Thursday, February 22, 2007

VISIT TO TURKEY



February brought us an opportunity to visit the Gorbon facility located in Tuzla just outside of Istanbul. Tuzla has become a mecca for mega yacht construction in Europe. Builders from all over the continent have moved their facilities to this area because of the large pool of talented craftsman. All types of related services now encompass the area as Turkey is quickly becoming a worldwide leader in boat building.

The 53 Deck Salon was at the stage where we could make changes without disrupting the production schedule. Major considerations were the salon door, communication center layout, keel design and cockpit. Engine beds were being fabricated and installed for the Yanmar 6BY 220 HP Electronic diesel.

The original spec called for the salon door to be a slider. However, after visiting the boat and through several discussions a decision was made to change to a hinged door. Safety was the major consideration re: visibility, water tightness and ease of operation and integrity were the factors facilitating the change.

The cockpit proved to be everything we could ask for. Visibility from either helm is tremendous as promised. Access to the side decks is achieved via steps on each side of the cockpit aided by handrails on the helm pedestals. Special attention has been given to the drainage system given the large volume of space this cockpit provides.