Decade-old Turkish superyacht gets 40-foot extension in wild makeover

An aging Turkish superyacht was given a makeover on its technology and interiors, but it also gained a 40-foot extension.

The 125-footer, previously named ‘Grayzone’, was transformed into a 164-foot vessel.

Now named ‘Thanuja’, it’s barely recognizable from the superyacht that Turkish yard, Concept Marine, delivered in 2012.

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The extension took place at Serenity Yacht in Florida, US.

It was originally planned to be a straightforward refit but quickly snowballed into a complete conversion.

First, the luxury superyacht’s body was stripped down to the bare metal.

From there, the stern and aft decks were extended and the flybridge was updated.

As well as upping the length by 40 feet, the interior volume was taken from 380 to 440 GT.

The German firm iYacht was put in charge of the updated naval architecture and exterior design in June 2020.

The team flew to the south of France to measure and create an accurate 3-D model of Greyzone.

From there their design took place remotely over four weeks.

The ambitious first concepts suggested a new galley, an updated foredeck, a Jacuzzi on the flybridge, and a larger stern platform.

The beach club was also updated to appeal to the modern seafarer.

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Back to Thanuja and a high-tech overhaul, putting the superyacht in line with the latest North European standards was also decided on.

As a result, Thanuja gained a new engine room, bow, stern thrusters, pipes, cabling, engines, and generators.

As well as its technical spaces, the vessel’s aluminum superstructure was also rewelded.

Aesthetically, the decking and deck furniture were finished in fresh teak.

Interior designer Katharina Raczek and her team freshened up the interiors – balancing the original with the new.

After gaining those all-important feet and inches, post-upgrade she can comfortably accommodate up to 10 guests in five staterooms, served by seven crew across six cabins.

As well as the financial investment, the rebuild required tens of thousands of hours of coordination, planning, and engineering by a team of over 100.

“Leveraging the expertise of our studio, we were able to support the owner and the yard in every phase,” iYacht CEO Udo A. Hafner, said.

“As the project complexity grew, it required us to bring in additional expertise from different disciplines.”

The superyacht has received approval for commercial charter under the Luxembourg flag.

That means you could soon hop aboard yourself.

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