ARES Yachts has completed SIMENA, a 62 metre sailing yacht that places the Turkish builder firmly into the large custom superyacht conversation.
The flagship ketch has completed extensive sea trials off Antalya, where she demonstrated strong speed and handling, and is now offered for sale through Northrop & Johnson.
A clipper bow, ketch rig and modern underwater thinking
Designed with Taka Yacht Design for both exterior lines and naval architecture, SIMENA is presented as the largest sailing yacht designed and built in Türkiye.
Her profile leans deliberately traditional, with a clipper bow, bowsprit, modest overhangs and a sweeping sheerline that gives the yacht the poise of a gentleman’s yacht scaled up for modern superyacht use.
The rig is equally central to the character of the boat, with a 59 metre mainmast and a 48 metre mizzen mast carrying a broad sail plan by Doyle.
Below the waterline, the yacht moves away from nostalgia, using contemporary hull design and appendages intended to deliver more efficient and predictable performance.
Steel, composite and a lighter superstructure
SIMENA uses a steel hull paired with a low-profile composite superstructure, a choice that helps reduce weight higher up and contributes to stability under sail.
The flybridge is integrated neatly into the upper volume rather than sitting as a bulky add-on, preserving the yacht’s long, low classic silhouette.
That same balance of old and new continues in the detailing, where bright mahogany, stainless steel, brass accents and neutral outdoor upholstery keep the design warm without turning it into pastiche.
Deck spaces built around open-air living
Boarding can take place from the aft hydraulic passerelle or via a fold-down starboard bathing platform, with a six square metre balcony creating a practical and elegant arrival point from the yacht’s custom limo tender.
Aft, the deck is arranged around a circular Jacuzzi, raised sun pads and a cockpit with broad seating around two mahogany tables that can be joined for dining up to 14 guests.
Forward, a more intimate lounge sits between the wheelhouse and the main mast, while the sunken flybridge offers another social zone with custom seating, smaller tables and sunpads sheltered by a slim mahogany coaming.
Design Unlimited gives the interior a club-like calm
Inside, Design Unlimited has continued the contemporary-classic language with darkened oak panelling, pale upholstery, cream carpeting and brass detailing throughout the main saloon.
The owner’s suite occupies the bow and is arranged around a king-sized bed, an open bathroom concept, a walk-in wardrobe, a sofa and a vanity or desk area with views through the portholes.
Guest accommodation includes four additional cabins, with two VIP suites and a flexible twin among them, while a fifth cabin aft of the central staircase can serve occasional guest or crew use.
Turkish stone in the bathrooms, custom furniture and a sculptural central staircase add a local and hand-finished quality that suits the yacht’s broader purpose as a showcase for ARES Yachts’ custom capability.
Sailing performance backed by hybrid flexibility
SIMENA carries a 470 square metre mainsail, a 249 square metre mizzen, a 596 square metre genoa and a 356 square metre staysail, giving the captain meaningful flexibility across different conditions.
During trials, the yacht reached 16 knots in 20 knots of wind at a 100 degree wind angle, an impressive figure for a vessel of this size and displacement.
Seven captive winches are hidden below deck for push-button sail handling, while custom Antal winches assist with raising, reefing and furling.
Auxiliary systems include three 86kW CAT generators and an 882hp MAN diesel engine, with the yacht also able to generate renewable electricity from water flow past the propeller from around 7 knots of boat speed.
For ARES Yachts, SIMENA is more than a flagship launch; it is a statement of intent from a builder moving beyond its fast patrol boat roots and into highly finished, large-scale sailing yachts.
For a prospective owner, the appeal is clear: classic atmosphere, modern engineering, serious deck life and a Turkish build story with real distinction.
