spent a week aboard Regina cruising in Turkey, where she launched in 2011 and has spent the past two summer seasons packed with bookings.
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Coming into 2013, this vessel remains the most expensive Turkish sailing yacht offering charters in the nation's waters, with a weekly base rate of about $120,000 for up to 12 guests.
She is also still owned and operated by Pruva, which designed her to be profitable as a charter vessel.
While most luxury yachts earn enough charter income to cover some expenses each year, Regina has the advantage of Turkey's long, May-to-October charter season, its low construction costs and its ever-improving construction quality.
The combination lets Pruva offer Regina as a luxury product with more than the usual income and without the usual expenses.
Regina is open to charter itineraries along the usual Bodrum-to-Gocek run and beyond.
I spent a few days cruising aboard her east of Gocek toward Fethiye, and Regina's crew showed me all kinds of great things, from the remains of Cleopatra's Baths to what's left of a building where the real St. Nicholas used to live.
There's no doubt that this yacht will remain the jewel in the Pruva crown at least for a little while longer, but stay tuned, because the builder is working on a J Class-style design set to launch into the charter market for summer 2014.
Regina takes 12 guests at a lowest weekly base rate of $121,000.
Contact Northrop and Johnson Worldwide Yacht Charters, (800) 868-5913, njcharters.com. __Want to see another amazing charter option in Turkey? Click here to see photos of the yacht Hic Salta.

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