Legend has it that way back in 1777, a young confectioner from Constantinople named Haci Bekir, mixed starch and sugar with a splash of rosewater and mastic gum.
Left to set, dusted with icing sugar and then cut into small cubes, the gelatinous candy we now know as Turkish Delight was born.
Fast forward 247 years and there’s an even more mouthwatering Turkish delight on offer, guaranteed to tingle the tastebuds of any motorboat-loving mariner; the brand new Sirena 48 from Istanbul-based Sirena Yachts.
Established in 2006, Sirena has grown into quite the powerhouse in the luxury yacht market. At its newly-expanded 1.6 million square-foot facility close to Istanbul, where it employs over 1,200 artisans, it produces a five-model range of trawler-style yachts from this new 48 to a high-luxe flagship 88.
This 48 is a key addition, essentially being designed for the U.S. market with a mission to attract younger buyers. Easily handled by a couple, it has a terrific layout, with a huge flybridge, acres of outdoor space, a light-filled saloon, and a trio of ensuite cabins for up to six.
I got to spend a morning aboard the first 48 to arrive in the U.S. at this year’s Palm Beach Boat Show and came away hugely impressed. I’m a big fan of trawler-style motor yachts, especially ones that can kick up their heels and go fast. With a top speed of up to 27 knots, the Sirena offers plenty of pace with grace.
See this newcomer tied to the docks, and it’s a true head-spinner. Yes, it looks like a scaled-down version of Sirena’s 58, 68 and 78 models. Same imposing vertical bow, same bolt-upright windows and wrap-around pilothouse screen, same almost-haphazardly-placed hull windows. But in a sea of look-alike floating Clorox bottles, the Sirena is a stand-out.
While the exterior lines are from Sirena’s own design team in Turkey, what’s key here is that the 48’s semi-displacement hull is from the drawing board of legendary Argentinian naval architect Germán Frers. He endowed the cruiser with swift performance, confident sea-keeping, and a smooth ride.
How swift? With the optional twin 670-hp Volvo D11 turbodiesels on vee-drives, she’ll hit that 27-knot top speed and cruise effortlessly at 16. Even with the standard 550-hp Cummins QSB 6.7s, top speed is a still-impressive 24 knots.
Throttle back to a more-relaxed 10 knots and you’re looking at a cruising range of close to 500 nautical miles. That’s an easy, straight-shot St. Pete to Key West and back. And with a draft of just 3ft 5ins, skinny Gulf waters are not a problem.
Step aboard the hydraulically-lowering swim platform at the stern, take the three steps up to the aft cockpit, and drink-in the view. The cockpit is completely shaded by the flybridge – important for us sun-weary Floridians – and features twin sofas and a fold-out table for entertaining.
Big, sliding-glass doors open into the saloon, with the compact galley right there so the cook stays part of the action. In the saloon, with its humongous windows, there’s another dining area with U-shaped sofa and hi-lo table.
Take the wide, teak-treaded stairs up to the flybridge and, again, prepare to be wowed. I love this top-deck space with its full wrap-around sofa at the rear, lovely, outdoor kitchen, two-person helm seat with 360-degree views, and a massive sunpad in front for six or more.
Make your way below decks, and spanning the entire 16-foot beam is the Sirena’s spacious master suite boasting over 6 ft 5ins of headroom. Up in the bow is an equally-spacious VIP cabin that could almost double as the master. Close by is a twin-bedded guest cabin with almost seven feet of headroom.
And throughout the yacht, the quality of materials, the level of detailing, the fit and finish, and cool design cues are top notch. Which is all pretty impressive considering the Sirena 48 has a super-competitive base price of $1.5 million, or around $1.8 million nicely loaded.
This is one Turkish delight definitely worth the calories.
