Turkish Gulet Cruise Yachts

Today, Turkey's wooden gulets are configured mostly as motor-sailers, with powerful diesel engines to provide primary power and sails to provide either additional power or primary power in the case of strong winds. This means, when the wind blows, you can sail silently and go wherever you want with reliable motor power.

Turkish gulets come in many sizes, from small 15-meter(50-foot)-long craft with the necessary equipment to large, luxurious 33-meter (108-foot) air-conditioned vessels with every convenience and luxury.

What is a Gulet?

Gulet, derived from the French golette (or Schooner), is a traditional Turkish broad-beamed wooden coastal sailing vessel with a raised bow, a broad, flat stern, main foremast, and a secondary mast aft.

Gulets are particularly good as pleasure sailing vessels because of their broadbeam, which creates expansive deck space.

A gulet may have from 3 to 12 two-person cabins (for 6 to 24 people), but 5- and 6-cabin vessels capable of sleeping 10 to 12 voyagers are most common. (The 2- or 3-person crew usually sleeps in a lazarette at the bow.)

Many gulet cabins have private heads (toilets) and sinks, some even have private fresh-water showers, though communal showers are more common (if the vessel has a shower).

The stern deck of a gulet is broad, fitted with a low, wide cushioned bench all around which is perfect for lounging, reading, relaxing or napping. The stern deck area, shaded by an awning if the sun is hot, is large enough for a small table for games, drinks or simple meals. For sunbathing, the foredeck is the place.

A gulet's main cabin is fairly spacious, high enough for the tallest voyager to stand erect, with provisions for tables to seat all the voyagers for meals, meetings or evening entertainment.

Fittings and furnishings range from pine and stainless steel to rich mahogany and burnished brass.

Itineraries

Itineraries range based on the personal preference of the tourist and the options offered by the agency providing the gulet experience.

Typical yacht charter agreements in Turkey include the yacht, crew, insurance, fuel for four hours' motoring per day (on average), standard port taxes and fees. Some meals, soft drinks, water and local (that is, Turkish domestic) alcoholic drinks (beer, wine, raki, brandy, gin, etc.) are included in some charter agreements, or may be ordered by the voyagers and paid for separately.

Crew tips/gratuities of 5% to 10% of the charter fee are traditionally given to the captain at the end of the voyage, to be shared among the crew.

See also these important yacht charter & cabin charter tips.

For further information, we have answered some of the most frequently asked questions.

—Tom Brosnahan