The Soraya 46 is the first yacht from Soraya Yachts, a new Turkish megayacht builder intent on raising the bar on onboard comfort and convenience. She’s been a long time in the making, with the yard opening its doors in 2008 and her original completion expected in 2012. A combination of the global economic downturn and traditional delays due to a new venture added to her build time. With interior outfitting and sea trials now completed, however, the Soraya 46 is seeking a buyer.
Soraya Yachts was established as a division of a larger global company called Gentech. Gentech mostly operates in non-marine industries such as business aviation, engineering, and even real estate. However, some of the principals reportedly have more than a dozen years of experience in yachting. Soraya Yachts has its design and management offices in Slovenia and its construction facility in the Antalya Free Zone.
One of the goals of Soraya Yachts, especially with the Soraya 46, is to offer buyers a megayacht created with an international team of craftspeople, subcontractors, and surveyors. In terms of the international team, Italy-based Meccano Engineering is the naval architect. The firm has collaborated with Benetti, CRN, Fincantieri, Perini Navi, and even Carnival Cruise Lines. Tasks with these builders have ranged from structural analysis to creating design and workshop drawings. Uniellé Yacht Design is the stylist for the Soraya 46. The Italian design studio has previously worked with Admiral Tecnomar. UK-based Royal Oceanic is the surveyor for the Soraya 46, and Netherlands-based Van Cappellen Consultancy has been handling sound and vibration control.
Related to the latter, the Soraya 46 should meet the Comfort Class standards outlined by RINA. All the classification societies have similarly named standards, specifying decibel levels. However, RINA’s are the strictest, meeting or even beating those of the IMO for passenger spaces. The Soraya 46 should have decibels in the low to mid 40s in staterooms while underway. The decibels should be in the low to mid 30s in those same spaces while the megayacht is at anchor. For comparison’s sake, normal conversation is 60 decibels. And, the average home or private office comes in around 40 decibels.
Furthermore, the Soraya 46, at 153’2” (46.7 meters), is to have features uncommon for her LOA and volume. For instance, rarely, if ever, do you see a helipad aboard a 153-footer. (It’s a touch-and-go operation on the foredeck.) In addition, since the Soraya 46 was designed for charter, the main-deck master suite can be locked. Related to this, either of two extra-large below-decks staterooms can accommodate the primary charterers. Typically megayachts have equal-size guest accommodations, and the master stateroom is accessible, too, with just a safe or closet keeping valuables locked tight. Otherwise, the Soraya 46 has the customary interior and alfresco areas you’d expect to find. As the photos here show, the 30-foot (9.1-meter) beam lends an overall welcoming feel.
The bulbous-bow-equipped Soraya 46 should prove a capable cruiser no matter who is onboard. Range is said to be 4,500 nautical miles at 12 knots, her cruise speed. Power is from twin 1,300-hp Caterpillar engines. The Soraya 46 should also be able to access a number of anchorages, given an 8’2” (2.5-meter) draft.
The Soraya 46 is jointly listed by International Yacht Collection and Denison Super Yachts. Asking price: €25 million (about US$ 34.44 million at press time). The video below presents a good overview of the megayacht from her sea trials. Contact either brokerage house, or fill out our contact form, and we will put you directly in touch with the brokers.
MORE PHOTOS: Visit the Megayacht News Google+ page to see full interior photos.
Leave a Reply