The Sleek and Elegant RL Noor Blends Turkish Craftsmanship With Italian Style

RL Noor looks nothing like Tatiana – one is a medium-sized yacht of 123 feet (37.5 meters) worth a few million. The other is a mammoth superyacht, double in size (262 feet/80 meters) and valued at a whopping $100 million. However, they were born at the same shipyard, and each represents a significant moment in the history of Bilgin Yachts.

The story of Bilgin Yachts began more than a century ago in Salacak, Istanbul. Craftsmen in this area were known for building boats for the royal palace of Abdulhamid II. This is where Huseyin the Master operated a boathouse in the early 1900s. After he passed away in World War I, it was time for his son, Topik Mustafa, to carry on his legacy. Throughout the 1930s, he built several boats together with some of the first marine engineers in the country.

The family business kept growing and took on more challenging projects over the years. For instance, in 1970, they built a rowing boat for the first Turkish sailor to sail worldwide. They launched their first large motor yacht (18 meters/59 feet) in 1984. In the early 2000s, the Bilgin shipyard scored its first international delivery – the Santa Maria.

Wealthy Russian and Greek customers were the first to appreciate the Bilgin shipyard's excellence. The new series of medium-sized luxury yachts in the 2000s culminated with the launch of the RL Noor in 2010.

Other spectacular yachts, such as Timeless, Ocean Club, Clarity, and Gioala-Lu, followed. After building a new facility in the West Istanbul Marina, Biligin launched its largest vessel at the time, the Bilgin 156. In early 2020, the Turkish shipyard marked another milestone – the launch of Tatiana, its current flagship and the largest private yacht ever built in Turkey.

Although surpassed in size and fame by the majestic Tatiana, the RL Noor had its shining destiny. One year after its official debut in 2010, it won the prestigious Boat International Award for Best Interior Design. The award-winning interior resulted from a collaboration between the Istanbul-based yard and a young but famous design studio in Italy, Hot Lab.

A handful of postgraduates founded Hot Lab in Milan, Italy, in 2004. Today, most of the studio's clients are Turkish, including shipyards such as Altinova, Yildiz Gemi, and RMK Marine. According to the Hot Lab team, the main reason for that is the size range. Unlike the top Northern European and Italian builders focusing on superyachts and megayachts, Turkish shipyards still favor boats between 40 and 70 meters (131 to 230 feet).

Hot Lab's custom interiors for the RL Noor perfectly matched its masculine silhouette with a carbon black and silver superstructure. Regarding materials and furniture, the RL Noor reveals exquisite choices – Thassos marble, oak veneer with a delicate greige hue, and precious, rare carpets. Dark ebony and premium leather add a glamorous touch.

The configuration of the social areas onboard is minimalistic and guest-friendly at the same time. In addition to the cabins, the RL Noor boasts five indoor and outdoor seating areas, a versatile indoor/outdoor bar, a steam room, and a generous swim deck that connects guests to the water.

Eight guests can enjoy RL Noor at once, while a six-people crew attends them. The layout includes four staterooms, one on the main deck (with large windows for excellent views) and the other on the lower deck.

Despite its modest size, the master suite onboard RL Noor is comparable to those of much bigger superyachts. It features two large single beds and an opulent en-suite bathroom with a bathtub and a sauna in addition to the shower. This still leaves enough room for a separate seating area and a private deck.

Guests can relax on the sun deck, with plush seating and generous sun beds. At the same time, the flybridge is the perfect spot for onboard al-fresco dining and cocktails, thanks to a second bar.

Performance-wise, the yacht's twin MTU engines of 2,400 HP each are enough to ensure an impressive speed of 17 knots (19.5 mph/31 kph). The RL Noor can cover more than 2,000 nautical miles (3,700 km) when it's not cutting through the waves at maximum speed.

This Turkish vessel with an Italian soul has proven highly successful in the luxury charter market. Anyone who wants to use it as a private pleasure craft is in luck. The RL Noor is up for grabs, asking for €4.9 million ($5.3 million) – a bargain for an award-winning yacht that's as sophisticated and comfortable as a superyacht yet sleek and speedy.