In a successful effort to show what’s possible in a 12-day cruise, the leaders of Bering Yachts took a new Bering 70 steel-hulled expedition yacht on a 1,200 nm trip around Turkey’s Turquoise and Aegean coasts earlier this summer. With a two-person crew moving the yacht at night, they spent the days exploring historic sites, visiting waterfront restaurants, swimming in remote coves, and generally having the time of their lives. (See the video below.)
Berings are built in Antalya, Turkey, and the cruise started and ended there. Alexey Mikhailov, the company’s president, said, “We wanted to demonstrate that a fast planing yacht is not necessary to cover distances in a limited-time cruise, and that it can be done a whole lot more comfortably and cost-effectively.”
Powered by twin 305-hp Cummins diesels, the Bering 70 tops out at 13 knots, but on this vacation it cruised at eight knots, burning just 4.2 gph. At that speed, the three-cabin, flybridge yacht has a range of 2,500 nm.
The Bering 70 has panoramic windows, full walkaround side decks, lots of lounging areas, three luxury staterooms with en suite heads and showers plus a crew quarters with its own head, and a Seakeeper gyrostabilizer to keep everyone comfortable underway.
To make touring easy, the Bering towed a 28-foot Hysucat hydrofoil RIB, which is made by a Bering Yachts subsidiary. It has a 50-knot top speed, and was large enough to carry everyone on board to shore sites.
Mikhailov says, “Not only did this cruise prove the intended point of covering big distances overnight in total comfort and using each day to the maximum, it also proved a very important side point, which is that young women can cruise on a boat like this in total glamour and style. My office team of Elena, Olga and Lena dressed in a multitude of different outfits to fit each occasion, and I felt at times that I was part of an ongoing fashion parade rather than a luxury yacht cruise.”
Base price for the Bering 70 in Turkey is about $2,250,000.
Specs.: LOA: 70’3”; Beam: 18’2”; Draft: 4’0”; Disp.: 60 tons; Fuel: 1,260 gals.; Water: 245 gals.;; Power: 2×305-hp Cummins QSB 6.7. See the video here:
