The extraordinary Leona roars into life

“You cannot imagine the number of details in chrome, brass and gold [and marble, stone, leather, veneer, fabric, crystal]. We used so many materials. Our workers got to a different stage. It was challenging, but they succeeded,” Şengün says. They even made the gold-colour metallic appliqués on the columns and the customised hand weights for the gym. In this respect, Leona is a showcase for the yard’s wide range of capabilities and resourcefulness.

“We learned quickly that the client didn’t react positively to understated design. He required us to be bold and turn up the volume”

Like her predecessor – the first Bilgin 263 Tatiana – Leona is “bullet-shaped” with a long and pointed bow that extends her line in a visually pleasing way. The foredeck is a clean expanse of white, concealing an immense tender and toy garage and the mooring deck. Voluminous at 1,730GT, the yacht is relatively narrow for her length with a 12.2-metre beam (at its maximum above water) and a bulbous bow, which has implications in terms of efficiency.

The exterior design and naval architecture are by Turkish firm Unique Yacht Design, which works very closely with the builder. The designer and naval architect developed the Bilgin 263 at least in part from the brief of the client who commissioned Tatiana. Like Tatiana’s, the hull is a version of the displacement form developed by Unique Yacht Design, which was tested at the Maritime Advanced Research Centre in Poland. Her fuel consumption at 12 knots is around 250 litres of fuel per hour (although she is meant to run much faster, with a cruising speed of 15 knots and 19 knots at top speed). She is compliant with IMO Tier III requirements, with an effective exhaust-cleaning system (which Bilgin implemented from hull one) and underwater exhaust.

“When it comes to the fun factor, Leona lacks for nothing... fire pit, aquarium, hookah room, piano bar, cinema..”

“There are no significant differences in performance between Leona and Tatiana. The most important reason for this is that both boats are built on the same platform,” says Sencer Güneer, Bilgin Yachts’ operations director. But, he notes, Leona’s exterior design is, “significantly different and more detailed than Tatiana’s. The time spent on craftsmanship and distinctive details is almost as much as the time spent on the interior of the yacht.

While the paint, fashion plate and other details hint at a showpiece, there is nothing that quite prepares for the surprises inside. Leona’s interiors are luxurious with a capital L and bold type. Her interior designer, H2 Yacht Design, describes the decor as “theatrical”. 

The owner never had a chance to visit the shipyard. Instead, he relied on a team that included a technical project manager from Burgess and a representative who moved to Istanbul to oversee the construction. To ensure delivery of exactly what he wanted, the owner also took the unusual step of making all interior details part of the contract. “The inclusion of these details in the contract exactly as desired by the boat owner, followed by their complete implementation by Bilgin, differentiated this project from many others,” says Önder Budak, who represented the builder in the contract negotiations.

Stairs rising on both sides of the massive swim platform reach the aft section of the main deck where a second smaller (5.3-metre by 2.3-metre) glass-sided plunge pool, also heated, overlooks the stern. Alternatively, a theatrical central staircase leads directly from the beach club to the main deck’s formal dining space and saloon. From the relatively low light of the wellness area, here it’s as if the sun itself has entered the space. The decor makes liberal use of the gold colour in metallic appliqués, threads in the carpet, a tufted sofa and armchairs with golden serpents as armrests, all by Roberto Cavalli. 

These remarkable details aside, what’s also noteworthy is the ceiling height of 2.25 metres. It’s even higher on the owner’s deck. The designer has very much compensated for it with exterior lines that belie the height of the decks. The exterior design aimed to achieve a dynamic, sporty look for a sizeable full-displacement yacht, the studio says, and it holds its promise. The Bilgin 263 is the antithesis of the wedding cake look of many larger and more conventional yachts.

Within this sleeker envelope, the layout and engineering were complex. One of the biggest challenges, from the builder’s perspective, aside from the myriad interior details, was “space optimisation”, Güneer says, and Leona shines in this respect. It never feels cramped, whether in the engine room, the guest areas or in the crew spaces, which are planned for a complement of 21.

What many guests on board won’t see are the crew and technical spaces. The layout keeps guest and crew passages well away from each other so crew can remain out of sight but not forgotten. As on Tatiana, Leona has well thought-out spaces for captain and crew. Both the captain and first officer have cabins on the bridge deck. In addition to a large crew mess, officers also have access to day rooms on the tank deck. 

On the operation side, things are planned to make the crew’s life a bit easier too. A service door is available for grocery deliveries or unloading the trash. There is extensive dry and cold storage and a large laundry space with five Miele washers and dryers and a separate ironing room. The mooring deck is large and includes doors to allow the crew to step out and supervise the deployment of the anchors. Immaculate as a private hospital, the underbelly of Leona is impressive from its pump room to its engine space. “We get so many good comments about our engine room,” says Şengün. And it is not surprising.